Was pleasantly surprised by this one. Popped up on my Amazon Prime suggestion. I liked the artistic film style, the lighting, the era and the fast paced story line. Character are engaging. Looking forward to seeing more. Took a bit getting used to it being dubbed in English because the audio didn't sync with mouth movement but not a deal breaker. Worth watching more. Jean Reno is always a pleasure to see in movies. Had not heard of the main female actress before but she's is very cute and believable in this role. It reminds me of Murder on the Orient Express style of movie. Will be back for more.
Add a Review
-
Ashmystir9118 September 2022
-
drober198023 September 2022I just started watching this series on Prime. A lot of people making reviews here of this show have complained about the English dubbing. Prime has this bad defect in that they seem to be the only streaming service that when living in the USA seams to automatically default to English dubbing of foreign shows. Please be aware that in most cases, you CAN turn it back to the original language and put on English subtitles.
When you use your remote, just tab down on it. You should see the actors in the scene shown. But above that are 3 icons. The middle one if you click on it allows you to select which language the movie has subtitles for. So obviously click English. The icon to the far right is the audio icon. In this show the original audio is Spanish. So select Spanish. Now the movie will show in it's original language and with English subtitles. It is Always better to watch a foreign show in the original language with English subtitles, rather than with bad English dubbing where nothing matches what the lips say they should say. -
afortiorama22 September 2022The story is not bad and the ending is quite surprisingly tragic. My problem is that she is unbearable. She's a condensate of cliche': the rich spoilt brat who jumps to conclusions and recklessly endengers herself but is surrounded by men ready to catch her in the moment of danger. This kind of character is so tiresome I struggled to get through all 8 episodes and I confess I skipped some parts. It kept me going that I was curious to know who the killer was. And the last episode was rewarding. Jean Reno as a not in your face delicate gay butler is sweet. I still remember him as a gentle but ruthless assassin in Leon.
-
kmaestro2717 September 2022The story takes place at the end of the 1940s in Galicia, where a sassy upper-class girl with a taste for mystery, Marina Quiroga, together with her butler Hector, sets out to hunt down the serial killer who has been stalking the city for months. I say it's "cute" because it doesn't seem too serious, even though it's about murder and a serial killer. In the first episode our heroine Marina complains the man her mother would have her marry has a "unibrow." Monobrow first appeared in a novel in the late 1960's and Unibrow in 1981. Frida Kahlo, who died in 1954 is arguably the most famous person with a unibrow on this side of the world, died in 1954. What did they call hers? Her self portraits left it clearly represented. Anyway, I digress. This was enough to make me pause the episode and get more history than I could ever want about the unibrow. So far, it's a great occupant of my downtime. Enjoy!
-
b_clerkin20 September 2022Like so many recent productions and books in which lazy writers set stories in the past, yet forget to do any kind of serious research about expressions that are used, concepts that are common and technology that existed at the time in which the story takes place, this series is rife with late 20th and early 21st century language and attitudes. It takes away from a fun and otherwise well-produced program.
It is very tiresome that too many people who write stories taking place in bygone eras cannot be bothered to do even a modicum of research to make sure they've stayed true to those times. It takes a few minutes to Google the origins of a word or phrase to make sure it was in use at the time. Ditto manners and mores, songs, films, clothing and technology. Are they stupid or just lazy? -
jas-davidson-988-43388425 September 2022The dubbing is as good as it could be, but after ten minutes I switched to the original Spanish with subtitles and, suddenly, what had been a bit tiresome became excellent. Also, it seems very likely that many of the language anachronisms were down to the poor translation demanded by the need for the lip-sync to be as smooth as possible. Before you give up on this, do what I did. You'll enjoy it a whole lot more. Though I don't disagree that it could have been tightened up considerably - it was a little slow in places. Now I'm wittering a bit to make up the character count. Never met that before!
-
Fun198819 September 2022It looks fantastic and I could follow the story. I love Jean Reno. Both the plot and the story are very interesting. I love mysteries and it seemed very promising. Stylistically it is shot very well and the classic women are not allowed on the Police force theme is nicely handled by a very modern women not holding to those ideals. Unfortunately, I cannot follow something dubbed. Its very dizzying and I started to get a headache. If it is available in Spanish, which is its original language. I will watch it again and just use English subtitles which does not bother me. But viewer beware of the dubbing.
-
playtoyer18 September 2022Great production with a bit of everything in it exciting, romantic, stylish great lead actress vulnerable and stylish some kind young anti-hero with an incredible talent as a detective mentored by a great Jean Reno.
A Private Affair ventures on a roller-coaster ride of fun and mysteries. And the rest of the characters in this TV series are also entertaining all the way. In addition to the artistry of the serie it,s a period tv series set in Galicia, Spain making it even more interesting for the audience because of the cultural aspect with which this story is told, this series is interesting from that social and class point of view because it,s still resonate in a lot of countries. The characters trying to find a sense of social justice is subtly pointed out in a traditionalist society.
Great production and cast Jean Reno is really entertaining and great as Hector the sidekick in the story. Great international TV series. -
erhanipekciler19 October 2022Update for final : finally I finished after 2 weeks later and final is so absurd for me. You can understand who is the killer after 6 episode i just watched for how they finished and for me it is so meaningless.. I don't wanna give a spoiler here.. Probably second season will come.
I want to say first Jean Reno is very good actor, always pleasure to watch him. I like this series actually I like all kind mystery / Agatha Christie style series only thing this is really long, I don't know why but in the middle of an episode I wanna say 'this is enough' but I wonder and continue to watch. Behind story is also good, I love girl power things in series . Wardrobe is excellent! Locations also so cool. I haven't finished all episodes yet but till now it is ok. It is sweet, not complicated and watchable for 2022. Story is maybe a little easy but curiosity level is high for me. Probably it will be second season for that. -
zadeereviews18 September 2022It's a great production, sets, costumes the props everything is in this department is well done. However, the plot and the story is not much to look for. Fairly decent who done it story line that drags on too long with drama. There are many plot holes and at one point I got tired of people running around to catch someone. It happens too often in this. Every episode they are running behind someone to catch someone who literally one feet away. Like I said at the beginning it's a great production and it could've been a lot better if the plot would've been better. Could've been better but this is not it. I finished the whole series to see the who done it.
PS: change the language to original (Spanish). If not it has the English dubbed. Which makes it even worse. I watched it with subtitles. -
mweratcliffe12 October 2022It plays like a live action cartoon. I felt like i was watching a cross between Where in the Eorld is Carmen Sandiego and a Tintin animation. Rich in action and interesting locations shrouded in over the top dramatics, sweeping cinematography, over acting, and an English dub, that only adds to a sense of the cartoonish nature of the project. It is, however, all very well done as a whole and extremely entertaining. I'm not sure what they will be able to do in a season two but I'm all in for taking a look at it. As bad as I thought that this would be in the opening shots. It ended up being better than anyone could've imagined, looking at any single element of the production. Bravo to the cinematographer, the Director and the editor for being able to pull all of these exaggerated elements together and give us such a great series. Thanks, Amazon.
-
N1dhi5 March 2023I enjoyed this show. Its fun quirky and charming. The start of the show is light but holds promise.
For those being too hard on the story or pace, bear in mind this is a period piece set in the 1940s when cops didn't have the technology and resources they do today. The lead character is no Theresa Lisbon so don't look for that. Instead she's the fun, not by the book, rule breaking version of Murdoch.
The only issue I had was the sudden bit of intensity at the conclusion. Considering the vibe throughout the show, even though its a serial killer series, I would have preferred something not quite so tragic. The show is set up for a second season and it has the potential for it.
Watch it over a weekend but in the original audio.. the English dubbing doesn't work the best which is unfortunately what Prime has set as defaults. -
markfranh26 September 2022I'd been looking forward to this since it was announced but it turned out to be such a disappointment. It was almost another very good Spanish series (there are so many of them) but, sadly, it misses the mark badly.
I don't know what it is, but although Jean Reno is one of our favourite French actors, he just doesn't work here in the role of the butler. Neither my wife nor myself could put our finger on it but he just wasn't convincing. We don't know why, but he doesn't work.
As to the lead character. Well, it's not the actress's fault. She can only do what the director and the writer tells her to do. But the character is just incredibly annoying to the point we just had to give up watching after only two episodes.
I didn't want a remake of Australian's Miss Fisher or the Chinese remake Miss S. I wasn't expecting it so that wasn't the issue (unlike other reviewers who wanted a similar character from the sounds of it). I just wanted a character who was somehow believable and not a slapstick comedy cartoon cut-out which is the way she comes across here.
The basic premise of the story is that she can't be a policeman because she is a woman and certainly that is a credible storyline. The problem here is that the way THIS particular woman is behaving, I can't really blame the Glacian police for having nothing whatsover to do with her. That's the problem with the whole story. She might be clever enough to figure out clues, but she then is seen chasing the bad guy who is twice her size barefoot across a rooftop after losing her gun and then helping him not to fall to his death so he can then attempt to kill her? Is anybody really that stupid? That was the final straw. It was just stupid and decided enough was enough and we wouldn't be watching any furhter.
As to the keystone comedy type chase scenes and some of the other supposedy amusing touches. Unnecessary and they don't work in what should have and could have been a serious piece of drama and been directed and written that way.
The plot scenario is fine. It all would have worked if it weren't for the other issues. -
The opening credits of every episode feature a different short, beautifully drawn and witty animation sequence summarizing the events of the episode we are about to see; the closing credits feature Marem Ladson's marvelously sensual, spine-tingling rendition of Joan Jett's Bad Reputation. The mystery itself is not bad (apart from the wrongheaded attempt to create sympathy for the killer at the very end); the production values are high; Aura Garrido (whom I would watch reading the phonebook after her turn in "El Innocente") is a great heroine; Jean Reno is dependable as always. For all that, however, this series is missing maybe the most crucial ingredient: urgency - making you feel that you NEED to watch the next episode. It is ridiculously stretched out to 8 45-minute episodes, when there is enough material for maybe a 2-hour movie. And most episodes are formulaic, ending with a chase and/or fight with the killer who, of course, escapes and who, of course, is teased to be a certain character that you know won't be the killer because what whodunit would reveal the killer earlier than the last episode? On the whole, a disappointing series with a lot of things going for it. 6/10.
-
andres-dulantot20 September 2022I really love Aura Garrido and Jean Reno, but "Un Asunto Privado" is really dissapointing. I think the problem is the screenplay, which I find plain and kind of boring. When it tries to be funny, the series end up being a mediocre version of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
Visually the series is gorgeous: cinematography (😍), art direction, makeup and costume design are wonderful.
Performance from Garrido is great, but I find Reno lacks something. I don't know if the role is suited for him. Some of the secondary characters are fine such Andres Velencoso's.
I hope Amazon renew with different screenwriters. -
anthdalton-6008413 October 2022Look! Perhaps I am easily amused but I found this eminently watchable. Viewed it in Spanish, read the subtitles.
My interest was piqued because of Jean Reno, and as usual he was brilliant. I had no idea he was fluent in Spanish; so versatile this bloke, apparently he is also fluent in Italian as well as French and English; incredibly switched on.
As fantastic as he was; he ultimately played second fiddle to Aura Garrido who just lit up the screen.
An intriguing plot, backed up with excellent cinematography and outstanding character portrayal. I immersed myself in this one, and thought that it worked a treat. -
anne-masters93 October 2022The other ratings noting dubbing help explain a major issue. It's supposed to be a Spanish show but English dubbing used French terms, such as mademoiselle instead of señorita. And we know Jean Reno's voice, who can speak English. This was obviously not his voice and was a huge distraction. The storyline did seem trite at times, but the dubbing and language issues already noted may have undermined our patience and ability to appreciate it. There should be a disclaimer to warn viewers with directions on correcting options for viewing experience. Perhaps we will give it another shot with this awareness, but not sure. Amazon, please take note.
-
heanstermart3 October 2022I loved this series; the period, the acting, the fabulous sets and locations. The negative reviews miss the point - it is entertaining! It's like Enola Holmes meets Tin Tin. Good light hearted entertainment is in short supply and this hits the mark for me and I suspect for many others. The naysayers take themselves too seriously I fear; I guess they were expecting something like Poirot. I don't imagine the production team set out to make a serious whodunit; it is all a bit tongue in cheek. I didn't mind the dubbing either as I find reading subtitles tedious. Great performance by the lovely Aura Garrido, perfectly cast and the wonderful Jean Reno as the faithful manservant. Smashing bit of TV well done.
-
mickmichaelhannan25 October 2022Firstly, if dubbing to English, need to use Spanish accents and Jean Reno needs to sound right since we know him. So watch in Spanish was better.
Given it's a comedy, humerous things would be more humerous if not so crazy. Crazy might be a normal Spanish style, I am not sure.
Pity that females were portrayed, lacking all sense like maniacs. E. g. Always drove the car like in James Bond. The heroine was always stretching our belief far too far.
The Plot was too ridiculous of course with too much action like a James Bond or Transformers movie. The action is not that compatible with a complex murder case making the plot rather BS. I would prefer more attention to mystery and plot development, and less attempt to be crazy all the time. I did not really find the show that funny. Maybe it's too much hit you in the face with it.
I prefer sombre Scandi series. -
staceyamd1 October 2022I can't believe I sat through this whole mess. Maybe if had been half as long it would have been salvageable. The story is basic, the heroine tiresome, and the action scenes ludicrous. How many times can one woman be almost strangled to death? How many times can she run in high heels or stockings after grown men and actually catch them and then fight off knife attacks and blows from men twice her size. She falls off cliffs, gets into accidents, is attacked constantly and barely a scratch. And is constantly left alone by four different men who are supposed to be protecting her at different points. Hint: They do a terrible job. I'm all for empowered women and heroines but it all is so improbably stupid and just never stops. By episode five I was rolling my eyes every time she waved around a gun or ran off all alone on some harebrained tangent. The worse part is the actors are actually decent as well as the costumes and cinematography but the script is irredeemably terrible.
-
buffdaddy-043015 October 2022Amazing production values! Old cars, clothes and buildings in beautiful cinematography. Campy and funny! Jean Reno is excellent as always, but his dubbed English voice is not how I expect him to sound. I would change my score to 9, if the producers would allow Reno to dub his own dialogue! I have noticed anachronisms, such as modern shipping containers at the docks, but nothing that would destroy the post WWII timeframe illusion. Aura Garrido is a wonderful actress in her role as a grown-up Nancy Drew. She's also an effective advocate for women's rights. The scenery makes me want to visit Spain! I'm already hoping for another season!
-
mymeister20 January 2024I have watched the first two episodes and am trying to think why this isnt working for me. All the ingredients are there. I think the problem might be the pacing. Things go so fast that we don't get to enjoy the sets and costumes etc. And even worse they have made the main character become almost manic. It doesn't fit with the period this is supposed to be. Even if she being rich is protected from the effects of being hyper and eccentric in a way a regular person wouldn't be. But what is lost is any kind of atmosphere. The 40s are chosen on purpose to evoke a certain feeling a certain atmosphere. The main character cannot be as high energy as a modern character.
I'm not sure I will continue watching. I gave it only a 6 as a 7 means I am glad I watched it but wouldnt buy or keep a copy . (Just to give you some context.) But I am not sure I am getting anything out of this. Too bad! -
lilamcgrew19 September 2022So far have only watched episode 1, so I may alter my review and rating by the end. The storyline is engaging and the characters are fun, but the anachronisms are really throwing me off and distract from the story.
The story takes place in the '40's but there are modern road markings on too wide streets, modern cranes at the port, the term serial killer is used 30+ years too soon - and that was just in the first 30 minutes. Seven more episodes to go, and I'm wondering what's next - and I don't mean with the story.
OR - was this intentional, and I've failed to register the intent of the director? -
Erin5026625 May 2023Because if you don't you'll miss a great performance by Jean Reno! He is absolutely adorable playing a butler; I just wonder if the French phrases he throws in are scripted or if the director missed them, since the series is set in Galicia, Spain. The period is well adhered to, the 40s costumes and cars are just gorgeous. The misogyny of the period especially that in Spain is probably, unfortunately, historically accurate as well. Even in the 40s, would an adult American woman allow her brother to have the police not only ransack her belongings but her person? I hope things weren't as bad in America in the 40s as they seem to be in Catholic Spain. However, it is really an interesting look at a period when women weren't allowed to be police officers and yet their powers of deduction outshine the men. Despite the restrictive clothing, etc., of the period. And it shows how far a woman will go to honor her late father. An excellent addition to the Prime lineup!
-
flejklw18 January 2023The main thing about watching this series is to not take it seriously, yes it is a comedy, slapstick at times, but overall its entertaining.
Aura Garrido and Jean Rena are excellent characters for the roles of Marina and her butler, who are the amateur crime-fighting sleuths. However it is difficult for me to mention any of the other cast members that stood out, character wise in this one series.
The style of the series set in the 1940's is wonderful, with the settings, costume and period cars.
I like to think I was not the only one who hadn't a clue to the knowledge of the serial killer, it does keep you guessing throughout the series.