Netflix has come up with a new 8-episodic take on the popular character of Mr Ripley. The psychological thriller, ‘Ripley’, was supposed to be premiering on Showtime in February 2024, but due to some conflicts the show was later transferred to Netflix and it has finally been released all over the world now. There has been immense buzz around the show right from the time it was announced to have been getting into pre-production, but with this jump from Showtime to Netflix, the past one year the show has received some of the best press PR, which no amount of publicity could have gotten it.

With the show already being a crowd-puller much before its release, here are a few reasons why ‘Ripley’ should be on your watch list this week:

‘Ripley’ has been adapted from the popular book, ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ by Patricia Highsmith. The novel came out in 1955, and was a huge hit. This was the first of the many books to have the character of Tom Ripley, who is not just a criminal con artist but has also been referred to as a serial killer sometimes. However, what’s interesting is that he always ends up getting away with his crimes.

Andrew Scott has much been in demand ever since he was part of the BBC version of Sherlock Holmes. With his having won awards at BAFTA and other award ceremonies, his popularity has only risen over the years. The rest of the case is also superb as you get to see Johnny Flynn play the character of Dickie and Dakota Fanning play the character of Marge Sherwood. Actors like Vittorio Viviani, Bokeem Woodbine, Eliot Sumner, Louis Hofmann, Maurizio Lombardi, John Malkovich, Kenneth Lonergan, Ann Cusack and Margherita Buy the show seems to have a healthy mix of strikingly talented actors.

The eight-episodic series has not only been directed by Steven Zaillian but he has also written it. Let me remind you that he is the same person behind the exceptional screenplay for ‘Schindler’s List’, ‘Gangs Of New York’ and ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’. Not just that, he even took audiences by surprise in 2016 when he wowed everyone with ‘The Night Of’. It ended up winning five Emmy Awards.

‘Ripley’ has been shot in black and white. It has been intentionally given that look and feel so as to make the audiences feel the time period when the show has been set. Also, it gives you a sense that everything that’s happening on the show cannot be categorized into black or white. In life, there are things which are in grey zone, and are neither 100 per cent right nor a cent percent wrong. The show gives you a feel of that as well.

Set in the 1960s of New York, ‘Ripley’ takes you on a journey with the lead character Tom Ripley. He is hired by a wealthy man for his services. The reason to hire him is to try and convince his wayward son to come back from Italy. However, soon after Tom Ripley is introduced to this high society lifestyle in Italy, which is filled with leisurely time, he starts stepping into a very complex life which is filled with deceit, fraud and even murder.

Now, if that’s not interesting enough for you, then what would be? Stay hooked onto this space to know more about ‘Ripley’ in our review of this show available on Netflix India.