When I first heard about Squid Game, I thought Splatoon was finally getting the love and respect it truly deserved. Turns out it's just the new big Netflix series. I originally passed it by, thinking it was just gonna be a fad for like a week, but this is one of the, if not the most viewed Netflix series ever! I knew I had to see what all the buzz is about.
Squid Game is a Korean television series about 456 people who are severely in debt being forced into a contest where they play a bunch of games to earn a massive amount of cash. The twist: These games are terrifyingly deadly variations on well-known children's games like Red Light, Green Light and Marbles. It's a pretty cool premise that leads to some fantastic and terrifying sequences, while also being a commentary on social inequality in South Korea (between this and Parasite, I'm assuming it's a really serious issue there), along with reality TV shows in general. The characters are all likable and fun to watch, making the scenes where they're in danger incredibly tense and compelling. There's an intriguing mystery about who's running the games, and many of the characters and storylines do have really strong endings, ranging from satisfying to heartwrenching. It could have easily been a really solid six-to-seven-episode-long miniseries.
However, Squid Game isn't a miniseries, it's a nine-episode-long first season, which leads to what I think is the show's biggest weakness: It's pacing. With nine episodes and only six games, this series can feel really drawn out at times. Episode 3 has a fairly long segment about sneaking into the bathroom, Episode 5 is almost entirely focused a subplot about an organ doctor that doesn't really have much of an impact on the series as a whole, Episode 7 focuses a lot on these VIPs that could have been a good idea if they weren't so poorly-acted, and by the time the big final battle ends, there's still 30 minutes left in the final episode (not unlike Return Of The King). Speaking of the ending, that's another thing I didn't quite love. The twists about Il-nam and In-ho weren't explained the best, but I'm mostly fine with what we got in that regard. My real problem with the ending was the fact that it ended on a cliffhanger. Normally, I'd be happy to get a Season 2 for a show, but Squid Game feels like it could've worked so much better on its own. The whole final thirty minutes felt like a tacked-on setup for a Season 2 that just wasn't necessary at all, and it's hard to imagine the series going on now that nearly the whole cast is dead (especially Sae-byeok, she was the best one!).
Aside from the premise, I think the reason why Squid Game became such a massive hit is the show's tone and presentation. Squid Game is a really offbeat series, juxtaposing its gruesome deaths and scary premise with a surprising amount of black comedy. I was surprised at how much this series made me laugh, not to mention what it made me laugh at. The presentation also heightens this surreal vibe, with inventive camera angles, and colorful pastel aesthetics. The set design is a particular highlight for me. The imagery of the MC Escher staircase, the giant playgrounds, the huge skyscraper for the third game, it's all really striking and memorable. I also really liked Squid Game's music, striking the perfect balance between unnerving and weird, and genuinely great. It even used Fly Me To The Moon in some pretty fantastic ways (though it hurts that Netflix didn't buy the rights for NGE).
I'm not even going to hint at it this time. If you've seen the show, you know which two episodes made the biggest impact:
Red Light, Green Light: Out of all the games, I still think the Red Light, Green Light one was the best of the six, and not even because of the novelty. The creepy giant doll, the usage of Fly Me To The Moon, the incredibly tense action, the hidden gun shots, it really felt like the show's premise of "creepy children's games" taken to its fullest potential.
Gganbu: Sure, it's not as flashy as some of the other games, but in terms of sheer emotional impact, the game of Marbles is easily one of the season's best. The bait-and-switch reveal that the partners have to fight each other, and the looming fact that at least three major protagonists were going to had to die made this a heartwrenching and memorable point in the series.
Overall, Squid Game is a really solid show, and I definitely got why it's so popular. The characters are great, the premise is cool, and the set design and presentation is immaculate. However, it's by no means perfect, suffering from some drawn out pacing and a shaky ending that set up a second season that the show just didn't need.
3/5 Stars
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