Saint X Episodes 1 to 3 Review: This psychological thriller show based on the book of the same title by Alexis Schaitkin stars Alycia Debnam-Carey as Emily, West Duchovny as Alison, Jayden Elijah as Edwin, Josh Bonzie as Gogo, Kenlee Anaya Townsend as Young Claire, Michael Park as Bill Thomas and Betsy Brandt as Mia Thomas, alongside other cast members. The series is created by Leila Gerstein and directed by Darren Grant and Dee Rees. The cinematography is done by Tony Mirza and Richard Rutkowski.
– Saint X Episodes 1-3 Review/Recap Contains Spoilers –
Saint X Episodes 1 to 3 Review/Recap
Saint X Episode 1 Review/Recap
In the first episode, we glimpse what the show is about through a series of extremely confusing montages. The main characters of this show are Alison and Emily. From flashbacks, we understand that Alison doesn’t come home one night and is deemed missing until her body resurfaces near the hotel. People suspect the two bellhops at the hotel, Edwin and Gogo, as perpetrators.
The younger sister Claire has been thoroughly traumatised by this ordeal, and we see that she has odd coping mechanisms, which causes some tension in the family. The older version of Claire, somehow called Emily, is now reeling from those effects after successfully neglecting the symptoms. The only comfort is her boyfriend, who is ready to keep things afloat.
While the series could have started strong here, it truly felt that nothing was fresh to deliver. It is a classic whodunnit with a bunch of characters who are all suspects. Edwin and Gogo are both shown to be extremely problematic, especially when it comes to women. The show has odd transitions, terrible writing, and the kind of main character energy that is highly outdated in this current television genre.
Also Read: True to Love Episode 5 Recap and Review: Post-Breakup Vicious Circle
Saint X Episode 2 Review/Recap
Emily finds Gogo, also known as Clive, in her adulthood in New York, the Flatbush area, predominantly a Caribbean area. Even though multiple people ask her if she’s okay with it, she seems to have chosen to tell people that she’s okay even though she has been trying to get answers about Alison’s death.
In the flashback, we see that Alison has been making herself comfortable with the other people at Indigo Bay, the resort they all live in. Edwin and Gogo got assigned to get cocaine by one of the guests, and the former is ready to break tooth and nail to do that. Alison also mingles extremely well with Edwin, while Claire mingles with Gogo playing Checkers. Something is happening between Edwin and Alison, but she backs away when he blows her off in the worst possible way.
This episode truly reminded the writer of the time Wattpad was a big deal. The writing certainly is reminiscent of that, and the soap opera energy that this show gives is also a direct extension of that kind of writing. While Victoria Pedretti was originally joined with the project, it completely made sense why she exited the show. The drama in this show is truly concerning and doesn’t serve a purpose for the betterment of the plot.
Also Read: Wave Makers: All About the Taiwanese Political Drama on Netflix
Saint X Episode 3 Review/Recap
Edwin does manage to get the cocaine, but he finds out that the drug dealer is a homosexual, and it sets him off. While he is happy, he is safe. He is more mad at Desmond, who doesn’t care to reveal that bit of detail. Meanwhile, the American group of teenage tourists have their vibe and vacation. One of the other girls decides to corner Alison and tell her that she cannot have all the guys in the hotel. But they later become friends because of Alison’s quirky habit that makes her less than perfect.
We fast forward a little more into the future of the incident, and we see that a family is hiking by the waterfall when they come across Alison’s body. The police commissioner is convinced that Edwin and Gogo had something to do with it. In the present, Emily is still following Clive around and actively lying to her boyfriend. Simultaneously, Clive is haunted by his actions and sees the fictional creature that is rumoured to haunt all the islanders.
There is absolutely no acting prowess present in these actors. They thought they could churn out a show like The White Lotus, with a bunch of unlikeable characters, but the character construction and writing make it a cheap copy of what it could be. The female characters are so badly represented with absolutely no redeeming qualities. They are shown as a monolith with no motive other than hanging out with men. Once again, the not-like-other-girls energy is so high that this show would have only worked if released much earlier.
Saint X Episodes 1 to 3 are currently streaming on Hulu.
Do you think the show’s mysterious nature will last throughout the season? Let us know in the comments below.
Also Read: BTS’ Jungkook Flexes His ‘Kooking’ Skills; Fans Hype For a JK Cooking Channel