Camden

Despite our misgivings, we still enjoyed Camden. We just wish that we got a more historical perspective on the neighborhood before we heard about more modern artists.

The entire thing could have been told in a tight and easy to grasp two hours and could have used a lot more grit and grime to ground Camden in authenticity. Still, there is plenty to learn from Camden, albeit in a CliffsNotes version.

Too often, Camden feels part artist promo, part steaming mess.

Where Kapadia’s signature profiles of Winehouse, Diego Maradona and Ayrton Senna are sharp dissections of the dark side of fame, ambition and wealth, Camden is more like one of those well-made but slightly plodding and unspectacular music documentaries you might stumble upon on BBC Four on a Friday night.

Episodes are loosely themed (indie, club culture, hip-hop and, erm, the rise of Martin and Lipa), but they also shift haphazardly between decades and artists, which – although confusing for anyone trying to grasp a linear timeline of the area – does evoke some of the thrilling chaos of Camden itself. Yet the series is also slightly cringeworthy in its nebulous enthusiasm and neutered positivity.