Is 'The Judge's Trap' Worth Your Time?

Hello everyone!

I'm excited to share my thoughts on the new series 'The Judge's Trap' that just dropped on Kion on July 15th.

THE BASICS:

Genre: Detective.Director: Yaroslav Mochalov.Writer: Oleg Kerentsyev.Country of production: Russia.Number of episodes: 8.Duration: Around 52 minutes.Age restriction: 16+.PLOT:

Judge Nestorov is a principled and honest worker in the judicial system. Over the years, he's made a name for himself with his unwavering commitment to justice, a unique knack for spotting real criminals, and a meticulous approach to examining evidence.

On the day of his 55th birthday, his family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones gather at his house for a celebration. But in the midst of the party, his daughter Ayna mysteriously disappears.

When a person goes missing, the first 48 hours are crucial. The best police investigator, Major Zabelin, takes on the case of Ayna's disappearance. As the investigation unfolds, a series of dark secrets about Judge Nestorov begin to surface. Ayna's life now hangs in the balance, depending on whether her father can admit to his professional mistake.

Main Characters:

Andrei Nesterov (played by Alexander Domogarov):

Andrei Nesterov is a fair and honest judge, with a PhD in law. He's married with two kids, and he's a great family man who adores his wife and kids, especially his daughter.

Natalia Nesterova (played by Victoria Tolstoganova):

Natalia Nesterova is Andrei's wife. She was a stunning beauty in her youth, with a string of admirers. But when she met Andrei, a young and ambitious law student, she knew she'd found the one. She was the one who convinced Andrei to become a judge, citing its prestige and good pay.

Sergey Zabelin (played by Alexander Gorbatov):

Sergey Zabelin is a top-notch investigator in his field. He's been working tirelessly to find Nesterov's daughter, and it's clear he's invested in the case. I've also noticed he's been spending a lot of time with his partner, a young criminologist who's helping him with the investigation. It's pretty clear they've got a close relationship, and I'm not just talking about their professional partnership.

Nastya (played by Tatiana Lyalina):

Nastya's the young criminologist who's been working with Zabelin. She's also his live-in partner, and it's clear they've got a close relationship. What's interesting is that she's the niece of a prosecutor who's not exactly thrilled about her relationship with Zabelin.

Alexei Nesterov (played by Sergey Khodiykov):

Alexei's Nesterov's son, and he's the elder sibling in the family. He's got a bit of a complex, though - he feels like his sister's always been the favorite. He's also got a girlfriend he's planning to marry, but it's clear he's not exactly thrilled about following in his father's footsteps. In fact, he deliberately failed his law exams so he wouldn't have to become a lawyer like his dad.

Lena (played by Anna Zavtur):

I love how Lena is the voice of reason in this situation. She's a sweetheart who's always trying to support her friends, even when things get tough.

Anton Pavlov (played by Anatoly Petrov):

Anton's a bit of a wild card, to be honest. As a prosecutor, he's got a lot of power, but he's also not above taking a bribe if it suits his interests.

MY IMPRESSIONS:

At the center of this show is the Nesterov family, led by a judge named Andrei. On the surface, they seem like the perfect family: the patriarch is a fair and honest judge, his wife is a beauty and his rock, their son is a decent young man who's about to start a family, and their daughter is a sweet kid who's mama's little girl. But as it often is in families that seem too good to be true, everyone has secrets from each other.

And then, on a pretty terrible day, the family's 55-year-old patriarch's favorite daughter suddenly vanishes into thin air. What's even more interesting is that this is the same day Andrei was offered a large bribe to let a high-profile businessman off the hook - a businessman he'd just sentenced to several years in prison. The investigation into the daughter's disappearance gets underway, with the best detective in the force and his protégée on the case. The whole city is on high alert, and even the prosecutor is involved. At first, the investigation isn't yielding much, but it does start to uncover some dark secrets about the judge's professional life and the family's personal lives. Can Andrei come clean about what really happened in order to save his daughter? Only those who stick with the show until the end will find out.

I've gotta say, the storyline's not exactly original or unpredictable. Looks like a perfect family on the surface, but each member's got a ton of secrets. The main plot's all about finding Nesterov's daughter, Ani. Unfortunately, the story's dragged out like chewing gum, and the investigation's just not that interesting. There's no dynamic investigation, no unexpected plot twists – nothing that really grabs your attention. The investigation's basically stuck in neutral, with characters just walking around, having pointless conversations. Given the number of episodes they've announced, it's gonna be a while before we get to the resolution. Even after watching three episodes, I just couldn't get invested and didn't feel like finding out how it all ends.

I've gotta say, the side investigations in this show are a total snooze-fest. The main detective and his trainee girlfriend are supposed to be uncovering some dark secrets, but it's all just a bunch of random stuff that's not even connected to Anna's death. No real twists or turns, just a bunch of meandering plotlines that go nowhere. The whole thing feels like a lazy, uninspired mess.

Oh, and to make matters worse, they're constantly dropping in random facts about Anna's family. They're supposed to be this perfect, wholesome family, but it turns out they're all just a bunch of phonies. But even that can't hold my interest, because the show is just so dull and depressing.

I've got to say, the visual aspect of this show really didn't do it for me. The cinematography is pretty subpar - the lighting is all over the place, sometimes it's too dark and I have to strain my eyes to see what's going on. The atmosphere is also pretty oppressive, thanks to the bleak visuals and ominous music. The music itself is mostly just some anxious-sounding motifs that just amplify the already bleak atmosphere. To be honest, the music is a bit of a mixed bag - it's definitely not for everyone.

However, the acting is pretty solid. I think a lot of people will appreciate it. The main cast includes Victoria Tolstoganova, Alexander Domogarov, Tatiana Lialina, and Alexander Gorbatov. I'm not really a fan of any of them, but they all do a good job, and I'm sure the show will attract an audience because of the popular actors. The supporting actors also do a great job, without any overacting or forced performances, so I've got no complaints about the cast.

Verdict:I've got to be honest, this show didn't do it for me. The storyline was dull, the investigation was lackluster, the visuals were underwhelming, and the cast wasn't impressive. I'd give it 2 stars, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling detective series.

Thanks for reading my review! I hope it was helpful.

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Check out my reviews for other summer releases:

Zhiza;

Ask Marta;

Lusya;

Elizabeth;

The Formula of Crime;

Peresud;

The Zero Patient;

Without Rules;