Malice (2025)
Streaming on Prime
In early summer last year, during May and June of 2024, things got a bit lively here on my island because of the filming of an English series (the previous one was One Day, which had one of its best episodes shot here). As the Parian of the group, here’s my unbiased short take, trying to get it out before the thousands of Stranger Things posts arrive.
The production is polished and well made, and the way my home island is presented left me genuinely pleased. To their credit, the creators didn’t just choose the expected popular spots, which shows how much care went into the location scouting (more on that at the end).
The best thing I can say about the show is that it kept me engaged throughout its short runtime and I enjoyed watching it. The performances are solid overall, with comedian Jack Whitehall fitting well into the role of the creepy guy, and David Duchovny being an absolute delight. He creates by far the most interesting character. The direction is serviceable, as we’d say back home, and Alexis Grapsas’ score has several strong moments, especially during the action scenes. What disappointed me was the script, which after a certain point becomes a game of “what else can this wannabe Ripley come up with”, to the detriment of the plot and characters. In the early episodes, I noticed several references that theoretically promised a lot but ultimately went nowhere, especially regarding Tanner’s father’s backstory. And the initial balance between humor and drama is abandoned halfway through, taking with it the chance for a good dark comedy or even a proper satire.
I recommend the series if you want something light to watch, if you want to enjoy the island scenery (about half the show), or if you’re a fan of David Duchovny (especially his Californication self). If your expectations are higher, skip it.
