Another week and yet another new Netflix number one has risen to the top of the charts (in the UK anyway, pushing the anime-adaption One Piece off the top spot). It's another Netflix Original series that is oh-so-British and, er, oh-so-underappreciated – landing just a 55% Rotten Tomatoes audience score at the time of writing. Ouch.
But I think that's harsh. I've watched episode one of Who Is Erin Carter? thus far and, being a fellow Brit, I've been rather taken by the wash of English accents. I mean the show begins in Folkestone, Kent – how often does that happen? Never. Not that it remains there (probably for the best), as the premise is that 'Erin' and her daughter escape to Spain via a fishing trawler and, as the title suggests, this thriller-drama is about her unravelling past...
But it's really not connecting with initial audiences since its 24 August 2023 launch date on the streaming service. The seven episodes in the Netflix 'Limited Series' are obviously being watched a lot, hence the no.1 spot in the UK chart, but responses aren't exactly shining. It's the same with critics' reactions, with The Guardian doling out a 1-star review. Double ouch.
Okay, I know, the show's premise is hardly original, we've been here a million times before. But with a strong female lead (Evin Ahmad is a Swede of Kurdish origin, IMDB tells me) in charge? That's refreshing! The cinematography is impressive, too, as there's no British soap opera look and feel about this show. It's something a bit different, yet another show to explain why Netflix is among the best streaming services.
Like I say, I'm only one episode into Who Is Erin Carter? and I'm keen to watch more. But I may yet eat my words and understand why the show is so abysmally rated as the show clocks up the hours. Still, even if it gets a bit silly, I'm all for a bit of cheesy action with a dab of comedy thrown into the mix. It's not quite Die Hard, but you know what I'm saying.
If it does turn out to be that bad then, hey, now that Netflix is cracking down on password sharing and has now just scrapped its basic plan, I could always unsubscribe for the summer period – especially now, miraculously, as the sun is shining in the UK after the rainiest summertime I can ever recall and that Disney+ has a limited £1.99-per-month sign-up plan. Although, given the critical response, I suspect this Who Is Erin Carter? will quickly be up for the chop under Netflix's ongoing cancellations...
