Why ‘Kaleidoscope’ Should Be On Your Watchlist

01.27.23
Why ‘Kaleidoscope’ Should Be On Your Watchlist (Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

A rainbow-labeled Netflix original series is topping the charts at #4 just shy of being released at the start of the year. This wittily named series follows a man named “Leo Pap” (Giancarlo Esposito) as he navigates his way through an unhealthy obsession with theft and a plot for revenge that leads to him being the mastermind behind “the heist of the century.” 

What’s so unique about this series is that watchers can watch it in any order with the exception of the ‘black’ episode being the instructions for the show. There is also informal advice stating to watch the “white” episode last since it shows the heist itself making it the final piece of the puzzle. 

Each color-themed episode starts us off at a different point in time either before or after the heist where we are abruptly introduced to characters. Each has a skill that proves necessary to the heist as well as what complicated relationships they have with each other: 

Roger Salas – Who was once Leo’s partner in crime is now the main focus of Leo’s revenge. Roger and Leo go way back with Roger being responsible for the death of Leo’s wife and the ultimate destruction of his family. 

Hannah Kim – Hannah is Leo’s daughter and the personal assistant of Roger Salas making her the perfect inside man for the heist. Her character, in my opinion, is the most interesting because she establishes her individuality from her father and employer. 

Ava Mercer – A very successful uptown lawyer who always knows how to get her clients out of trouble. With her connections and silver tongue, it’s no surprise that she represents Leo; however, their relationship is well beyond professional. 

Judy Goodwin – The brains of the team with her specialty being science and math. She’s also caught in a romantic triangle between Bob Goodwin (her husband) and Stan Loomis (an old flame). 

Bob Goodwin – The typical hothead that only follows the plan some of the way through. Besides his brute strength and “amazing” personality, he knows how to safely crack and proves to be a vital part of the mission despite his temper.

Stan Loomis – Stan is the physical embodiment of the word ‘Loser”. Formerly Leo’s cellmate, he contributes to the heist by roleplaying multiple decoys and learning how to safely crack in the final days leading up to the heist which is not an easy task. Yet, he seems to have nothing going for him since he is left without money and the girl he fought for. 

RJ Acosta – The beloved getaway driver, RJ was taken in by Leo and sees him as a sort of father figure. This dynamic is not exactly reciprocated by Leo making their interactions bittersweet. Unfortunately, RJ doesn’t get to see the end of the heist.

Nazan Abassi – An FBI agent suspended from her job and lost custody of her son, mainly because of an encounter with Ava Mercer who filed a complaint against Agent Abassi that exposed her drug addiction. Now, she is determined to bring Ava and her crew down and will even go against direct orders to do it. 

All of these characters have their own stories that highlight how easy it is to get stuck in their ways and the consequences they suffer from it. And though Kaleidoscope disguises itself as an interesting, interactive series, it actually touches on the topic of how unhealthy habits can eventually lead to the demise of an individual. 

Overall, I give it a 7.5/10 for its abnormal watch style, storyline, and slightly above-average acting.

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