Eric (2024) User Reviews

How much societal issues does one want to jam into one show?

[marijdevos-70906 · 6/10 · 31 May 2024]

It feels like the purpose of this show was to adress as much societal issues as possible, and weave that all into a story.

It adresses; mental illness, addiction, gay discrimination, AIDS neglect, pedosexuality, gentrification, institutional racism, parental neglect and abuse, homelessness, corruption,....and I'm sure I missed a few.

When you strip it down though, to the centre of the storyline, the boy who's missing and what's going on with him, you're left with not a whole lot of substance to that.

Whether you like the show or not, it's strength will have to be working all those societal issues into one show, one story.

For me, I would have liked more substance to central storyline about the boy, and not all the sidesteps to add moral value.

And the show is a bit too long.

Good, but a bit trite

[mongobongokongo · 7/10 · 2 June 2024]

There's a lot of important messages here, and it's constructed quite well, showing the darkest pits of humanity through the lens of the young, innocent, insane and heroic.

At the end we are left with a great reminder that there is no rush in preparing the youth for the trials and tribulations of the world, and one should cherish and protect who they are while still innocent.

But what does strike me as very peculiar is the baseline that this series tries to sell to the audience. At no point in time did I find Vincent intimidating or scary. Childish, yes, an alcoholic, yes, a bit too persistent with some of his lessons, sure, but it seemed so overbearing and wild to me that he somehow deserved the punishment he went through this series, and completely ridiculous that a 9-year old would enter the NY underground and willingly spend so many nights surrounded by complete unhinged madness and danger rather than go home to his dad and mom, because dad is supposedly just that scary.

Also, as someone who got scared as hell one night when waking up to mom kicking the bath-tub so hard that it broke and spent many evenings as a kid being therapist to a single-mom, I can promise that Cassie smashing a wine glass in an enraged state and then proceed to come into Edgars room drunk crying and using him as a support animal while cryptically complaining about how awful life is, would be much more of a trigger to escape to the sewers, but she's apparently just nice and smells of coffee (while getting pregnant with another dude behind Vincent and Edgars back) and isn't to blame for anything nor in need of any real character development.

This type of writing and thinking is so common these days that it's really worrying, and it becomes kinda obvious that the only redeemable white man in this series has to go through hell to become redeemable, meanwhile the other "good guys" that were allowed in this series is a gay black man and a homeless black man. Nothing inherently wrong about that at all and makes a fair bit of sense considering the time period and place, and I found Michael's story to be interesting and excellently weaved into the main story, but this cliché is seemingly everywhere in entertainment these days and I very much understand why this has become off-putting to many viewers.

Disjointed

[goldenstateguy · 6/10 · 4 June 2024]

I just completed watching this limited series and I'm left a bit confused. Most every character in this series is unlikable. The only likable characters are the cop who investigates the missing kids, the kid himself, and the homeless graffiti artist that helps the kid. Every other character in this series is either Bland or completely unlikable. The storyline also doesn't make sense where is the correlation between the two missing kids their stories are completely different and they don't disappear under similar circumstances at all. I don't understand how they tied these two stories together because there's no common thread. Only in the very last episode do we see any kind of redemption of one of the main characters other than that I find the writing to be kind of weak and disjointed and convoluted. Though I will say that the acting in this series is really good it's just the writing and the storyline that detracts.

A fantastic, well crafted odyssey in 80s New York - with puppets

[Avwillfan89 · 9/10 · 30 May 2024]

This is an absolutely gorgeous, dark, hard hitting brilliantly created series about an alcoholic puppeteer whose son Edgar, goes missing on his way to school, and a detective who uncovers corruption while searching for the boy.

Cumberbatch's Vincent is a very unpleasant man who pretty much alienates everyone at work and at home with his abrasive behaviour and vulgar abuse. But while his character Phil in the Power of the Dog was violently sadistic, Vincent is simply utterly clueless as to how he affects everyone - due to the vileness of his cold, privileged parents, and their complete lack of understanding of mental health. If you are not embraced with the basic needs of love and support as a child, what chance have you got later in life?

Detective Mike Ledroit, a black gay cop in charge of finding missing people, must conceal his sexuality and love for his partner, a much older man dying of AIDS and he is pressured by a lot of angry frustrated people to find young boys that continue to go missing.

The world-building that Abby Morgan has created is truly phenomenal. When a show runner/director brings you full throttle into a completely different world with some similarities to our world, it's a winner. She really has captured the roughness and the griminess of the 1980s.

It's certainly not an easy watch, especially for those who have children. But it is an important one. It's really about the toxicity of fathers and how that affects their children. About being true to oneself and fight for justice rather than just stand by and ignore everything.

I honestly don't usually bingewatch series all in one go as I love to pace myself while watching them. But with this one, I just couldn't stop. It was THAT addictive.

I would rate it 5 if it wasn't for Cumberbatch

[secret_arash · 7/10 · 3 June 2024]

There are so many things done incorrectly in this show that have made it such a mess. I believe the overall main story is quite good and could have been a big hit but it fails due to two major reasons:

1. Too Many Side Stories: the main subject here is a father who is trying to find his lost son using a puppet that his son has created. That's where the title of the show comes from. This is what the focus of the show should be on. However, so many irrelevant and uninteresting subplots are added that make it hard to appreciate the relationship between the father and Eric. For example, what was the point of the detective's old and sick boyfriend who dies after 4 episodes and has nothing to do with the story or even the detective's character development. Actually, his personal life is so irrelevant and uninteresting and doesn't add any depth to the story. Even his being gay.

2. Very Slow Pacing: at times it gets really annoying how slowly everything occurs. I think one episode worth of runtime could have been cut. Why does it take the detective so long to watch the CCTVs?! Episode 3 takes place one week after the disappearance and yet he hasn't watched the first 50 seconds after Edgar leaves the apartment. Moreover, the episodes, especially the first three, do not provide enough information. What has actually happened to Edgar and what he is doing should have been revealed much sooner, probably at the end of episode two. Same with the father's personal search for Edgar.

Benedict Cumberbatch's performance is probably the only thing in the show that is great from start to finish. His fight with Eric in the final episode was the only scene in the whole show I found fascinating. Everything else is a let down. The story of the 14 yo kid is also interesting and a nice add but I think it is not shown in the best way which lowers the effect of it.

All in all, there some good ideas displayed in Eric; the relationship of a father and his son that leads to him running away, the father's struggles after that, the creation of Eric in the father's mind, and the story of an African American kid been killed by the police. If the focus of the show was completely on these concepts and everything else was put aside and the storytelling was improved, I think we would have witnessed much higher ratings and more positive reviews here.

A short note on the bad storytelling; one major issue here is supposed to be the fact that in the kid's eyes, the real monster is his dad based on his behavior but that's not what is shown in the beginning. Their relationship seems very good and they have great with each other. Also, if this is in fact the main issue, then adding another big one like the coverup of the murder of an African American kid by authorities is a mistake. The show is indeed a mess in storytelling. It's like the writers had 5 important but different issues to display and made a mess in combining them. It is really such a shame that they didn't stick with the first priority and wasted such good performance by Cumberbatch in such messy show.

Beyond Words..

[madoosa-5223 · 10/10 · 2 June 2024]

Truly Truly amazing Series. I am terminally ill and unfortunately dying the slow and miserable death. My only form of entertainment is my premium channels and I have seen over 2,500 series and over 5,000 movies. I would definitively say that Eric is definitely one of my five favorite series that I have watched. The acting was phenomenal the storyline was beyond words. I do wish that it had more episodes however each and everyone of them did their part so perfectly it made the series a must binge Watch. I banged out the entire series in one sitting it held my interest. As I stated everyone did a phenomenal job however Benedict Cumberbatch went over the top. I must watch.

excellent idea, bad development

[traianpang · 6/10 · 3 June 2024]

Imagine a monster alter ego who becomes the iconic salvation of the main character is pretty nice, almost a genius trick.

It starts great, with an intellectual family torn apart and their gifted son becoming the unseen victim of them.

But the developing is really annoying and chaotic; the cop character misses profoundness and meaning, he just wanders between his troubled personal life and the faults he makes in his quest for Edgar. They try to make him evolving, but we just see him wandering from one fail to another.

Also, the sub-plot of City Hall corruption is not credible, not enough developed and pathetic.

Somehow, the final scene with the kid and the father is a great one, almost saving the series; but overall it's a failure.

Wild story of a broken man's quest to find his son and a murder mystery

[billskag · 9/10 · 31 May 2024]

Imagine if the creator of Sesame Street drank too much, fought with everyone, and lost his son, and the detective investigating the case is caught between a rock and a hard place as a gay, black man in the corrupt 1980s NYPD.

I enjoyed that Cumberbatch wasn't the entire show. The detective and his search for the missing boys was also engaging and interesting and he did well. I'd say I was even more engaged in his storyline than Cumberbatch's. There were a lot of layers to this story too.

Eric was an interesting part of the story, but also not the entire story. He wasn't overplayed and Cumberbatch sold it.

Not a Good Time

[tlwgvlle · 6/10 · 4 June 2024]

I have to confess that I didn't finish this series. I certainly couldn't fault the filming, direction, etc. I thought the acting was good, Benedict Cumberbatch is always amazing to watch. Having said that, I just found the series to be unrelentingly grim. I can't think of a worse thing than having a child missing, but there are so many gritty elements tied together that could've been left out that I found it rather disturbing. A child's puppet show contrasted with the grim streets of New York. Not entertaining at all. I'm very fond of a good drama, crime show, or spy, extravaganza, but this one made me uncomfortable. Look elsewhere for a good time.

Cumberbatch shines, even if from the sewers of this forgettable series

[n-l-eveneshen · 5/10 · 1 June 2024]

As the title implies, this series is worth watching if only to appreciate Cumberbatch's great performance. The social messaging, however, is about as subtle as an anvil falling on your head, and seriously detracts from the overall quality (think: white men bad, black men good, cops bad, homeless good, and you get the picture). It's too bad, because New York in the 80s looks beautiful here, even with its overflowing trash and debauchery crowding the neonlit muck and grime of its neglected streets. Plot points also magically convene to arbitrarily speed up resolutions, such that what are supposed to be heartfelt, gut-wrenching moments turn into trite, undeserved screen-time wasters. If you're already subscribed to Netflix, you can give this a go, but it's unfortunately not worth signing up for. Five outa ten.

Monsters in all their guises

[michelleomahoney-17174 · 10/10 · 31 May 2024]

Great cast, great script and New York as its wonderful moody self.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Gabby Hoffman are particularly great as a young boys parents. It shows all the darkness of many triggering subjects, so be warned. It's also slightly funny, touching, troubling and potentially traumatic for some. Very good acting, very authentic in everything and has a few twists and turns, but ultimately, it's the tale of relationships and what we do to each other, what it is to be human in all its glory or not. A few non-humans star to, which makes it an interesting unique way of sharing the subject matter.

I binged it., couldn't stop watching...

Engaging but overstretched

[engrababer · 6/10 · 3 June 2024]

I recently watched the show and found it to be a captivating and well-crafted series. The characters were well-developed, and the themes were thought-provoking. However, I couldn't shake off the feeling that the show was slightly overstretched. Could have been made atleast 2 episodes shorter..

Sometimes I felt that the pacing dragged in a few places, and some scenes could have been trimmed or condensed to maintain a tighter narrative. In each episode the sideway scenes make you do fast forwarding.

Despite this, the show's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, and I would still recommend it to fans of the genre. The acting was superb, the writing was clever, and the overall story arc was satisfying.

6 hours ????? Please just find Edgar before I cry with boredom.

[zoesophocles-12951 · 4/10 · 1 June 2024]

SPOILER ALERT (if you call it a spoiler) This is the first review I've written on IMDB so I apologise in advance for the lack of interesting words and phrases. To put it lightly - this show is excruciating. Or at least I found it to be. It's 6 hours long (though it could all be done in 3 max). It's drawn out and all the characters are unlikeable (I normally love BC as I think he's a great actor).

After 5 hours you realise he didn't even get kidnapped, he just ran off which is a total waste of time with no drama to it. The homeless guy was interesting to watch , although he tries to obtain a ransom - even though the kid doesn't want to go home and had many chances to go. It's terribly written !!!

The mother is frustrating to watch and the main kid is even more frustrating to watch with no emotion.

Sorry but I should've washed my hair instead of watching this. Acting by BC and the main detective as was the only good part. 4/10.

Beautifully written with the main story and the characters stories intertwined

[LeonaFaz · 8/10 · 30 May 2024]

I was excited about this series, and rightfully so. The comparison and drawing of parallels between the different definitions of the term "safe home" is excellent and cleverly written by the creator and writer Abi Morgan. It's a broad and timely subject considering gentrification is an important and extremely relevant issue to this day, therefor comparing it up against the wealthy and ostensibly nice upper class home is a perfect contrast. The passing over of traumas inflicted on Vincent from his own father and the symbolism in which Eric holds is really beautifully made, and in no other circumstances would it have worked to use a "silhouette" like this in a thriller to be taken seriously but it is woven in so well with the story and Vincent's puppetshow. The show itself is well made and acted, we all knew Benedict could act, but McKinley surprised me.

Netflix limited series

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 3 June 2024]

It's 1985 New York City. Vincent Anderson (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a puppeteer on a popular children's TV show along with business partner Lennie (Dan Fogler). He has a troubled marriage to Cassie (Gaby Hoffmann) with their son Edgar. When Edgar goes missing, police detective Michael Ledroit (McKinley Belcher III) takes on the case. Vincent gets an imaginary puppet friend, Eric.

This is a Netflix 6-part limited series. I have an issue with the first couple of episodes. Vincent seems to be uninterested in finding his son. If he doesn't care, it makes it harder for the audience to care. Also, there are a lot of pieces floating around in this story. It may be better to simplify some of it. The closet story is very compelling and it stands alone. It would be better for Vincent to start with an already existing Eric who would help direct the search. Eventually, the show does pull together in the later episodes.

Critics Who Gave This a Bad Rating...

[norupo · 10/10 · 1 June 2024]

I lost my first child and find solace in this series. I cant wrap my head around Benedict playing the role of a father mourning and grieving his son.

The murder mystery behind this and the "monsters under the bed" are really humans is a point thats been touched on mostly in Black Mirror and Love Death +Robots. Its not a script driven by lame writers like The Chi, Golden Bachelor/ette, The Kardashians, so it stands to figure why there is a lot of haters on this show

Any parent whose child has gone missing and did not come home, this is a trigger. Nothing is so heartbreaking than losing a child.

Critics who dont have children, need to understand, until you have gone through this yourself, you are not entitled to make the parents of missing children feel shame.

Nothing special

[taliahayek · 7/10 · 2 June 2024]

Was excited to watch it since I admire Benedict and his projects, but sincerely I'm quite disappointed.

I mean, I usually expect nothing when it comes to Netflix dramas, however this time I really thought that the fact that Benedict is featuring in this should make a difference. The man knows which projects to take.

I'm not saying it's not good- it is entertaining and well designed and acted. But honestly- nothing that no one has never done before. I find it basic- like there are thousands of TV with storyline similar to this.

I might be wrong, or maybe I am just not smart enough to understand it to the fullest, But the puppets and Eric felt quit forced; Like a good idea that wasn't developed enough, and only served the ending. It felt kind of flat, Too flat, considering it was never done before. If you choose to do something revolutionary- do it meaningful and deep, dive into it- let us learn something we never knew before. I feel as if they missed this one.

So, to conclude, it wasn't bad. Would I recommend it? Probably only if you have some spare time and nothing else to watch. I wasn't forced to watch it- and I was amused. It just was not as unique as I was expecting from a Benedict's project, that's all.

And, if you think this is benedict's best acting, you haven't watched Patrick Melrose. Go watch it!

A Masterfully Crafted Series with a Compelling Narrative and Social Awareness

[jknxbmkx · 8/10 · 31 May 2024]

It's been a long time since I've encountered a series as well-written as this one. The storyline is captivating and skillfully constructed, keeping viewers engaged with its unpredictable twists and turns. The acting is superb, with performances that truly bring the characters to life.

What sets this series apart is its ability to maintain an element of surprise; the plot is far from predictable, ensuring that audiences remain intrigued from beginning to end. Additionally, the series serves as a powerful eye-opener, shedding light on critical issues that are often overlooked or underestimated. The creators have done an exceptional job in raising awareness about a sensitive and important topic, adding a layer of depth and relevance to the entertainment.

Overall, this series is a remarkable achievement, combining top-notch storytelling with a meaningful message. Highly recommended for anyone seeking both quality entertainment and a thought-provoking experience.

Maybe not even a 7

[phildeesnow · 7/10 · 4 June 2024]

I agree with mostly all of the low reviews.

It's long, and it might become tedious.

The characters are unlikeable.

The unwinding of the plot point seems to be a middle finger to the viewers.

There's way too much going on to even make it into the agenda.

Nobody seems to care or noticed the bad CGI, or the incongruence of ambient.

It's supposed to happen during the mid 80's but everything looks as the 70's in the beginning and then of the 90's by the end.

And there's something called perspective, you can't have building far away looking as clear as the objects nearby.

Those are 6 hours that I will consider a long nap, just because I don't want to be upset.

These people in this are horrible humans.

[v12377 · 3/10 · 2 June 2024]

Maybe it's just me. But how can you enjoy a show when you dislike everyone in the film? I'm not talking about the actors. The characters are just flawed human beings. The father is an obnoxious drunk who hates everyone at his job. His parents are wealthy jerks who dont even like him.

Eric's Mom is having sex with a previous student who's 1/2 her age. The lead detectives have no character building, which you know nothing about, and zero social skills.

I dont get it. I've only made it past three episodes, forcing myself to watch something with zero entertainment value. The parents yell and hate each other. This is not good TV. Good acting, maybe. But it's just dull to watch. Perhaps it reminds everyone of their childhood when their parents argued a lot. Safe yourself some grief and pick something better.

Great storytelling!

[gabriellespray · 9/10 · 1 June 2024]

I loved this from start to finish. Great characterisation, gripping story and, in my opinion, one of the best things Benedict Cumberbatch has done, with an amazing supporting cast.

It absolutely captured the feel of New York at that time and the prejudices of that era, particularly within the NYPD. It isn't always an easy watch but does have moments of real humour at times. It's pretty tense viewing and all the better for that. The children's tv puppet show, that forms the background to the story, is an inventive piece of scriptwriting.

I watched all six episodes in two sittings and will happily watch it again.

The monster that accompanies us

[Guanche48 · 7/10 · 1 June 2024]

When I saw that the creator is Abi Morgan, I didn't hesitate for a second, I knew her by chance because of the series RIVER, also created by her and one of my favorites!

The world of puppets that she builds and creates is truly wonderful. Creativity and joy versus the shadow of alcoholism, disappearance.. and finally... society, all this combined with a choice of different and interesting characters and a fantastic puppet show named 'Good, day, sunshine'. An interesting and ironic mix!.

'Eric' is really about the toxicity of parents and how that affects their children. About being true to yourself and fight for justice. When a director brings you into a completely different world with some similarities to our world, it's a winner. She really has captured the roughness of the 1980s in New York. Nice cinematopraphy.

It is also a call to the society in which we live, especially in big cities,... no one pays attention or look at you and they don't even look at pamphlets, not even of a lost child, a trubled marriage that only argues without worrying enough about their child, and I can go on... , and the movie is in the 80s!. Several things have changed since then, but others are still there - the underground of society - like the tunnels of New York, in a lost and ignored world, pedophilia, homophobia, racism, murder and the invisibility of poverty. Mental health is also another theme in this creative story.

What I did miss at times is a little more balance, there are some pieces out of order, although I honestly didn't mind much. The music is fantastic, although there are also some small flaws in the songs choice combined with the scene, but it is something personal.

Benedict Cumberbatch gives a remarkable performance as Vincent, a very complex character with ups and downs, sometimes you hate him and at the same time feel compassion. And I especially thought he was a much better actor during the first half of the series.

The blue monster Eric, no matter how grumpy he may seem, is the monster that accompanies us, that consciousness that confronts us with ourselves, for our mistakes and actions.

This is a unique story, full of nuances and psychological, that is seen quickly due to the addictive tone, although some scenes could have been more dynamic.

I am very curious now I finnish watching, this series leaves a lot to think about, a plot that leaves its mark. It is one of those that makes you talk after watching it.

You are going to hate almost everyone on this show.

[sweetemotion2 · 5/10 · 31 May 2024]

A lot of what's done here is great. The 80's setting is faithfully recreated, from the overly-tagged subway cars to grainy, vintage police station.

For that reason I gave it a 5/10. There is interesting stuff here.

Problem is, you are going to hate almost every character. Most of them are insufferable bleep holes, the main character most of all, and even the puppet is incredibly unlikable.

Will it entertain you? Perhaps.

But go in knowing that this show may well annoy you way more than it entertains you.

I know for some people that's not a huge dealbreaker, but for me, I kind of wish I could get my time back.

One of the most different miniseries I've ever watched

[baharrezaei-99073 · 10/10 · 31 May 2024]

The plot was perfect. The way of creating the 80s New York City and various crises at that time was so fascinating.

One of the best points of the show was Benedict's acting; although Vincent was (in some ways) the same as Patrick Melrose but, the acting was something totally different.

The way they showed Eric's character and the process of making it real were terrific. The way Vincent starts to contact Eric, sees it everywhere in his life, and how it helps him find his son and understand the problem with their relationship is so emotional.

In my view, the series is something more than just a crime story.

It shows the importance of family, the pandemic of AIDS, homelessness, addiction, and so many other crises in society.

If you like a movie that have a lot of true heroes, it's this one

[camelcoco8 · 9/10 · 31 May 2024]

It's interesting for the type of several character that's play a role to be heroes. Anonymous sometimes, or discrete, or with not that purpose but becomes a heroe. It's important to se more of the evident but you could read between lines.

What I like the most of this kind of movie, is that maybe the writer didn't want to show that heroism (protection, crime combat, patriotism, ethics and moral decision, fighting against hopeless, or internal force agaist all kind of adversity even in the worst possible time of any person could be. It reminds me cloud Atlas, and want to thanks to the creators for this kind of possible dream.