Odwilz

The Thaw is well-written and acted, esp. Kataryna Wajda as Det. Zawieja. The cinematography featuring a dreary Polish port city is suitably creepy. My main criticism is the "bad mother" motif. The single mom detective who can't look after her child is the most tired trope in Euro-Noir. It slows everything down and adds nothing except canned bathos. There's always a dead husband who the woman is grieving and the kid is a mess because of it. Then there's the mother or grandpa guilt-tripping the bad mom. Really annoying and unnecessary. Grieving and torment are fine for noir leads but the whiney kid has to go.

As Episode 1 of "The Thaw (2022 release from Poland; 6 episodes of about 45-50 min each) opens, we are introduced to Detective Zawieja. Much to her dismay, she is just informed that the recent death of her husband, a police officer, is ruled an apparent suicide. In a parallel story, a woman is found dead in a river. Turns out to be the woman is the daughter of the District Prosecutor. And she was 9 months pregnant. Detective Zawieja takes the lead in the investigation... At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is a crime mini-series out of Poland, and other than recognizing Polish actress Kataryna Wajda in the lead role of Detective Zawieja, I can't say that I am familiar with anyone else on the production team or the cast. Based on the opening 2 episodes that I've seen to date, this is OK although still a bit tentative so far. Of course also plot-heavy so I'm not going to say anything about that. The production is sleek but I found the acting of some of the cast (not Ms. Wajda) slightly stilted at times. But here is the bottom line: we are in search of a killer and this whodunit has caught enough of my attention that I will check out the remaining episodes when they become available.

The initial 2 episodes of "The Thaw" were released this past weekend on HBO Max, where they are now available on demand. New episodes will be released on Fridays. If you are interested in a crime series that is definitely not your regular Hollywood fare, I'd readily suggest you check this out.

UPDATE 4/22/22 I've now seen all episodes. I've upgraded my rating to 7 stars. Things really get more interesting as the episodes roll along. All is revealed in the final episode. Check it out.

... good Polish crime drama... entire cast is very solid and production values equal any top notch shows being made anywhere today... yet this series works as well as it does because of Katarzyna Wajda... she is outstanding through each and every episode... guarantee you'll be searching for some-any of her other screen work... ending was slightly muddled and predictable, but overall it's a series well worth searching-out-watching.

I second my fellow commentor, smashcut' s review to the t as it voices common frustration of majority of us Euro-noir bingers. Creators need to decide whether the series will be a gripping, compelling thriller/police procedural or a cocktail of mainstream drama with thrilling crime infusions. And why resort to that kind of desperation when you have a such a compelling thriller with high potential at hand?

This is a much sophisticated screenplay to be wasted on cheap stereotypical soap drama. Please leave that to daytime...of course unless you wish to be in the same vagon with all mainstream H. Coben adaptations..if so we bid you Farewell.

A promising beginning, interesting story, nice cinematography. Unfortunately it devolves into silly, overwrought melodrama. The final three episodes made me feel like I was watching a telenovela- it was that bad.

I really object when an otherwise decent police procedural stoops to stereotyping a female lead as an irrational, impulsive liability, rather than just allowing her to be a good detective who gets the job done. And then to have to watch her fall into bed with a hated moronic colleague in a moment of weakness - shame on you filmmakers for giving in to this kind of crap.

I'd add that I'd choose subtitles any day over the truly awful dubbing HBO Max jammed down my throat.