Pavel Kravets
Netflix has launched “Bodies“, a fresh series where four detectives, across distinct timelines, are tasked with solving a case linked with the others.
Imagine four timelines and a corpse appearing in each. These bodies, all of a nude man lying on his side, bear a similar gunshot wound through an eye, yet the bullet hasn’t exited. While they seem to be four similar cases, they’re not – it’s the same body.
Found in 1890, 1941, 2023, and 2053. This is the central enigma of “Bodies,” Netflix’s new British mini-series. It’s a sci-fi infused police puzzle that will captivate fans of shows like “Dark,” “Counterpart,” and “1899.” It’s the kind of series where viewers might need a pencil and paper to keep track.
Paul Tomalin, the creator, based the series on the comic “Bodies” by Si Spencer, published by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint. The fun for viewers is in witnessing events across all timelines, often knowing more (or less) than the characters themselves. This journey took Tomalin three years to craft.
All bodies are discovered in Longharvest Lane, a London alleyway. In the present, it’s found by Muslim police officer, Shahara Hasan (Amaka Okafor). In the future, inspector Iris Maplewood (Shira Haas from “Unorthodox”) unravels the mystery in a dystopian London. The series also delves into the past with detectives Alfred Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) in 1890, and Charles Whiteman (Jacob Fortune Lloyd) in 1941.
“Detective dystopian series,” is how Lloyd, previously seen in “The Queen’s Gambit,” describes it. Each detective grapples with their unique challenges but soon realizes this isn’t just any corpse. They all strive to decode the mystery in their timeline, some discovering connections to the other instances of the same body’s appearance.
Shira Haas felt an immediate connection to the story, calling it “different from anything I’ve done before.” Amaka Okafor echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the human element in the story.
Paul Tomalin highlights the series’ strength, saying, “It’s powerful to depict four characters isolated in their timelines, unaware that they’re all entangled in a shared mystery.” The series promises a definitive end. “I grew up with movies, not TV, so I love cinematic experiences with definitive endings. This has a closed ending. You’ll end heartbroken, but satisfied when the final curtain falls. A premise of such magnitude demands an ending to match… I hope we’ve achieved that,” he concludes.
