Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 5/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 4.5/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 4.5/5
The horror-comedy, The Horror of Dolores Roach follows Dolores Roach, who starts over after going to prison. When she finally experiences freedom, she searches for jobs but is unable to locate any. In the nick of time, she reconnects with an old stoner companion, Luis, who not only lets her stay in the basement beneath his empanada store but also lets her operate her masseuse parlor there.
For once, Dolores’ situation appears to be improving, but only till her freshly acquired stability, which includes her job, is put in danger. She is pushed to take harsh and questionable measures as a way to stay alive and get through the current trying circumstances.
Additionally, her past is still a source of anxiety for her, particularly her connection to the mysterious Dominic. Interestingly, she finds herself drawn back into the world of crime when she becomes involved in a string of serial murders, which is fueled by her partner’s cannibalistic streak.
This horror-comedy revolves around a murderous couple. Dolores, the woman is seen clarifying why she as well as her partner, who is an empanada seller, murdered people and made empanadas from their corpses. The way the narrative encapsulates the meeting of a disturbed sociopath and a psychopath is its most noteworthy aspect. As if it were their routine job, Dolores breaks necks while Luis makes empanadas out of the corpses.
By making the murders so simple and focusing the narrative solely around the carnal act of getting rid of the corpses, the storytellers have had fun stretching the bounds of their imagination while placing us in uncomfortable situations.
Amazon Original series hardly touches on Luis’s psyche and thought process, which is a whole other rabbit hole. He is your typical stoner hipster, nevertheless, he would also shake Gideon’s flesh bag in the presence of his kid prior to feeding its contents to the boy.
The Horror of Dolores Roach has its roots within a podcast, which was influenced by the creator Aaron Mark’s very own stage play named ‘Empanada Loca’. The series offers an enticing blend of horror writing and humor, as well as a thematic narrative that is sure to draw in viewers. The show also satirizes serial killers, method actors as well as cannibalism while delving into real-world issues like gentrification along with survival.
Slowly developing characters and creating an understanding of the protagonist’s background are the primary objectives of the show’s opening episodes. For an extended period, Dolores makes a conscious decision to act morally, and the build-up gives her initial killing meaning. Her humanity is brilliantly established in the initial few episodes. They demonstrate the alternative routes she could’ve taken and how different they might have been.
Having said that, the drama picks up as Dolores increases her killings. As it becomes more extreme, it becomes funnier and grislier. For instance, she and the viewers are spared the unpleasant specifics of how precisely Luis takes care of her victims throughout the early half of the season. After the truth is clearly exposed, it’s grosser than you might have thought, perhaps even worse.
The final moments feel more earned because of the build-up. The ensuing chaos surrounding Dolores intensifies as events start to get out of her control. She starts snapping her client’s necks, starts building animosity, and even sets the place on fire.
Having said that, the content of the final few episodes is where the series really struggles. Since it gives minimal thought to the fictional world it attempts to create, some aspects like comedy elements seem rather forced and gimmicky, which causes your curiosity in the plot to fade away a bit.
The most enjoyable aspect of the series is predicting the extent to which these leads will go while you watch them defy all logic and morality. Due to their many contradictions, Dolores, as well as Luis, are both entertaining and dangerous. As soon as you think you know them, you realize you don’t. To put it mildly, it is unsettling to have the feeling that they’re perched on the edge of cannibalism gone wild.
Justina Machado is brilliant in the role she plays, switching between the oblivious girlfriend and the violent lover. Watching Machado’s physical humor through Dolores is absolutely entertaining.
Luis’ Alejandro Hernandez has an intriguing bubbling nervous energy which seems like it is about to burst. He is a very unsettling character owing to his calm demeanor contradicted by his chaotic psyche. None of the supporting characters stand out, though. When they are first presented, Jeremiah and Ruthie appear fascinating, but they hardly accomplish anything noteworthy.
The Horror of Dolores Roach enjoys toying with the idea of bringing normalcy and extremity into the conversation and urging viewers to support and detest its main characters simultaneously. The lighthearted serial killer show succeeds in terrifying viewers by refraining from taking itself seriously. It offers a fascinating fusion of horror and comedy and is definitely worth watching.
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Verdict - 8/10
8/10