ZeroZeroZero (2021) Series Review

This show has been heavily marketed by Sky, so even though it has taken me a bit longer then I expected or wanted I have watched the eight episodes of ZeroZeroZero and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a cocaine shipment making its way to Europe, which affects shady groups of Americans, Italians & Mexicans in unique ways. 

Main Character

There are so many characters in this show with pretty equal screen time but I decided to choose the most recognisable actors to me and probably the majority of people as the main characters Andrea Riseborough & Dane DeHaan. They are both good actors and that shows here with them both giving pretty decent performances but the issue is with their characters. Despite their decent acting I never cared about either of them and I found it difficult to become invested in their story so it kind of shut me off despite the fact I can clearly see they are giving decent performances. 

Supporting Characters

There are also plenty of supporting characters with the best one for me being the character of Manuel played Harold Torres. I thought this guy was great and his part of the story was the most interesting and captivating and a lot of that was due to him. He has an interesting character and as you find out more about him and his beliefs you see just how twisted everything around him is. The rest of the cast didn't do too much for me, the whole Italian part of the story was disappointing and the characters just weren't particularly interesting and that does harm the show. 

Story 

As I've alluded to above there are really three elements of the story and the Mexican stuff is the best by far. The politics are interesting and I think the motivations of the characters was at its best in that arc and had me at my most interesting. The American stuff was also fine but didn't hit the levels of the other story. The problem is that the stories don't connect that much and they just became a bit convoluted. Like there is a point in time where the Italian story isn't seen for 2 episodes so I forgot what was going on with it and why I should care about it. The ending of the show didn't do too much for me 

and felt like it played it pretty safe and not fulfilling enough. 

Script

Again a similar story with the script, the writing for the characters in Mexico is interesting, thought provoking and captivating but that is only one portion for the show and it feels like the rest of the show lacks that. There are some generic bits and it isn't fully explained why certain characters have the motivations that they have and it doesn't help the show at all. 

Style 

The show has some heavy hitting action scenes and some brutal moments that really remind you of the harsh reality of the world the show is in. The cinematography is also great and the show does a really good job of making all three parts of the story feel different and have the look and sound design fit those places. But the pacing of the show is all over the place, it is way too slow and has too many episodes. By having the three stories it feels unfocused and like certain stories get ignored at times and this makes you care less, I just wish either cut one of the stories or make them connect in greater detail earlier. 

Overall

Overall, I thought this was a pretty average paint by numbers show. I've looked online and seen really positive reviews so maybe this is just one I can't connect with and it is good for people. But for me unless you love cartel and gang shows then I wouldn't spend time on ZeroZeroZero. 

Rating - 5/10