Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
You already know the old number about the grizzled cop and his wide-eyed, impulsive partner. But what if you threw that same dynamic in the newsroom and added in a couple of murdered prostitutes for good measure? That’s exactly what Netflix’s new Polish original The Mire is about; and if you love fast-talking crime dramas you need to add this one to your list.
Set in Poland in the 1980s, The Mire takes place in a traditionally calm, quaint town. There’s very little drama, and the crime rate is so low the police and reporters are friends. All of that changes when a prostitute is found brutally murdered in the woods.
Initially her death is written off as a crime of passion committed by her boyfriend. But as a suicide and several other deaths come to light, young and impulsive new editor Piotr Zarzycki (Dawid Ogrodnik) becomes obsessed with the case. And though he tries to play it cool, the experienced and jagged reporter Witold Wanycz (Andrzej Seweryn) suspects something is wrong as well. Together they have to put aside their differences and get to the bottom of this case. Along the way they’ll have confront a editorial board that prefers fluffy words over real investigative reporting, Piotr’s ties to the party activist he’s related to, and their own disdain for each other as they seek out the truth.
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As far as crime dramas go, The Mire isn’t anything revolutionary. Five dozen shows have started with the murdered prostitute premise, and five dozen more have thrived off of an odd couple criminal investigation dynamic. But if a wizened and bitter reporter rolling his eyes at a kid who just can’t get it is exactly you’re kind of jam, you’re going to love The Mire. Seweryn and Ogrodnik nail their hate-tinged relationship. And the dialogue is just as snappy as you’d find on any CBS procedural.
The Mire isn’t great television. But if a fun crime drama that requires about half your attention sounds like a good time, check it out. Even with its dubbed option, this Polish drama stands as a pretty entertaining binge watch.
