The show will be able to be binge-watched in its entirety from this weekend.
If you loved Netflix’s Mindhunter and are still lamenting its surprise cancellation by Netflix, may we recommend another series that might help fill the void?
This is Apple TV+’s Smoke, a new dark psychological drama show about criminal investigators.
Created by Dennis Lehane (Black Bird, Mystic River), the latter stars Taron Egerton (Kingsman, Rocketman) as Dave Gudsen, an ex-firefighter who now works as an arson investigator in a Pacific Northwest city, while also dabbling in creative writing.
In recent months, his area has seen several fires, which are believed to be the work of two separate serial arsonists.
When Gudsen struggles to make headway in his investigation, he is assigned a police detective named Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett – Birds of Prey, The Order) to assist him in the case.
Can they put their differences and personal troubles aside so that they can stop these deadly blazes?
Like Mindhunter, Smoke is based on a true story, albeit loosely.
That said, we’d advise not reading about the real events that inspired the series before watching it, as they are truly stranger than fiction and would spoil some jaw-dropping twists within the show.
On top of this, however, we’d also note that Smoke’s dark and moody visuals, which are full of dimly-lit rooms and uneasily long camera shots, recall Mindhunter, as does the Apple series’ intense focus on the psychology of its criminal characters.
Also, co-starring Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets), John Leguizamo (Bloodline), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (The Lincoln Lawyer) and Rafe Spall (The Ritual), you can check out some other positive reviews for Smoke below:
Beverly Hills Courier: “There’s plenty of action, but it’s the character depth and development that sets this series apart from almost everything on TV. Written with breathtaking emotional expanse, it’s not so much who did it but how they will be caught.”
Globe and Mail: “The dialogue is sharp and the performances intense and off-kilter enough to feel original. This is enough to get past the indulgent run time of the pilot.”
Heaven of Horror: “It’s dark and brutal in surprising ways that go beyond ‘just’ setting fires and watching the world burn. Much to my surprise, the story manages to even make you feel for at least one of the arsonists, which shocked me.”
San Jose Mercury News: “Taron Egerton gives a phenomenal, cuts-like-a-knife performance as Dave Gudsen, an aspiring novelist by night and cocky arson investigator by day.”
Variety: “Smoke as a whole — and especially as a vehicle for Egerton — is deeply satisfying, a fast and clean burn that leaves little behind.”
How to watch Smoke
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The first eight episodes of Smoke are streaming on Apple TV+ now. Its final ninth episode will drop on the streaming service on Friday, 15 August.
