White Lines (2020) (TV36)

I'm as picky as it comes when it comes to watching tv shows. This one does not disappoint, it has some great acting, clever comedy, suspense, action, and an interesting plot. The show reminds me a bit of Bloodline, as a story revolving around family who is haunted by its past, whose facades have begun to wear thin and the house of cards behind it beginning to fall down. But out of the chaos the theme seems to be around characters finding themselves finally coming to face their own truths and struggling with how to cope amidst one catastrophe after another.

As someone who sojourned through Goa before the hellfires of EDM packed its beaches, I saw many lost souls in embryo there and had no idea Ibiza was another place they'd sold themselves to the god of mind-numbing noise. The characters in White Lines carry their personalities to fantastical extremes, living for today, rebelling against rules, exploiting conception-free sex and merging like amoeba with their kind. Any shred of conscience or morality in White Lines is ritually crucified to the megawatt amplifier. Like worker-drones in Fritz Lang's Metropolis, all hope has been abandoned by those who enter, but they think they're having fun so it must be all okay.

I loved the whole thing, the cast were excellent and the dual-language aspect really worked. There are so many ways a second series could go. I think the Zoe / Boxer affair has a lot more mileage, and I am interested to see how the relationship between Zoe and her daughter develops, I thought the scenes between them were really moving. I can visualise lots of interesting story lines around the younger cast members who are bound to go off the rails in Ibiza given their upbringing. Like everyone, I thought Boxer was great, and I thought Laura Haddock's performance was impressive; she is such a natural actress. She has has an amazing resemblance to Tallulah Evans playing her daughter, excellent casting! Daniel Mays should certainly come back; he has such good comedic ability. The Romanian connection had some really funny moments; of course their characters were cliches, that was the point. The dreadful Spanish mother was an amazing creation by Belen Lopez, a real Cruella de Vil, and I would definitely like to see where that character goes.The series was well written, coming to a real climax especially in the last three episodes where all the convoluted threads started to come together. I just hope that coronavirus doesn't delay the second series.