Review – Netflix’s Trese Season One
SUMMARY
Set in the present day Philippines, Alexandra Trese is the sixth child of the sixth child, the binding presence of a harmonious agreement between the human world and the underworld. With this peaceful accordance in place, Trese has friends in low places as well as supernatural powers to help her with investigations of a demonically discordant nature.
ANIMATION
Initially I was enticed by the look of Trese, specifically in it’s creature designs and gothic neo-noir atmosphere. It breathed a gritty yet charming breath of air not unlike the animated Hellboy films Blood & Iron and Sword of Storms, of which are wholly underrated in my opinion. This combined with the smoothness of Japanese anime allows for an action packed detective series around beautifully rendered scenery.
In a lot of modern adult animation there is an excessive and dare I say obnoxious amount of visceral gore to invoke a reaction of discomfort or gleeful bloodlust depending on the person. With Trese’s reliance on ritualistic storytelling however, any and all extreme acts violence comes with a storied purpose so it feels earned when the imagery is truly gruesome. It’s psychologically focused graphic horror stretches far beyond the meaningless gore of other animated shows.
WRITING
While I can’t speak for the original comics, the unique setting and folklore of the Philippines provide a wholly unpredictable spectacle of a show. The writers use this unpredictability as a mantra throughout to deliver refreshingly inspired storylines and fascinating characters with enough action and humor to keep the less attuned viewer entertained.
Similar again to the likes of Hellboy, the supernatural elements are all grounded in real life folklore, allowing for an accurate representation of an interesting Filipino culture in a truly badass way. This adds in to the aforementioned unpredictability of the show with Alexandra’s supernatural methodology changing from case to case.
OVERALL
In conclusion, Netflix’s Trese Season One is a pleasantly outlandish detective series with a lot going for it. Everything from the character designs to the dialogue is enthralling and charming mixed with unpredictably brilliant and educational storytelling based on folklore of the Philippines makes this a refreshing standout series that I hope to see more of.
If you like dark and gritty detective shows with a twist or are simply looking for something unique and easy to watch, this is worth your attention. With only 6 episodes at 30 minutes each, Trese is a bingeable behemoth of a show that is sure to stick with you.
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Let us know in the comments your thoughts on Netflix’s Trese Season One, the original comic series and be sure to check out our review of Love Death + Robots: Volume 2!
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