POPCORNX Review: CLARICE - Episode One (Mild Spoilers)

The premise for the show intrigued me more than the trailer itself, and curiosity led me to watch the first episode of CLARICE, which has Australian actress Rebecca Breeds stepping into the shoes of "Clarice Starling" - who in turn was played by Jodie Foster in the by-now-classic "Silence of the Lambs" feature film, and character subsequently inherited by Julianne Moore in the 2001 feature film "Hannibal".



I have neither read the source material (Novels authored by Thomas Harris), nor do I intend to, nor have I watched the "Hannibal" TV series to shed any connection tp this series ... so my perception of the characterisation of Clarice is based on both feature films I'd enjoyed, and now the fictional creation of the TV series from CBS, "CLARICE".



The role of "Clarice" in this tv series is mirrored to Jodie Fosters' look, visuals, mannerisms and speech. This series also directly references the 1991 feature film, with pivotal scenes recreated for the television incarnation. Folks unfamiliar with said film, will be somewhat clued in to the broad-strokes of what went down, with a bunch of exposition to catch folks up with... but listed below are links to Amazon, in case you want to watch/rewatch/purchase he 1991 before you watch this. Yes it is optional, but for me it certainly helped me catch up real quick, so that I could (A) recognise the changes from film vs tv, and (2) Concentrate on what was happening to Clarice, then trying to figure out "WTF is Clarice going thru?", IMHO. Here is the show premise (from Wiki):

PREMISE: "Set in 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs, the series serves as a deep dive into the untold personal story of Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds), as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high-stakes political world of Washington, D.C."

The following is my first somewhat-SPOILERish impressions:

The show felt quite "aggressive" straight off the bat. Cast upon Clarice and what she had achieved with the "Buffalo Bill"-saga, were mostly bathed in a negative shadow, which quite literally had given her PTSD (although she'll not admit to it), a therapist that drills into her, a new handler that not just verbally shits on her, but also mentally shackles her, and the "guilt of surviving" has consumed the folks connected her, as much as Clarice herself is trying to brush it off with a deadpan-stare. I felt so angry watching the entire episode! Angry for HER, and angry at folks around her, who probably eventually will come around to accept her and respect her, but perhaps I might not be around to see that happen lol

The horrific murders that had happened in the show, that Clarice is apart of investigating ... the obvious cover-up schtick ... all of whom does not compare to the shit Clarice is facing, by the time the credits rolled at the end of Ep.1, and I seriously wonder my seemingly snowflaked-sensibilities will be able to withstand the on-coming onslaught of what might hinge on the shoulders of the actress and her arc, versus the by-the-numbers plot.But I feel as if I (should) have faith in "Rebecca Breeds", who plays it strong and stoic, very subtle without frills, breaking into smiles when she meets up with her buddy-from-Quantico, and even with just one single episode, I'd felt "Clarice" had been "found".



What caught my attention besides, was the cinematography, and visual value of the production. And while the palette was muted, in line with costumes and mode of the period (evoking a dreary early-90s), the depth and darkness of the shadows was very interestingly cinematic, IMHO.

(Stills via IMDb)

BUY SILENCE OF THE LAMBS ON AMAZON: