Netflix's The Body mixes high ambition with flat characters and loose ideas
Netflix's new eight-hour Catholic schoolgirl horror drama is ambitious. But it struggles to develop its characters beyond basic roles.
The Body is a new Netflix series set in 2004. The series follows an all-female dance troupe at a Catholic high school.
A hazing ritual spirals into community-wide chaos with possible supernatural roots. Creator Quinn Shephard aims for the tone of Yellowjackets meets Carrie.
He blends horror and social satire. The show's strongest part is villain Lisbeth, a transfer student whose off-putting coldness becomes a compelling force.
The other characters are flat and underdeveloped. They are easy enough to follow but not interesting enough to care about.
The series hints at interesting ideas. There is a blurred line between religious and sexual imagery.
The worries of 2004 seep into the present day. But the show does not explore them deeply.
Opportunities abound but get dropped once they serve their immediate plot purpose. The show is caught between showing off pop culture references and making its own claim.
- 2004
- Year
- St. Marks Catholic High School
- School
- The Lions
- Dance troupe name
- Eight hours
- Runtime
Why it mattersThe show is a high-profile Netflix release from an acclaimed creator. But viewers seeking a fresh take on teen horror-drama will find familiar ground unevenly explored.
AustraliaAustralian Netflix subscribers considering whether to watch this eight-hour series: it offers modest pleasures but spreads its ambition too thin across its runtime.
