Deciphering the keys to modern love and today’s romantic relationships is one of those obsessions that many tackle in fiction but few manage to succeed. ‘mammals‘ (Mammals), the new Amazon Prime Video comedy series, is no exception.
Composed of six episodes, we find the story of a couple who go on an idyllic vacation on the British coast. The holidays are interrupted by a tragedy and, as if that were not enough, they have not had time to fully react when he will discover a possible infidelity of his wife.
james corden —who we remember, before presenting his late show had his success as a sitcom actor and, later, on Broadway— returns to television fiction playing Jamie, a somewhat temperamental chef about to open his restaurant. A role that, I suspect, reinforces the impression we can have of the British.
It’s not that he’s really hateful, but his character is designed so that, despite being the one that carries the comic weight, There is a certain barrier to entry. But with him and the rest of the characters designed by Jez Butterworth, who signs the six episodes of the miniseriand.
a disconcerting tone
But it’s not really the actors who put up the barrier (Melia Kreiling, Sally Hawkins and Colin Morgan complete the main quartet), who have to deal with characters that go between the peculiar and the emotionally distant, at least with each other, but rather the tone of fiction.
There is, at least in the first episodes (little by little we are “getting” with her), a feeling of not knowing what Butterworth and James Richardson want to tell in these episodes. What exactly do they paint this or that character or, in short, what is ‘Mammals’ as a concept, as a series.
It’s not so much a matter of complexity (which it has) but in tone, which navigates between a certain magical realism and a more melancholy than dark humor, it does not end up being attractive and clear in its intentions. Fortunately, as you go through episodes, you understand better what they want to tell us.
Another thing is to convince us. Within its layers and the confrontation between a concept or an idea of ”traditional” love (and monogamy) there is a certain feeling that beyond that we may have certain influences from Woody Allen (or even Ricky Gervais) something halfway stands in its way.
In short, ‘Mammals’ it is somewhat disconcerting and requires some patience to get hold of the protagonists and the plot. It’s only in the middle stretch that it begins to reward the viewer and even then it may be too late to engage despite its brevity.