*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“To be a survivor, you have to be a victim…”

Clarice premiered on CBS on February 11th 2021. Episodes will air weekly and are also available to stream on CBS All Access. The series stars Rebecca Breeds, Michael Cudlitz, Nick Sandow, and Kal Penn. Each episode runs for approximately 52 minutes. 

The series takes place one year after the events that occurred in the iconic film, The Silence of the Lambs. We follow the untold story of Clarice, as she tries to piece her life back together again while taking on some new disturbing cases.

Here is the trailer:

Clarice has the potential to bring us back into this world while telling a unique story. However, it is difficult to find the perfect balance between the films and a new show. Hannibal was very effective at doing this, but can Clarice accomplish the same? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of CBS

Rebecca Breeds is fantastic as Clarice.

It’s not easy stepping into a role like this and Rebecca Breeds certainly has some big shoes to fill. I was already a fan of hers and remember her from Pretty Little Liars and The Originals. I think that she is doing enough to honor the original performance while branching out and creating a more layered identity.

There are a lot of familiar faces in this cast. We have TWD’s Michael Cudlitz, Orange Is the New Black’s Nick Sandow, and Houses’s Kal Penn, which should give us a good character dynamic.

Good balance between past and present events.

The flashbacks bring us back to the film, but they don’t overwhelm the show. It looks like we will be following a weekly case formula, which could be very effective with a show like this. I thought that the new mystery was disturbing enough and Clarice stepped into her new assignment well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of CBS

Nothing truly unique going on here.

While I thought that the pacing worked well for the opening episode, this show can quickly become stale and forgettable. The problem with it airing on a network like this, is that it becomes lost in the shuffle of every other crime show. I have seen plenty of television series premieres based on films and eventually, they run out of steam.

I think that Clarice has to pick up the pace and do something really different to keep us invested or it could find its way on the cancellation chopping block…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of CBS

I’m in about 75 percent…

This show was really not bad at all. I think that some critics are being a little hard on it. The pacing worked and I thought that the moody flashbacks were necessary to remind us about the actual premise of this show.

I really want to like this show because I like Rebecca Breeds and I think it has the potential to do well, but it needs to step away from the crime drama formula and give us a lot more. I’m invested for now, but that could quickly change if nothing too drastic happens. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we will get there!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Clarice in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My new supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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