Sirens Review: Ups and Downs Allow for Solid Limited Series

Netflix goes back to basics with 'Sirens', a thriller five episode series meant to be consumed all in a one or two day sitting. However, does this show succeed or become forgettable in the endless streaming catalogue? The answer lies a little in the middle of those two extremes.

Synopsis:

"Furious that her sister Simone (Milly Alcock) won't return her calls, Devon (Meghann Fahy) heads to an island enclave to find her - and into the clutches of her controlling boss (Julianne Moore)."

Cast:

Milly Alcock, Meghann Fahy, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Glenn Howerton, Bill Camp

Release Date: Now Streaming on Netflix

Main Cast Stands Out

Credit: Netflix

The main positive of Sirens is the outstanding cast. We have a good mix of rising stars and big names, starting with Milly Alcock as the former. Alcock's career has really been taking off over the past couple years and you can really see why when watching her performance here. Her character starts off incredibly charismatic and likable, something that only an actor with similar qualities in Alcock could play off in a meaningful way. Although she shows this personality on the outside, we learn later in the series that she's just using it to mask some serious trauma. This comes out the longer her sister, played by Meghann Fahy, stays at her work and integrates back into her life. Alcock plays out this facade so well that when she does begin to break down, it feels like a really natural shift and something that anyone dealing with a similar situation can relate to. I'm sure anyone who feels like they have to act like somebody else around certain people will really connect to her character and that again speaks to her amazing performance. Fahy is playing a role unlike most of her acting credits. Her most notable role in The White Lotus sees her as a confident trophy wife and her character in this series could not be further from that stereotype. Fahy is great at acting out this complicated personality and her chemistry with Alcock is also very on point. With Drop earlier this year and now this, Fahy has had a very successful year so far.

When looking at more of the veterans in the cast, you first have to turn to Julianne Moore. She plays a mysterious boss for Alcock's character and is on point as always. Her performance is equal parts unsettling and caring, with the audience really unaware what her true motives are even after the series is finished. It's a similar role to some she's played in the past and she really does a good job with everything she's been given. Kevin Bacon plays her (current) husband, mixing confusion and confidence for a classic performance from the legendary actor. I thought the chemistry between the two of them was a bit off at points, but that maybe would just be credited to the nature of their characters. Glenn Howerton has just a small role in this, but he's hilarious as usual.

(Side Note: This was my first time watching Alcock in anything - yes, I'm sorry House of The Dragon fans - and I really think she's going to do amazing in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow next year. Cannot wait for that one.)

Quality Premise, Even if Overplayed

Credit: Netflix

I'm someone who generally enjoys the premise of this series, even if it's incredibly overplayed in Hollywood these days. I've been a big defender of movies like The Menu and even Opus from this year, these kind of isolated island plots where something just seems off from minute one. It's definitely overused and Sirens doesn't do anything groundbreaking with the concept, but I still found this an enjoyable take on it. What separates this from other films or shows that have tackled this before is the format. With this being a limited series, things start to descend into chaos a lot sooner than what would usually be expected for projects with this premise. This is really explored through the perspective of both Alcock and Fahy's characters, as they act as both ends of the spectrum in this environment. Alcock is a full believer into Moore's controlling ways, but eventually that belief starts to break the further the series goes along. Fahy starts off completely against the island but tries her absolute best to understand it and why her sister would want to spend so much time here. Seeing their characters exploring that mentality shift ended up being very engaging and will keep viewers engaged throughout the first few episodes.

Pacing Struggles The Deeper They Go

Credit: Netflix

To start with my biggest problem with this show - the pacing is just all over the place. This can be expected for a large story that is reduced to 5 hour-long episodes, but it definitely was evident to me as we started to get towards the end. The first three episodes start off pretty slow, with the characters slowly peeling back the curtain on what really is going on. This was where I was the most engaged, as it gave us time to really sit with the characters and the environment. However, we get to episode four and everything just comes to a head way too fast. There's multiple characters that have barely been involved in the plot that step into huge roles early on in the episode and don't leave until the very end of the show. I'm not saying these characters weren't relevant to the show's final episodes, but the way they came in so quickly really threw me off as a viewer. Especially when the first three episodes are a lot slower, everything being sped run to get us ready for an even slower finale just did not work for me. It's hard to stay engaged when the pace is like a rollercoaster, sometimes too fast but then sometimes way too slow as well.

Bottom line, I think this premise could have benefited from a different format. Wether that could have come in the form of a full-length film or a show with multiple seasons, I don't think the result ended up being successful. You can really feel the five episode format towards the end and again, it kind of took me out of the show at a lot of points. There's definitely a lot of storylines that could have been continued or expanded on more, but with this being a limited series with no signs of a Season 2, I'm left disappointed with the way everything was played out.

Main Themes Unexplored and/or Half-Baked

Credit: Netflix

My other main problem also I think is caused by the limited series format and the pacing being off. The reality is that this series attempts to explore some real complex themes and doesn't exactly succeed in many of them. First there's this exploration of family and sisterhood with the two lead characters, which has its good moments but ends up with a strange conclusion. I'm avoiding spoilers as much as I can here so I won't get into details, but I think there was a clear path in terms of an arc between them and they fumbled it towards the end. Another theme they tackle is control, which is probably the most prevalent but gets lost alongside everything else. There's also loneliness, grief, depression, love and many more. There's some interesting things going on within each of these themes, but by the end none of them really stick with you. Which leads to me saying that although this series was entertaining for the most part, it ends up somewhat forgettable because of the lack of depth in the plot. I loved the acting, character dynamics and the mystery plot, but nothing else really grabbed me enough to rave about this series.

Final Thoughts

Credit: Netflix

Sirens is a good watch for people who are looking to be entertained on a Saturday afternoon. It's got a great cast, some real comedic moments and a general intriguing premise in the first few episodes. However, if you are looking for more deep storytelling and concrete themes, this may not be for you.

Rating: 3/5 Stars