Overspel (2011)

Forget the critiques: fabulous, captivating series!

Die Overspel is one of those under publicized, gripping multi-season sleepers which turn into obsessive binge watching. Silvia Hoeks and Fedja van Huet have more chemistry than a high school Intro to Chem class; they are magic together. The plot of the first two seasons is inspired, weaving the two lovers into the complex lives of a tough and criminal real estate developer, his own twisted family, and the Dutch police and criminal court systems with their own foibles and challenges.

This show was the number 1 series in Holland when Season 1 was released, and even 10+ years later remains a popular show even in the UK and US. Hoeks is luminous throughout, playing a talented photographer with significant anxiety in crowded situations. Some observers in this thread seem critical of her acting because she doesn't engage in lengthy, Shakespearean soliloquies as the series continues. In my book, this critique misses the mark; Hoeks' character is the most normal, pragmatic, loyal and parental in the show, and her acting in this regard is top notch. The Walter writers and producers leave all the posturing, proclamations and violence to the men, who are an intriguingly self-centered, ego inflated bunch containing moral and amoral flaws as well as specific virtues. 'Nuff said: this series is a true hit, and it's a shame that the series could not continue after two strong seasons and the final, forced episodes of Season 3. It will stay with you long after you finish the series.