W cieniu

Although I have been toying with the idea of visiting Romania for many years...well, you know how it goes. It is therefore misleading to argue with a feeling of authenticity, but that is exactly what Umbre evokes in me. The series does not represent a universal product that could take place anywhere; in the depiction of the Bucharest gallery, you can feel the influence of the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Organized crime in the Romanian way is harsh, dirty, and down-to-earth, and the pervasive corruption and ineptitude of the state administration make it difficult to tackle. Relu, a determined debt enforcer, can navigate in this environment like a fish in water. Thanks to his intelligence, resourcefulness, and strong principles, he stands out among the motley crew of one-dimensional criminals associated with the captain's brigade and step by step becomes the boss's choice when dealing with the most delicate and difficult tasks. Umbre has a high-quality script with interesting characters. The actors deliver convincing civilian acting, and perhaps only the character of the psychopathic investigator, with his uncontrollable aggressive outbursts, is somewhat disturbing in the second season and spoils an otherwise exceptional impression. Within the genre, Umbre reliably stands out, so I will give it an overall impression of 90%. (13.05.2019)

Commenting after three seasons, and I've got mixed feelings about this series. The initial season took me by surprise, delivering an awesome experience that I didn't quite expect from Romanian creators. They approached the show uniquely, crafting a beautifully realistic narrative with believable characters, plotlines, and dialogues that completely absorbed me into the story. However, the introduction of HBO marked the beginning of a decline. The strengths that defined the first season started fading in the second, only to be completely lost in the third. What began so impressively ended up leaving me disappointed, a source of frustration because this had the potential to be outstanding. / Lesson learned: Money spoils not only people but also TV series. (07.12.2022)