Zero Day

I almost didn't watch this because I assumed it would be more potshots against the Right by DeNiro and others obsessed with Trump. But to my pleasant surprise, they managed to make a political thriller that is largely non-partisan and captivating from start to finish. The issues aren't new: security vs liberty, freedom of expression vs the harm of misinformation, and ultimately justice vs "what's right". But at least all sides get a fair hearing, and the result is both fun to watch and thought-provoking. I wouldn't have chosen either Robert DeNiro or Jesse Plemons for their roles. But I do think both did well playing against type.

The miniseries gets off to a promising start. The subject matter keeps you glued to the screen. But then the plot doesn't really go anywhere. Who are the enemies? How can they be found? On the one hand, there's a lot of blah blah blah, and on the other, little clarification. And then at the end, everything happens very quickly, and some things are never really explained.

The series starts off strong with its pilot, and you get gripped from the get-go. Although the story slowly plateaus, it gradually ups up toward the finale. The stellar cast really saves the series, and the performances are commendable. The main problem shows up when the motive of the antagonists is revealed, and it is the weakest part of the storyline. Also, we don't get to see the effects of the event from the lens of a common person who's not in the political landscape. Overall, the show explores the dynamics of politics and leadership well.

What if a different presidential candidate won the election, decided to put a senile former president in charge of a commission with extra judicial powers, and used that power to punish stand-ins for real-world people we don't like. At least Dante's Inferno was creative; this show is just dull.

Couldn't watch more than 15 minutes of this. So overwhelmingly boring. Why not just send De Niro a check in the mail for a few million & call off all the rest. How can Netflix keep wasting all of the subscription fees they're raking in on such obviously poor content? The world is better off without wasteful trash like this!