It's not easy launching a brand new show – any of the biggest and best streaming services on the market can attest to that. Whether you're basing it on a best-selling novel, spinning it off from an existing franchise, or trying to start something completely fresh, getting hold of people's eyes and attentions is easier said than done.
So, it always helps if your first trailer is charming and impressive, which Amazon might think it's nailed for Hotel Costiera, a new original series it's just trailed ahead of a release date of 24 September in around a month's time. It showcases what seems to be a genuinely slick mystery show set on the Mediterranean, and promises plenty of fun action and twists.
Jesse Williams stars as Daniel De Luca, a sort of freelance fixer who's basically a private detective without that label to weigh him down. He has a range of clients and friends and seems to be taking things easy in the coastal sunshine of a relaxed life, occasionally working on lost dog cases and sorting things for local hoteliers.
He has to take a step up, though, when a friend's daughter is seemingly abducted, and the case spirals out into a larger conspiracy. De Luca will need help from a small and tight gang of former accomplices, including undercover work and a bit of light hacking. It's all classic mystery stuff, but seems to be laced with a sense of humour that ensures it won't be a dour and depressing crime series like so many others out there right now.
I think streamers can sometimes overlook the popularity of shows that don't barrage viewers with sadness and grim affairs – while kidnapping is nothing too lighthearted, it seems like Hotel Costiera could swim against the tide a little, at least in terms of its tone.
We yet don't know whether the show will drop all at once, or have weekly episodes, since Prime Video seems to chop and change its approach on a per-show basis. Regardless, if you're in the mood for some detective work and deduction, add this to your watchlist for when it comes out.
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