[imagesource:netflix]

The new Netflix Original series Eric has been garnering strong reviews, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, whose “mesmerising” performance will surely win some awards.

The new limited six-part series, which is out on Netflix now, sees the Marvel star play Vincent Sullivan, a genius but broken puppeteer who desperately searches for his missing nine-year-old son Edgar (Ivan Morris Howe) who went missing while on his way to school one morning.

In his search, he clings to his son’s drawings of a blue monster puppet called Eric, who becomes his only ally as Vincent’s increasingly unhinged behaviour alienates those around him. Vincent becomes convinced that if he brings  Edgar’s puppet to life, his son will come home. The massive Muppets-meets-Monsters Inc. creation called Eric ends up following Vincent around as a manifestation of his hopes, fears, guilt and altogether crumbling mental health.

While the muppet is certainly central, The Guardian reckons there is more to this “bold, wide-ranging series” that “aims extremely high”. The three-star review lauded Cumberbatch as “mesmerising” as he plays the “viciously narcissistic Vincent, pretty much drunk on his own talent long before he turns to the bottle to cope with Edgar’s disappearance, and psychologically unravelling in the wake of both.”

The multiplicity of the show is also worth noting, as it is essentially about more than just a grief-stricken dad:

…The drama begins to swell and then sprawl, taking in not just marital breakdown, intergenerational conflict, addiction, infidelity, grief, loss and psychological meltdown but also municipal corruption…

It encompasses racial prejudice and politics, child abuse, a drugs and homelessness crisis and the systemic homophobia that has been given a new lease of life with the advent of HIV and Aids cutting its terrible way through the gay community.

Mostly, though, awards will absolutely be given to Cumberbatch for his portrait of Vincent’s descent into hellish despair and madness.

The ambitious drama written by Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, The Split) received a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with particular praise going towards the series’ performance as well.

Digital Spy notes that “With the stream of forgettable content that Netflix can be accused of churning out, trust us when we say that this one is worth your time and attention”, while The Daily Telegraph calls it ” inventive, assured and far less weird than you expect”.

Balancing true-crime realism with child-like awe and wonder is a testament to the talent of Eric, out now on Netflix.

[source:guardian]