Salamander

Season 1 was average/slightly above average. The second season didn't make it that high. While the story around Jonkhere bank was still intriguing, the Belgian-African adventure was often boring, the protagonist seemed more and more insipid, and the logic faded over time, and with it the whole story. All in all, I wasn’t impressed by the series, and I consider it to be a waste of time. (12/21/2018)

The Belgian filmmakers greatly disappointed me with Season 1 of Salamander. I was looking forward to a real crime series with elaborate atmosphere, suspense and action. Instead, I got something that felt like a farce at times. The protagonist, Inspector Paul Gerardi, didn't even need to bother with any investigative work. He was led to the goal from the very beginning by an intricate series of total coincidences. Plus, the constant flashbacks to what had happened previously in the story got on my nerves. I felt as if the target audience were people suffering from senile dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. 3*- (12/15/2018)

The first episode was a typical introduction to the series (the viewer gets to know the characters and the main theme), the tension and atmosphere worked quite well for me, but at the same time, I had a feeling that I had already seen a film or series with a similar storyline a few times, so three pieces will have to be enough. (12/09/2018)

I am lowering my rating compared to the first episode to a two because the second episode didn't impress me much. From the practically private investigation in the bank, I watched the plot with a very incredulous expression on my face because it all seemed too amateurish to me. The climax came when the experienced detective produced a suicide gun and then convincingly claimed that it was a suicide. The only thing missing was the sentence: "It's not what it looks like." (12/09/2018)

Originally, I wanted to rate the third episode with three stars because I quite enjoyed it, however, experienced criminal inspector Paul Gerardi disappointed me again when he lost his cool and joyfully broke several regulations right in front of a police car. A police officer would deduct points from him, but I'm taking away a star. (12/10/2018)

There could be a long debate about some situations, but I have decided to turn a blind eye because Gerarda is doing foolish things, but then there's that fear for my daughter... I think the creators dared to do something they simply shouldn't have. Especially the script is not the best and everything else is riding on that. (12/10/2018)

Except for the extremely unrealistic incorporation of Paul Gerardi into the P9 organization, the fifth episode did not bother me at all and I quite enjoyed it - time passed nicely. I didn't mind the even distribution of the plot between the investigation and the partnership crisis, so in the end, it turned out to be a relaxed three-star experience. (12/12/2018)

I rated the episode with three stars again because it didn't deserve a better or worse grade. It was just an average piece that neither impressed nor offended. It is quite a pity that the creators are not able to create a proper paranoid atmosphere, as the theme of the series directly calls for it. (12/12/2018)

This time I wouldn't be able to defend my third star. The episode was mediocre, too much time was spent on grieving over the death of the wife, Gerardi's subsequent journey of revenge quickly turned into a farce - when I already aim a gun at someone's head and want information from them, it shouldn't end with me not finding out anything, but instead sharing my life trauma with everyone present. (12/13/2018)

The eighth episode was even better than the previous one, although it is true that I enjoyed the time travel the most. At the same time, I already know who is behind the selection of the safety deposit boxes, and the motive is also clear to me, so the screenwriter really failed, now I just have to wait for Paul Gerardi to come to the same conclusion. He has a chance for it, because once again he coincidentally came across a person who can push him forward. Are there not too many coincidences already? Probably not. (12/13/2018)

I had a pretty good time during the political intrigues of the powerful organization Salamandr, and I was prepared to give the episode a strong rating. However, in the end, the script collapsed again, and along with it, my evaluation. Lying in wait for someone in the background, then waiting until the target distances themselves and disappears behind an obstacle, and only then starting to shoot – what was that like? I understand that Paul Gerardi must survive, but wouldn't it just be easier not to send any shooters at all? (12/14/2018)

Same result as in the previous episode, same reasons. Either the screenwriter is unable to write those scenes better, or they don't care because the plebs will be satisfied with it. Whatever the case may be, it annoys me. The foundation itself wasn't bad at all, I enjoyed the orphanage and the loop around Persigal, but after the scared assistant knocked on the door, things started happening like in a bad horror movie, and in the end, I had to "appreciate" even the cliché magazine change after a single shot in the opening of the episode. (12/14/2018)

Paul Gerardi found himself exactly where a proper investigation should have led him, through an absolutely incredible coincidence, and I found that so unbelievably stupid that I rated it three stars. I quite enjoy the events from Wolf's youth, but the way he always gets lost in them again and again always reminds me of the game DJC Silent Bob. (12/15/2018)

That the screenwriter has been making fun of me the whole time, I have gotten used to that, this time others joined him as well, and that was just too much. The case ended exactly as I expected (the script made it clear halfway through the season), but some of the creators' ideas weren't even funny anymore. Emile Jonkhere pretended to be attacked by sticking a band-aid on his forehead (he probably got pricked by a needle in the forehead), Wolfs drove around the city with the left side of his chest shot (didn't even flinch, tough guy), but the highlight was the shooting of "Klaus" (three holes from the bullets in the door in a triangle and he staggers out with three shots straight through his chest). Under normal circumstances, I would even laugh at that, but here I was really angered that the creators simply refused to put effort into it. (12/15/2018)

I wasn’t very pleased with Season 2 of Salamander. Granted, it couldn’t have really disappointed me either, because after the first season I wasn’t expecting anything groundbreaking. I was just surprised how the creators gave up on their effort to write a good story. In fact, they only used what they thought had worked last time and applied the same strategy to the second season, which bummed me out right from the start and it didn’t get any better afterwards. I was quite bored, the characters’ actions often didn’t make sense, and I was glad when it was finally over. (12/21/2018)

The Belgian version of War with the Newts has returned for its second series, and although I didn't expect significant (or any) improvement compared to the first season, the opening episode managed to unpleasantly surprise me. Part of the plot took place in the land of some future fellow Europeans, and I have a very unpleasant suspicion that it could be a series filmed with the help of EU grants, so that in the end, the Belgians could lament and welcome a lot of new enthusiastic scientific workers. I sincerely hope I am wrong. (12/16/2018)

Even after the second episode, the Belgian creators could not improve my mood because it seems that the second season significantly copies the first one. When I disregard the African storyline, everything returns to the old tracks - the powerful Toad once again menacingly raises his head, the new Gerardi family is in danger again, etc. (12/16/2018)

Finally, I got to see an episode that I can rate as mild (very mild) above average. Putting aside the sometimes very peculiar behavior of the main character, it seems to me that in this series Paul Gerardi has even decided to investigate the case, whereas in the previous season, he relied solely on luck. (12/17/2018)

The fourth episode returned to the traditional subpar quality, with the majority of the episode focused on Paul Gerardi's escape from P 9, a service even more secretive than secret, and I found it thoroughly unenjoyable because Paul showed no basic imagination, so watching his attempt to escape was pure agony. (12/17/2018)

Although I appreciate the creators' attempt to revive the plot with the humorous character of Rudy's sharpener, I still have to rate it with the traditional two stars because of Jacky. I understand that people can behave illogically at the highest level, but running away from Belgium because I'm afraid for my life, only to end up in a hotel room arguing with people whom I want to sell diamonds to, that's really strange. I also don't understand why those two were pulling tricks like dark-eyed people at a diner, if they had simply taken the stones, what would they have done afterward? The screenwriter is consistently falling behind. (12/20/2018)