Kaleidoscope | Deconstruct TV like a shepherd’s pie from 2003

We all suffered, in the early 2000s, from the zeal of so-called “avant-garde” and “creative” chefs who deconstructed just about every dish whose recipe called for more than two ingredients.

The burger, the lasagna, the shepherd’s pie, the poutine, all these popular dishes have been deconstructed in the kitchen, a revolutionary technique consisting, basically, in separating the elements and serving them side by side on a beautiful square plate. Crazy as well.

Our dear Ricardo Larrivee also deconstructed the classic lemon pie, an operation which gave rise to a packet of yellow and white mottons garroched on parchment paper, here, you, without forgetting the famous fruit coulis smeared randomly on this pile of disparate food.

This culinary trend that we thought was bedridden, like everything that contains the term “molecular”, is making a comeback, but in television form. Barely started, the year 2023 draws a big number in the surprise bag, I would ask you to stop everything, I have an important announcement to make to you.

So here is the hottest novelty of the small screen: Kaleidoscopefrom the Netflix platform, offered in French and English since 1^er January. It is one of the first deconstructed television series, meaning that its first seven hour-long episodes can be consumed in any order, yes, yes. And this, without harming the understanding of this story halfway between Lupine and The casa de papel.

However, the eighth episode, which is the grand finale of this Ocean’s Eleven television, must be seen last. This is the only rule imposed by this event series, which unfolds like a puzzle to assemble yourself.

How it works ? Very simple. Randomly, Netflix will choose the thriller viewing sequence for you Kaleidoscope, which will differ from that of your sister-in-law or colleague. Each of the episodes of Kaleidoscope is named after a color – not a number: red, orange, pink, blue, green, yellow, purple and white. The white episode, which Netflix automatically places last, gives the key to the enigma. Be warned. The colors correspond to specific periods in the planning of a spectacular 7 billion robbery in an ultra-tight New York bank.

For example, the yellow episode takes place six weeks before the theft, the purple episode goes back 24 years before the burglary, while the red episode propels us to the aftermath of the smoking gun.

You can also cheat and jump from one episode to another to pick the clues that the authors have planted in the text and the setting. It’s up to you, because the script has been skillfully laid out so as not to leave anyone behind, no matter which episode the viewer activated their Kaleidoscope.

Surprisingly, this non-linear writing gadget works really well. After the intro of 50 seconds, the black episode, Netflix pushed me the green episode, followed by yellow, purple and orange.

The synopsis of Kaleidoscope can be summed up with difficulty, because there are seven different entry points into this story à la Quentin Tarantino.

Without divulging anything, let’s say that Kaleidoscope follows criminal and family man Leo Pap (Giancarlo Esposito of breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) who plans, over a period of 25 years, a smoking gun that will make him ultra-rich.

As the series progresses, Leo Pap will assemble the dream team that will lead him to a vault full of vouchers worth over 7 billion. Around Leo gravitate in particular the shrewd lawyer Ava (Paz Vega), the specialist in chemical products Judy (Rosaline Elbay), an ex-inmate recycled into a butcher (Peter Mark Kendall) and a badly bawled specialist in locks (Jai Courtney).

Depending on the order in which you chain the episodes, these main characters will cross paths in prison, at the scene of an arson, at a charity gala, within a security company or in the 47^e Street in Manhattan, in the diamond district. You will see their alliances, their betrayals and all the bad wigs they put on to age or rejuvenate depending on the episode that is on your TV.

Also, if you resume listening to Kaleidoscope, in a different order, you will inevitably establish new links, catch on unpublished details and catch information that you missed on first viewing. It’s constructed and deconstructed expressly for that.

Now, is this a super original canvas production? No. But is it fun entertainment? Yes. Insert here a final punch – and zero original – which will say that this Kaleidoscope you will see all the colors (give me a chance, the holidays were short, thank you).