I watched the new Netflix thriller twice in a row. Not because it’s the best series of the year

Abi Morgan, the showrunner of “Erica”, approached her task very ambitiously. Together with the rest of the series’ creators (key positions in the production were held by women), she managed to compose an unexpected mix of a dark psychological thriller, an absorbing police movie and a moving family drama. Also thanks to the broadly outlined background of events, the seemingly unoriginal story about the missing nine-year-old gained a social context and the characters gained tangible authenticity. It is a thematically and structurally bold work that has been missing on Netflix in recent years, and which (“Reindeer” is a perfect example!) have a chance to restore the platform’s glory.

“Eric” is a new thriller from Netflix [RECENZJA]

The main character of “Erica” ​​is Vincent. Addicted to alcohol and having the last word, a puppeteer, creator of the popular children’s program “Good morning, sunshine”. A guy with unresolved trauma that he projects onto his nine-year-old son, Edgar. After another domestic dispute, the boy disappears, and Vincent loses everything, including his sanity, and his only mission is to find his son.

If we put a full stop here, there would be nothing original in the plot, but it is not the search for Edgar that is the most interesting in the series. The complex story of “Eric” is engaging because almost every character hides secrets and at the same time is part of a larger puzzle. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about the policeman Ledroit (McKinley Belcher III) conducting the investigation, Vincent’s friend – Lennie (Dan Fogler), or the main character’s wife – Cassie (Gaby Hoffmann). There are too many side plots here. The action of the series takes place in New York in the 1980s, where city hall and police corruption, gentrification of the city and the related homelessness crisis, ubiquitous racism and homophobia, and even child prostitution are commonplace. Somewhere between all these dramas, new ones appear. We see how big a problem the demonization of AIDS patients is in the reality of the series, and the main character himself struggles with fears, hallucinations, is a high-functioning alcoholic and a victim of psychological violence from his father. That’s quite a lot for six 50-minute episodes.

Real monsters don’t live under the bed

However, Abi Morgan managed to achieve the impossible. Despite the complexity and solution of the main mystery halfway through the series, it remained engaging, logical and accessible to the end, but also required a lot of concentration from the viewer. The creators skillfully confuse the tropes in the production, place many clues along the way, juggle symbolism, contrast emotional punches with an accurate sense of humor, and reveal new cards at the perfect moments. The structure of the production is well thought out both in terms of plot development and character building. And emotionally it shatters your heart at almost every turn.

Eric – a frame from the series Photo Ludovic Robert/Netflix promotional materials

However, with so many problems, most of them did not resonate as well as they could have if a separate series had been devoted to them. Nevertheless, it is difficult to find any negligence or oversight in this. Especially after the satisfying, although very naive, finale in which each thread and character gets its long-awaited closure. Thanks to extensive threads, the series gains depth, becomes more involved in the main story and makes it more credible. The network of events shows that our personal tragedies are often part of a large, complicated, often cruel world and issues that we do not even know exist. The production does not promise that it will give us ready-made solutions to all these problems, because in fact, no one in the real world has found them yet.

Paradoxically, the weakest element of the series is the one that arouses the greatest interest, namely the titular character of a monster straight from Sesame Street. Eric is the personification of Vincent’s worst traits and fears, his alter ego who accompanies him while searching for his son. Benedict Cumberbatch’s character arc is largely based on his internal struggle, experiences and transformation. Creating Eric to vividly show the main character’s dilemmas was a good idea, but the character himself is mediocre in his role. The hairy monster is not very expressive, it is repetitive and tiring in the long run. And what’s worse – it stands at a crossroads between an entity with which we should fight and one with which we can be friends.

Eric – a frame from the series Photo Netflix promotional materials

The people responsible for “Eric” deserve a lot of praise for its aesthetics. The viewer may have the impression that he or she is viewing the scenes through a brown filter, which evokes the atmosphere of photos and recordings from a bygone era. The series also took care of every element of the set and costumes, which, due to pop culture associations with the 80s, could easily be exaggerated and give viewers a kitsch music video.

A good script in “Eric” is complemented by flawless casting

However, all these elements would be nothing if they were not complemented by flawless casting and a phenomenal sense of the characters, which was lacking in both the main and supporting actors. The star here is undoubtedly Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent. The creators of the series did their homework and recruited the perfect candidate for the role. The Briton has proven more than once that he can play the most repulsive egocentrics in such a way that viewers will still have a soft spot for them. Vincent has the nerve, sharp tongue and arrogance of Stephen Strage, but he is closest to Patrick Melrose, whose story from the 2018 series broke many hearts. It is also worth adding that Cumberbatch is a master of dubbing. In “Eric” he had to play three voices (Vincent, Bug – the doll from “Good morning, sunshine” and Erik), but the actor already had experience in this task. In the above-mentioned film “Doctor Strange”, Cumberbatch conducted a dialogue with himself when, apart from the title role, he also played Dormammu, the Eater of Worlds.

Vincent’s professionalism and extraordinary film skills make us want the best for him. The scene in which Edgar’s father stands in front of the basketball court, watching the children who will soon return to their homes, is heartbreaking. Cumberbatch, without using any words or exaggerated gestures, conveys the longing, helplessness and self-loathing that Vincent undoubtedly felt at that moment. Looking at the tears flowing down the arrogant puppeteer’s cheeks, it’s hard to shake the thought that this is one of the top scenes in the actor’s career.

Eric – a frame from the series Photo Ludovic Robert / Netflix promotional materials

McKinley Belcher, who plays Inspector Ledroit, is much more economical in his acting. This one captivates with its nuances. Most of the time we see a policeman on duty, where professionalism and the secret he guards force him to use sparse gestures and a statuesque face. Everything changes when Ledroit crosses the threshold of the house. A matter-of-fact, even pedantic servant, he turns into a sensitive caregiver for his sick partner. Dan Fogler is also very credible in the role of Lennie, and Gaby Hoffmann, the series’ Cassie, carries the task of playing a distraught mother suspended between the fear of losing her child and the feeling of guilt towards her betrayed husband.

“Eric” will not be the best series of the year, but it is undoubtedly a worthwhile production that is engaging, moving and shows us a new look at well-known problems. She does not lack naivety, but she makes up for it with a big heart, sensitivity, social commitment and understanding even towards those who, according to many, do not deserve redemption. And although the series leaves the viewer with a handful of evidence that real monsters do not actually live under our beds, some of them deserve a second chance.