The Pitch: Steven Soderbergh knows how to craft a compelling narrative — look no further than the cultural staple that is the Ocean’s franchise, or his Oscar-winning Traffic, for proof of that. Unfortunately, while Full Circle shares many surface-level traits with some of Soderbergh’s other, very good work, it lacks the tension or timing to make it as memorable as those aforementioned titles.
The story here is centered on Sam (Claire Danes) and her husband Derek (Timothy Olyphant, handsome as ever): Together, they manage the business for Claire’s celebrity chef father, Jeff (Dennis Quaid — with a ponytail), until the family becomes tangled with a criminal ring led by the enigmatic Mrs. Mahabir (CCH Pounder), who orders the kidnapping of Jeff’s grandson, Jared — and when the plan goes askew, it leaves Mrs. Mahabir’s nephew, Aked (the always reliable Jharrel Jerome), in a vulnerable position.
Characters and Curses: Jared’s kidnapping might be the impetus for the action here, but over its six-episode run, Full Circle spends more time with the immediate aftershocks — double-crossing, investigations, ties to the past, and secrets that are revealed in the process. Without getting into spoilers here, many of these characters are more involved than it seems at first, and some of the trouble lies in how long it takes the show to reveal that.
While Full Circle is aiming for an air of mystery, some of these events just feel confusing — the first episode introduces a lot of names and faces, and the restraint exercised to save some important reveals for further down the road just ends up leaving the viewer feel like they’re a bit too in the dark.
For example, Zazie Beetz plays Melody Harmony (yes, really), an obsessive, brash, and somewhat unhinged postal inspector who can’t get her supervisor (a gruff Jim Gaffigan) to officially assign her to investigate why so much recurring trouble can be traced back to the same Guyanese community, Mrs. Mahabir’s crew. If you’re confused as to why a mail cop would be so particularly involved in a case like this, you’re not the only one.
However, many elements of the show are individually good, including the performances: Danes and Olyphant are believably panicked parents when they receive a call about their son being tossed in the back of a van; the emotion Jerome is able to communicate in his voice ought to be studied by aspiring young actors; Quaid is deeply believable as a narcissistic television personality; kindhearted Natalia, played by Adia, tugs on the heartstrings.
Full Circle (Max)
Running Out of Time: The streaming era is a strange one. Some shows find their following through word of mouth, and weekly drops are to their benefit; others make the choice to drop their episodes all at once (looking at you, Season 2 of The Bear). Succession Sundays, a joyful time where some of the most vocal people you know on Twitter all sat down to enjoy a new episode for a collective experience, are unfortunately a thing of the past. But the pacing of Full Circle‘s release schedule, which splits the difference between the two, might be a stumbling block for building anything close to that kind of following.
The show will drop episodes in pairs, which is good news, because if this premiere were to air on its own, it likely wouldn’t be engaging enough to keep viewers tuning in. And Episode 3 in particular is a slog, with many parts thereafter feeling disjointed. However, some of the episodes provided for review last almost an hour, while the shortest wraps around 37 minutes, and more than one feels like it cuts off at an unexpected place.
Full Circle (Max)
In addition, sequences are often filmed docu-style, with handheld, shakier viewpoints that might not be expected for a show seeming to aim for prestige drama territory, and the effect doesn’t quite work. But, even so, these actors are turning in solid performances! There’s a good score! The central premise is interesting! So why does so much of Full Circle feel tedious?
The Verdict: One reason the show doesn’t quite stick the landing is that we just aren’t given enough reasons to care why these things are happening to these people specifically — there’s an air of detachment in the way we cycle between these inter-connected groups, and the action feels simultaneously rushed and far too stretched out.
And although some of these characters end up in a very different place from where they began, odds are the viewer won’t feel quite as impacted. For a story that deals in various misdeeds and forms of wrongdoing, the biggest crime here is that things just aren’t that memorable.
Where to Watch: The first two episodes of Full Circle will premiere on Max on Thursday, July 13th. Episodes will then be rolled out in pairs each subsequent week.
Trailer:
