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Kaleidoscope (2023) - Printable Version

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+----- Thread: Kaleidoscope (2023) (/showthread.php?tid=7402)

Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-02-2023

I think K-Scope is supposed to be a choose your own path to tell the story. The episode order is randomized for everyone. We stared with Green and then saw Yellow. 

Episode Green is Giancarlo Esposito in his 17th year in jail and it is seven years before the heist. His cell mate is the prison scrounger. Something happens and Giancarlo has to break out of prison. A lot of time is spent trying to write a letter to his daughter Hannah.

Episode Yellow Seven Weeks before the heist. I might be getting the colors wrong. Giancarlo plays Leo and is getting the crew together to rob the most impenetrable vault in the world. The Vault is run by Rufus and Leo holds a grudge against him. There is a big Ocean's 11 vibe to the show. The rest of Leo's crew are people saw in Episode Green. Leo's cell mate is there to help as well as others.

At this point I don't see how the out of order narrative is helping tell the story. Although I do like the story so far even if it is very derivative.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-02-2023

Based on what tg posted on this, I defied the 'random' order I was presented with (which happened to be Yellow > Green) and went straight for the last one, White.


(11-30-2022, 04:40 AM)thatguy Wrote:
Quote:You can watch Netflix's new show Kaleidoscope in any order
Boing Boing
Devin Nealy



Netflix has always been on the cutting edge throughout its entire lifespan as a company. When Blockbuster and Hollywood Video ruled the video rental market in the early 2000s, Netflix opted for a more efficient system for home deliveries. By the time Blockbuster started to catch up, Netflix had already started its streaming service. Even in modernity, as competing streaming services begin to marshall original content, Netflix has a veritable library of original programming that dwarfs its contemporaries. Netflix is always a couple of steps ahead. 

Netflix's eye for innovation doesn't just extend to the platform itself but also the content contained therein. With Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Netflix pioneered interactive television, and with their new series Kaleidoscope, the streaming giant is about to experiment with another new concept. In the video linked above, you can check out the making of Kaleidoscope, a non-linear series that doesn't have a specific episode order. 

Quote:Netflix is at it again. After changing the way we watch TV and then subverting the nature of storytelling with the Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch, the streamer will kick off 2023 with another viewing experience that might change the game. Kaleidoscope (formerly titled Jigsaw), a bank heist series that comes on the very first day of the year, offers a non-linear episode structure, meaning that whoever's watching can pick the order of the episodes as they sift through the story.
In order to shed some light on how this will be achieved, Netflix put together a trailer and first-look featurette in which the cast and crew talk about the puzzle-like nature of Kaleidoscope. However, the details of how each episode plays out are still kept under wraps, probably to make viewers more curious to check the series out.


--tg


DO NOT DO WHAT I DID.

It turns out that the final episode in the series is White no matter which way you play it. White is always supposed to be the end. It's the actual heist. I watched most of it and towards the end, I realized that this was looking too conclusive so I pulled out, poked about on the web, and discovered that no matter what order you watch this in, White should be last. 

Still feeling like I had to challenge this presentation, I watched the second to last on my random order - Pink.

Pink is the denoument. It takes place six months after the heist (White). It feels conclusive. After watching most of White, I could follow it more or less. I enjoyed it for its style, but it doesn't hold a candle to what La Casa de Papel achieved as a heist series, at least not so far. 

Kaleidoscope still feels very linear, but I'm going to continued on my backasswards viewing and probably do Green and Yellow last, just to see if it plays out okay. 

As to how the random order helps the story, well, we shall see. It's an intriguing concept from a writing standpoint. I did one two-part story once that was set up so you could start on either part, just to challenge my writing. I was inspired by the original Planet of the Apes, which is circular so you can jump in at any point. However, once in, you must stay the numerical course. If Kaleidoscope can achieve a non-linear 8 eps (well, 7 if white is supposed to always be last), I respect that. So far, I'm not convinced.
Red takes place right after the heist. So I should've watched this White>Pink>Red. It doesn't feel like you can watch this in any direction. I'm watching it backasswards and it's playing out backasswards. I'm close to calling BS on this 'watch in any order' BS.

Red is how everything falls apart afterwards. It's not as conclusive as Pink.

I'm only slightly engaged by the characters and the nature of the heist. I'm not sure how much longer I will continue with this experiment.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-03-2023


Just when I was going to bail, the last ep delivered. Now I'm invested.

Violet is actually the first chronologically - 24 years before the heist. Giancarlo dons a goofy wig to make Leo look younger and we get his backstory, his wife and daughter, his life of crime, his attempt to go straight, and his fall and arrest. It also explains his relationship to Salas, which was unexpected, at least given what I've seen so far. It brought the previous eps into place, even though I still feel as if I'm watching them out of order. And here, the color titling fell into place. Maybe it's always been in place and I just didn't notice it because I was annoyed that the backassward viewing was failing. I'm not saying I'm convinced it hasn't failed yet, but now I'm on the fence whereas with the previous two eps, I was on the verge of calling BS. Violet was the most interesting ep so far.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-03-2023

I saw Violet last night. The Queen is not down with the gimmick.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-03-2023

I saw a break down of the random order and it's not quite as random as they make it out. Everyone was supposed to get the heist last. Everyone gets Yellow-Green to start. Then there is a three episode chunk that kind of holds together and then another three episode chunk. and then the heist Everyone was supposed to watch the heist last. At this point the randomness just feels like a gimmick. It would probably be fine to just watch them in order. But then you would get to have the color schemes of Art direction match the titles of the episodes. For instance in violet there were a lot of people wearing violet clothes and accessories.

I liked this episode. It was tragic. It raised a big question in mind about Hannah and Salas later on. A lot of convenient things for the plot happened for instance bookkeeping having to be done right now and couldn't wait until the next day. But I'll allow it.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-03-2023

I'm with you on this. If the gimmick worked, I'd be more impressed. Since it hasn't worked so far, I stand with tQ.

Nevertheless, I was engaged for Violet and will likely watch a few more. I'm still keeping Yellow and Green for last, assuming I get that far.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-03-2023

Green kind of gives backstory to where the gang is from. (If green is the one seven years before the heist)

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-03-2023

Orange was another decent ep that gets into FBI agent Nazan and Ava. It takes place a few weeks before the heist. 

Blue is just before the heist and the plan comes together. Having seen the heist, the conclusions here I already knew which killed any suspends. Perhaps it’s better if watched IN ORDER.
Green was the prison ep, as Greg said. I enjoyed the mess hall scene. When the doc was called in, it totally reminded me of my psych master guru Joel, who was a prison nurse. It was another decent ep. I think I’m enjoying this more now that I get its vibe, but I can’t help but think that I would’ve enjoyed it more if I watched it in chronological order. The random gimmick is BS.

Nevertheless, it’s amusing. It’s got a few amusing characters and a style.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-03-2023

Yellow assembles the squad like Greg said. It also turns it into a father/daughter take, which I didn’t quite see despite this being the last ep. Everything fits I think. I’d know if I watched these in chronological order. That stupid random gimmick messed it all up for me.

Going back to White to finish the heist.
Well, that’s fine. It was okay. Shoulda watched it order. Nice twist in ep white.

Watch them in Chronological order.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-04-2023

I think it was Orange and Blue last night. They really need to kick Bob to the curb. I want more backstory on the driver. The jumping around the timeline does nothing for me, still. I'm ready for the heist. But I guess I won't see that for a couple more episodes.

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-04-2023

I like Bob. He's such an ass. I kept thinking it's a role Ray Park could've done (not because Ray's an ass, but because he could navigate that role with panache). 

Agreed on the driver. His arc is...well, I was almost going to drop a spoiler there. 

In retrospect, I was expecting more from the triplets, but maybe that's because I watched it effing backasswards...

Also, I wasn't satisfied on how Salas rises to become so powerful. 

To all D00Mers who might venture here - this is the way:
[Image: FlfMFxpWQAU6zvd?format=jpg&name=large]

What this show really needs is PuppyCat...

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-04-2023

Bob is a good character but if I was in the story I would cut him loose for being such a jerk. Since I've seen all the intro stuff, I guess we didn't really see how Salas rose unless it was that tricking them sequence. Oh, well. Probably taking a break from the colors for a day or so. The Queen has had enough. I guess next up for us is after the heist and six months after the heist and then the heist. Who would be foolish enough to watch the heist first?

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Drunk Monk - 01-04-2023

(01-04-2023, 11:43 AM)Greg Wrote: Who would be foolish enough to watch the heist first?
[Image: giphy.gif]

RE: Kaleidoscope (2023) - Greg - 01-08-2023

Ah, it is a show about obsession.

I think the order they presented to us was pretty much the order of the show just skipping over the white episode for the final. Last night we saw pink and the white episode. The evening prior we saw the day after the heist color. After seeing the day after episode, I knew what happened to the money. After watching the white episode I knew who was the assassin in the tunnel in the Pink episode.

The white episode was the episode to answer all the questions and some of them were very satisfying but tragic.

The pink episode was insight into Bob which I enjoyed. So many good shootouts. I especially like the surprise that Bob found. I liked the ending for Judy.

Looking back on it, I think they left enough threads to continue this. I enjoyed this despite the structure gimmick,