The return of Spiral was not that much hyped for myself; the fifth season in my memory had been okay, but with obvious elements which didn't work as well. This season jumps us through the cliffhanger of the previous season so we can get into the case proper. Conveniently Laure's stabbing means her baby is contained in hospital (to be drawn in when required) but she is not limited much by it. This allows the character to move more freely but still have that narrative device when needed.
The case revolves about a neatly chopped up body which is discovered in a gym bag. From here we enter a world of drug dealers, stolen gold, corrupt cops, and human trafficking. Within this we have the usual character issues, including some which come to an end. This all makes for a solid drama which unfolds pretty well, even if some of the threads do feel like they are deliberately occurring to fill a bit of time before connecting to the main thread. This feeling does continue in the lack of real build across the season. Many of the episodes have a downbeat ending to them, rather than a reveal or cliffhanger, and this plus the lack of escalation in the stakes means that it doesn't have the urgency that I would have liked, even if it still engaged.
The cast are well versed, and the new additions in supporting roles are solid. In particular I liked that Mame-Zollo's Drissa was an interesting character - not quite Stringer Bell of course, but he brought more to the role than just cliché. Production standards are of a good level, with an effective use of locations and backdrops. The sixth season isn't the best one, but it has been a few years since the show was really at its best; but that aside it is still an engaging and well made season.
The case revolves about a neatly chopped up body which is discovered in a gym bag. From here we enter a world of drug dealers, stolen gold, corrupt cops, and human trafficking. Within this we have the usual character issues, including some which come to an end. This all makes for a solid drama which unfolds pretty well, even if some of the threads do feel like they are deliberately occurring to fill a bit of time before connecting to the main thread. This feeling does continue in the lack of real build across the season. Many of the episodes have a downbeat ending to them, rather than a reveal or cliffhanger, and this plus the lack of escalation in the stakes means that it doesn't have the urgency that I would have liked, even if it still engaged.
The cast are well versed, and the new additions in supporting roles are solid. In particular I liked that Mame-Zollo's Drissa was an interesting character - not quite Stringer Bell of course, but he brought more to the role than just cliché. Production standards are of a good level, with an effective use of locations and backdrops. The sixth season isn't the best one, but it has been a few years since the show was really at its best; but that aside it is still an engaging and well made season.
