I was hoping for a typical crime drama, but The Witness turned out to be an extremely unsettling and emotionally-charged mini-series that feels more realistic than melodramatic. This English and Hindi language series has only three episodes, and each episode is 45-50 minutes long, which means that this is a very heavy series, especially as it is based on actual events. One thing that really caught my eye was how much of the story was based on a real-life tragedy, and how the heart of the story was based on a young girl, Rachel. The series is actually even more disturbing than any fictional crime drama, knowing that these events are not fictional.
The story is set in 1992, and begins with a shocking crime. A mother brings her kid to a park and an awful event takes place, resulting in a murder. The child is made the sole witness to the crime and the testimony of a child is of paramount importance. After that, the series traces the investigation to see if the young witness can unmask the killer and if the police will ever be able to crack the case. Also as the story unfolds, it explores the case that evolved over the years. This long period of time was interesting to me because of the way that justice, in some cases, is a very painful process.
The thing that really stuck with me were the strength of the story itself. The events in The Witness are dramatic, heart-wrenching and often hard to believe as they are true events. I didn’t know anything about Rachel until going into the series, and several things truly surprised me. The emotion isn’t provided by the visual trickery, but by contemplating the fact that these things could have occurred to actual people.
Nevertheless, I can’t deny that at times it is less than the potential of the material. Though the novel is engrossing, the film never quite makes the leap to being as thrilling and suspenseful as I’d hoped. The authors have been clearly trying for authenticity and have depicted the investigation in a grounded and realistic way. This does also mean a very measured pace though. The show is a slow burn investigation drama that requires patience and attention from the viewers. I liked that they were realistic, but I didn’t feel that the narrative was as urgent and dramatic as it could’ve been.
Spine-tingling action, nail-biting suspense and scenes that leave the viewer with “wow, that was insane, that was intense, I got goosebumps” may result in a disappointed viewer. That is not a reaction that the series is generally looking for. Rather, it takes an understated approach to the narrative and the delivery of the story, and a methodical exploration. There’s quality to that, but it also means that the show isn’t likely to appeal to viewers who want more dramatic, entertaining crime dramas.
The Witness is a true crime story, an investigative story, and a realistic drama, all of which I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys these genres. There’s plenty to appreciate here if you love a slow pace in your story and are curious about personality of the victim, the events of the crime, the perpetrator and the course of the legal proceedings over more than a decade. Those on the other side, however, who want a more action-packed, masala-heavy plot, will probably not find it to their liking.
One good thing is that the content of the series is does not contain adult contents, which makes it family-friendly. Overall, I would say The Witness is a solid watch for only one time viewing, because it is a really cool story and does not have the same quality of execution. Informative, sincere and sometimes convincing, but not always engaging.
Rating: 3/5
