By this point if you haven't heard of the hit Netflix series, Squid Game, I honestly don't know what to tell you. But whether you have or haven't watched the Korean hit show, you can already get an idea that you're not watching it to walk away happy.
The show has a bunch of dark themes surrounded by bright colors, making almost a visual analogy of perception vs reality. Whether you could make it through all the violence and gore or not, you walk away feeling a certain type of way:
What worked:
So a lot of things worked in Squid Game, which is an obvious point otherwise the show wouldn't be so popular.
The biggest thing that makes the show successful is the obvious class warfare. As strange as it is, people love watching a show where a bunch of rich people are having their fun at a bunch of poor people. Some of it is because we feel like we can relate to it, as the majority of us aren't making a ton of money, but it's also because we as a society have enough of an ego to think that could never happen to us.
Anything that is a competition is also likely to grab our attention, but this has the added layer of significant moral dilemmas driving character development throughout. It was enough of a dilemma that the players had to play games that could kill them if they lost, but was amplified by the prize money that was legitimately life changing. Throw in the monkey wrench that killing your fellow competitors, whether in a game or not, can only help you and you can have all your viewers on the edge of their seats wondering what's happening next.
The final key aspect to me was the use is bright, child like colors throughout the events. When each character is at home things always look dark and bleak, but at the tournament their surrounded by colors that provide a certain kind of innocence to things, supplemented by the fact that they are playing games meant for children.
From the colors on the walls, to the game arenas, event was meant to make it feel young and maybe even a little nostalgic. What really keyed it though was the contrast of the Front Man's outfit which made him almost look like the grim reaper in a sea of brightness. Just a little reminder that the colors may be bright, but there are dark intentions on ever corner.
To wrap up the section that worked, I want to make a point about how they force teamwork upon the competitors through various games/ trials. Alliances must be made or broken and it adds an even thicker layer to the drama of the show.
What didn't work
Where things fall flat for me is that I've seen this before. A lot of publications compare this to Battle Royale or The Hunger Games, but the true comparison is the movie The Belko Experiment. The only difference being that a full TV season gives you more time for character development whereas Belko had to hit the gas right off the jump and keep the pedal down right until the end.
The overall concept is the same though. Bunch of random people trapped in one place with the rules of kill or be killed, whether it be by a fellow competitor or those running the game. Also, they come in with similar character archetypes too. The main guy is a morally fit, but when push comes to shove his morals are flexible type. There's one psycho guy who's totally out for themselves and will have no hesitation putting you under, and a handful of side characters that remind you as a viewer "don't get too attached." Oh and the nicest character always ends up getting royally fucked.
I'll give Squid Game a 4/5 because while it does lack traditionally creativity, the various set-ups and choices for games add enough of a twist that I really wanted to see what was next.
Also, points off for the fact that nobody in society will ever truly get the message that the show is sending and actually act on it.
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