Episode Guide
Episode 1 – | Review Score – 3/5 Episode 2 – | Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 3 – | Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 4 – | Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 5 – | Review Score – 4/5 Episode 6 – | Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 7 – | Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 8 – | Review Score – 3/5 When High Seas dropped on Netflix earlier this year I binge-watched all 8 episodes in a day. Although the story didn’t always have the best acting or most exciting set pieces, the tight-knit mystery and whodunit angle kept things interesting right through to the finale. With an open ending and plenty of unanswered questions, the arrival of High Sea’s second season is a very welcome sight and of course, sticking to traditions, I binged the entire series in a day again. This time out High Seas is really a tale of two halves – one that consistently outperforms the first season with its creative plot line but one that ends with a questionable plot twist at the end that offsets a lot of the good work done through this season. Picking up where we left off from before, High Seas returns to our characters in the midst of their drama. With Carlos still on the loose, Eva and Carolina quickly thwart the threat before dealing with newcomers who come on-board; stowaways picked up by the Captain thanks to a stray rowing boat out at sea. Among the survivors is Casandra, a strange woman who claims to be psychic and immediately takes a shining to Carolina. As we soon learn of another murder that occurred before the ship set sail, the sighting of a ghost on-board sends our characters into a paranormal hunt for the truth across the first three quarters of this season. As things reach the tipping point around the fifth episode, home truths are revealed and what follows are several follow-up episodes that work to try and resolve the overarching plot whilst throwing a lot of twists and different story ideas together – some that work really well, and others that don’t. One of these occurs very late on too, when a final plot twist at the end of the last episode goes one step too far but for spoiler purposes I won’t divulge what happens in this full season review. What follows after that however is satisfying enough to make the journey worth taking but unlike the first season, High Seas never quite reaches that same level, despite a good injection of pace and supernatural story ideas. Stylistically, High Seas takes a lot of the same cues from the first season and amplifies that up to make the most of the dramatic situations our characters find themselves in. Dimas, Sebastian and Veronica continue to revel in the love triangle angle while Eva finds herself in a difficult position with Nicolas midway through the show too. Carolina plays the impressionable damsel angle for a lot of the season while the mysterious Casandra nestles into the mysterious, psychic arc incredibly well here, with enough edge to her performance that you never quite trust her. Much like before though, High Seas excels when it comes to its mystery and trying to figure out the truth. There are multiple red herrings, twists and big plot reveals dotted throughout the season and trying to second guess our characters or figuring out who’s guilty is partly the reason this show works as well as it does. I have to admit, I didn’t see some of these twists coming and I tend to read and watch a lot of murder mysteries. For that alone, High Seas is worth watching and the second season does its best to try and one-up the first through every episode. It’s just a shame that at times this enthusiasm can come across as trying too hard. Overall though, High Seas is a perfectly enjoyable drama and if you were a fan of the first season, you’re sure to love what’s been cooked up here too. The deliciously dark supernatural angle adds an extra layer of depth to the show missing the first time around, and although the latter half does feel like it’s running out of steam at times, there’s enough here to keep you watching through to the end. Casandra is the perfect inclusion to the cast too and with Carlos and Uncle Pedro taking a back-seat this season in favour of a more feminine touch to proceedings, High Seas mixes things up really well. While I personally found the first season more tightly written and compelling, there’s enough here to make for an enjoyable drama nonetheless and one I’ve certainly enjoyed binging!
