Spotless

Spotless is messy, and Grondin is a bit of a blank, but the pilot promises gruesome-funny delights. [13 Nov 2015, p.57]

You could call it a formula, but it works. The jokes actually land and they deftly cut the tension in scenes that would be otherwise dour.

Creators Ed McCardie (the British "Shameless") and Corinne Marrinan ("CSI") understand that characters are what make memorable television, though the shifting moods of the cinematography certainly doesn't hurt either.

There’s a lot of dark humor in Spotless--another “Breaking Bad” hallmark--and while the twists may not be quite as twisty, many are still surprising enough to make Spotless one of TV’s better thrillers.

Spotless is great fun. Intelligent, well-written, and beautifully photographed, it has a remarkably sharp satirical edge.

Its origins [British-French co-production] make Spotless more thoughtful and more deliberately paced than a comparable U.S. show might be. There is dark humor along with the drama, and entertaining action as well.

Defined from the outset as a cheater, [Jean] comes across as pensive brat whose hot, supportive wife isn’t enough to keep him satisfied. Aside from his skills with bleach and a Q-tip, there’s very little so far that compels one to root for this hero to succeed. But that’s hardly a reason to dismiss the show entirely. There are some inventive twists and well-placed comic moments.