The new Netflix heist series, Kaleidoscope, has an interesting twist: rather than being numbered, each episode is named after a color and viewers are encouraged to watch in any order than appeals to them (although it is recommended that you watch White--the day of the heist--last). The episodes are described by their time period: three weeks before the heist, the day after the heist, etc. A Google search reveals many discussions of how to choose an order: ie, chronologically, following the order on Netflix, or various options that that the writers believe have something to offer.
The underlying idea is that each order offers a unique experience as the viewer learns information in a different order and perhaps therefore has a different sense of how the heist goes, who is trustworthy, who is working with who, and so on. I personally watched in almost the order Netflix has, with one exception (I wanted to see what had happened 25 years earlier.)
Here's the thing: you can only watch the show for the first time once. After that, even if you switch the order, you will already know what you know, so you can't be led into a different experience.
BTW, the show is fairly good. The heist is interesting but has holes you could drive a fleet of trucks through. The show has some good performances, some intriguing characters, and some beautiful women (and some combos thereof). It also has some bad performances and really, really annoying characters.
I'm glad I watched it but don't consider it a must-see.
Maybe we need some new categories:
ReplyDeleteMust See
Maybe See?
Maybe See If You Have Absolutely Nothing Else to Watch
Eh
Must Miss (or, Avoid at All Costs)