Bitter Daisies - Netflix Recommendation

I have not posted on this blog since 2015.  I was not even sure if this blog still existed but apparently it does.  In any event I am going to type out a few thoughts about a Netflix series I watched this past week and which I recommend.

The show is called Bitter Daisies.  This is a 6-part series and each episode is 90 minutes.  This 2108 series takes place in Galicia, Spain - located in the far northwest corner of the country close to France.

This series allows you to read captions while hearing the actors speak in their native language.  I like that much more than listening to English dubbed in over the character's lines.  The star of this series is a young Spanish police officer named Rosa Vargas, played by Maria Mera.  She is really excellent in this role and the viewer is impressed by the character's quiet approach to her work but her ability to figure out a complex crime using seemingly insignificant clues.

Rosa is not a warm character by any means but she is rather intriguing.  This is one of those shows that requires you to watch it to the end to fully appreciate the story.  This series is occasionally difficult to watch because of the content - nothing vulgar but quite suggestive and, at times, disturbing.  One thing I did notice - and not sure why this stuck out so much to me - was in the "Mature Content" warning it includes "smoking" along with the other usual list (!).

A really strong supporting role is turned in by Yelena Molina.  Her character, Samantha, plays a mature woman who works at an adult club and who is involved with one of the major characters. 

While the viewer is often grappling with Rosa and her colleagues activities, the character of Samantha provides a calming effect and great contrast to many of the disagreeable people in this series.  Viewers develop great compassion for this character while at the same time questioning how a person this pleasant can be in a relationship with such a disagreeable man.

I strongly recommend this series and think you would enjoy it if you watch it.