Comic books have become an amazing well of content for people in TV and film. For many people, announcements about comic book adaptations are met with eye rolls. Another superhero movie? Thanks, but no.
ButNetflix is doing something different. They are presentingBodies, a limited series based on a comic book from DC/Vertigo. It has no superheroes, just a fantastical plot that will claw at your imagination.
What Is Bodies?
There are murder mysteries, and then there are unreal looks at the way murder is handled.Bodiesfollows four detectives in four different time periods of London who seem to be experiencing the same murder investigation without realizing it.
The original graphic novel was written by Si Spencer and was a sleeper hit due to its four-part format and his brilliant decision to team up with four different illustrators. This gave the books very distinct looks and feels that can only be found with different artists. The fact that these four time periods are so different yet the stories so similar meant that readers got quite a bit of bang for their buck. There is something transcendent about the concept of reimagining.
Related:15 Comics Outside DC and Marvel That Would Make Great Movies
The story takes place in London over four time periods: 1890, 1940, 2014, and 2050. It is a non-linear format, with each detective dealing with the problems and limits specific to their time period.
In 1890, Inspector Edmond Hillinghead stumbles upon the body of an unidentified male while nearby, Jack the Ripper is still at large. But Hillinghead has secrets of his own that could make his investigation even harder.
In 1940, Inspector Charles Whiteman, a Polish man whoescaped the Nazis, finds the body of an unidentified man during the Blitz. Whiteman has his own secrets, which means finding this body may ruin his double life.
In 2014, Detective Sergeant Shahara Hasan is in the middle of dealing with racist rioters that are overwhelming the city. Due to being a Muslim officer, there are plenty of reasons people do not want her to succeed. But when she finds the body of an unidentified man, her problems increase exponentially.
In 2050, Detective Maplewood does not know who she is. A pulse wave has wiped the minds of almost everyone, and trying to think is a problem all to itself. But when she finds the body of a man, she tries everything she can to figure out what is actually going on.
The bodies in each of these cases are identical to one another, leading each detective in their own time to uncover the deeper secrets it has to offer. They are each fighting not just the world around them but the secrets they hold to their chests. With each step forward, they come closer to realizing the actual scope of their individual investigations. They also realize that maybe they are not the only ones on the case.
Not Quite a Police Procedural
For people who love a good story,Bodiesis ready to deliver.London always makes for a stylized citywith its strange mix of modern and Victorian undertones. The story also offers not just historical landmarks around which characters exist but secret societies, science fiction, and the occult. For all of these to exist side-by-side in one story should be overwhelming. However, with four protagonists, the narrative feels broken up just enough to digest.
Related:11 Movie and TV Police Officers That Definitely Should Be Fired
One of the best things about the story is that it does not give up. Each character has their own views on the world, the investigation, and the mysterious man who seems to be following and then interacting with them. It is important to know that when this man arrives, he provides a shock not only to the audience but to the detectives as well.
The best cop shows involve flawed heroes. We want them gritty and unable to sleep at night.Bodiesprovides this and continues to peel back layers that the characters are hiding from others and, in a few cases, even hiding from themselves.
The Netflix Adaptation
Netflix has picked upBodiesas a short, eight-episode run. The series will feature Amaka Okafor, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Kyle Soller, and Shira Haas as the four detectives.
For many people, this series will be their introduction to the story, and therefore, Netflix will likely take some liberties with the original content. One difference is that the 2050 scenario is far bleaker, with visuals completely different from those in the book. The book envisions London of 2050 as a fully bright landscape of yellows and oranges, whereas Netflix seems to be keeping all four timelines in thedreary, rain-soaked Londonvision that has existed since The 1890s.
As detective stories go,Bodieswill be a step away from the traditional series due to its short run and reliance on four protagonists who do not interact with each other. However, they all interact withElias Mannix (Stephen Graham). Mannix is a strange figure who navigates time and space as the connective tissue between the four time periods and the man at the heart of this generational conspiracy.
The show will undoubtedly need to find an audience, and it is unclear how Netflix plans on promoting it.Bodieswill premiere on October 19, and all episodes will be released at once.
