This is an absorbing, occult murder mystery that progressively reveals the political plot it is part of. The setting is after the Austro-Hungarian war and we are shown the arrogance and crudeness of the empire's political elite.
Freud's story, although largely fictional, is told in a warm and humane manner - he's brilliant but also caring, and a maverick who is ridiculed by his peers. Because of some bizarre murders happening, he bands together with some unusual characters who he would probably not have gotten to know under other circumstances. Most of the key characters come across as raw and authentic: we have the hard-as-nails inspector suffering from PTSD, his loyal right hand whose true passion is performing as a singer, and Freud's house-keeper who is assisting him in his shams and tricks when she's not telling him off for being disorderly in some way.
There were some weaknesses to the storyline, too. It had too many moving pieces and it sometimes was clumsy in how it brought these together - for example, in one of the later episodes, we suddenly find out the flat next to Freud has been haunted all this time and that there is a connection with the murders. There are also some inconsistencies, like the military officer who is secretly courting a girl from a more modest background while also secretly living with his gay lover. Or Freud being sceptical of Fleur's visions at first but still tipping off the police about them anonymously.
Despite all of this, I still loved the journey down into the dark part of the unconscious with this spiralling, gothic story.
Freud's story, although largely fictional, is told in a warm and humane manner - he's brilliant but also caring, and a maverick who is ridiculed by his peers. Because of some bizarre murders happening, he bands together with some unusual characters who he would probably not have gotten to know under other circumstances. Most of the key characters come across as raw and authentic: we have the hard-as-nails inspector suffering from PTSD, his loyal right hand whose true passion is performing as a singer, and Freud's house-keeper who is assisting him in his shams and tricks when she's not telling him off for being disorderly in some way.
There were some weaknesses to the storyline, too. It had too many moving pieces and it sometimes was clumsy in how it brought these together - for example, in one of the later episodes, we suddenly find out the flat next to Freud has been haunted all this time and that there is a connection with the murders. There are also some inconsistencies, like the military officer who is secretly courting a girl from a more modest background while also secretly living with his gay lover. Or Freud being sceptical of Fleur's visions at first but still tipping off the police about them anonymously.
Despite all of this, I still loved the journey down into the dark part of the unconscious with this spiralling, gothic story.