Messiah - Netflix - (**Spoilers**)

Agent Coulson wrote: »

The series focuses on the modern world's reaction to a man who first appears in the Middle East claiming to be the Messiah.

Quote:
A CIA officer investigates a charismatic figure whose followers believe that he can perform miracles. Is he a divine entity or a dangerous con artist?

It's pretty obvious the officer will find that he's not the Messiah- he's a very naughty boy! :pac:

I quite like the premise. Brave choice, considering the subject matter, but there's clearly scope for an intriguing show with an interesting plot; really hope the writing lives up to it.

https://collider.com/netflix-messiah-trailer-release/
the Netflix original series MESSIAH is a provocative and suspenseful thriller that explores the power of influence and belief in the social media age.

super_furry wrote: »

That trailer sent me down a bit of a wormhole. I vaguely remembered David Tennant doing an ITV mini-series based on a similar, if less middle-east premise back in the 90s. Turns out it was the other Dr Who Christopher Eccleston in 2003 and he's unambiguously the second coming.

It's all up on YouTube and feels very of it's time, but fairly interesting all the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_-nw0kRZdA

I remember watching it; interesting ending if I remember correctly- the choice faced by Eccleston was a philosophical one that was cleverly 'served up' to him.

Early reviews not great for it

Checked RT this morning as there had been very few reviews before now and the critics reviews had been poor.

• IMDB: 7.6/10 from 1,396 - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7671598/
• RT: 90% Audience Score from User Ratings: 109 - https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/messiah/s01

So I gave the first episode a watch.. and.. I will watch more


1: Decent intro. Michelle Monaghan looks like a solid Mission Impossible analyst and Mehdi Dehbi as Al-Massih is doing well on the mystery front.

Most things I google when they come up seem to have backing (at least in wikipedia). Megiddo for example. Wiki says it's Greek name is so that might be a hint about the series.

Appears to be an Alternative Universe/History already as it looks to be in a world where Assad is no longer in Damascus and ISIL is somehow on the rebound with Tanks just outside it.

I like how they have the regional languages (arabic, hebrew, english) included. I've seen languages used in other shows like this but it seems to fade off after a few episodes. Will see if these can keep it up. It probably costs money from their budget so who kows. The trailer has America in it so maybe that'll sort them for that.

3: Alright, link established. I'm guessing that's gonna bring that family together.
For the CIA agent, I'm not sure what her medical issue is. I thought she had cancer or maybe something to do with fertility. I'm guessing it'll be explained.

Do we think the Messiah will be able to do anything with Beau Bridges' eyebrows?

5: That episode flew by. So.. where they just left it.. it looks like he's about to take the daughter from the US for the Syria/Israel border camp.

I know I'm overthinking this but it's distracting just how much the teenage daughter doesn't look like either parent.

The mother is blonde and clear skinned. The father is hispanic and then the daughter has a big mess of dark curls and is freckly. It's weird!

8: Well. I guess that means the President won't be bringing all the troops home. I wonder then if Rebecca is gonna be the Mahdi.

Finished! Overall: decent series that did well with what looked to be a low-medium budget. Directing and writing could've been better. Michelle Monaghan stood out miles in a role that she knows how to like she knows the back of her hand.

2 Directors:
James McTeigue - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574625/
6 episodes ( I missed earlier that he directed V for Vendetta as well as some of Sense8)
Kate Woods - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940668/
4 episodes ( directed lots of TV )

Episode 10: I thought that was it. I thought he was gone. I thought they wrapped the series. Now.. of course I have to add Malik to the candidate list for Mahdi.
Very Mission Impossible feel to some parts of the episode. The special effects on the church burning looks like where they.. burned.. the most budget.

Future: Well obviously it looks like they've lined up a few seasons. I did a quick google but didn't find any confirmation of a season 2 so I guess they'll be waiting to see the reception.

I'd says there's a good chance cos it's hold a solid set of audience reception since I checked before starting to watch:

• IMDB: 7.9/10 from 5,177 - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7671598/
• RT: 90% Audience Score from User Ratings: 513 - https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/messiah/s01

compared to..

Slydice wrote: »

Checked RT this morning as there had been very few reviews before now and the critics reviews had been poor.

• IMDB: 7.6/10 from 1,396 - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7671598/
• RT: 90% Audience Score from User Ratings: 109 - https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/messiah/s01

Oh.. i dunno.. they still had that whole .. the kid lies about stuff intro and yer man was unconscious so he 'didn't see nutin'

Finished watching this, and I'm torn. The slow build-up might have been purposeful in order to increase the momentum effect, because at episode 9 it really was pretty good, becoming sedate and reflective in the finale, episode 10. So it was like a sedate Homeland mystery-series slowly waking up, before pausing to set up another series. The inbuilt ambiguity was inevitable, but it was a little tedious.
There was however an interesting ideological playbook being revealed that would be interesting to see being played out in a second series. This - and as 'the People of the Book'- all having an Abrahamaic origin, and thereby a different take on a Messiah- means how the show deals with the Messiah and Mahdi interpretations- and what this 'Messiah's agenda might be, could be quite interesting, and maybe provocative. I'm torn, but I'm in for a second series.

golfball37 wrote: »

Must say I found it very disappointing overall. I wouldn't recommend it.

I didn't find it very disappointing, but, overall- as a Homeland-lite/mystery mesh- it is sub-standard; even the very last scene with 'the mystery element' had a just-introduced caricature liar wheeled in to cast doubt on what had just happened- which was very clunky.
What interested me though, and what I'd be interested in seeing in a second series, is the 'Clash of Civilizations' motif that was touched on explicitly in one scene, and hinted at in the last episode as being central to the Al-Mesih character's behaviour. Apart from that, it's pretty forgettable. But if it's done properly (not necessarily with a bigger budget) the 'clash' motif could make the second series, well, biblical (so maybe a bigger budget then:pac:).

Is this like a modern version of Highway to Heaven?

Where did he get all the fancy clothes out of ??

Even the supposed messiah has to carry his own gear around and work out at the local gym ha

Potential-Monke wrote: »

IWas the kid at the end known for lieing?

not lying exactly, there was one scene where there was some kind outdoor school where this kid rocked up late and started telling a pretty tall tale to explain his lateness, all the other kids started ribbing him by saying oh last week the excuse was this other unlikely reason.

When he starts talking about some stranger coming back from the dead, he will be dismissed as a storyteller.