'JL 50' series review: Abhay Deol starrer is a missed opportunity

Cast: Abhay Deol, Pankaj Kapur and Piyush Mishra

Director: Shailender Vyas

Rating: 1.5/5

The eagerly-awaited web series JL 50, which was released on SonyLiv on Friday (September 4), is an ambitious attempt at storytelling that fails to live up to expectations despite the interesting premise. The show revolves around what happens when a CBI officer is asked to investigate a plane crash. The plot sounds good on paper and has enough 'masala' to make for a good watch. The impact is, however, diluted due to the convoluted execution.

The screenplay feels rushed and lacks the intensity needed to keep fans hooked. It relies more on 'telling' rather than 'showing' and this makes it difficult for the viewer to connect with the reel action. The characters have not been fleshed out properly and this adds is nothing short of a cardinal sin. Moreover, JL 50 fails to make the viewer suspend his/her disbelief, which is a major issue as the series belongs to the Sci-fi genre.

The opening episode is slow and might not click a vast section of the audience. The action picks up a bit subsequently with the 'interrogation' scene making a decent impact. The final episode is mildly engaging but would have worked better had the writing been up to the mark. The action block towards the end of JL 50, however, feels rushed as opposed to intense.

Coming to the performances, Abhay Deol is sincere and does full justice to what ends up being a generic character. Pankaj Kapur makes his presence felt especially towards the ends, despite being under-utilised. The veteran actor deserved a better and meatier role.

Similarly, Piyush Mishra is unable to showcase his abilities as the writing does not do justice to his talent. The supporting cast is strictly okay.

The background score does not really add much to the narrative, failing to serve its purpose. The camerawork is decent, especially in the 'period' portions. The editing is lacklustre as several scenes overstay there welcome. The other technical aspects are upto the mark.