Trese season 1 review: An intriguing tale of the mythical Filipino folklore told in a modern setting

3.5/5

What’s it about

This horror dark-fantasy action-thriller originally written by Budjette Tan is set in the capital city of the Philippines, Manila. It follows the story of a young occult detective, named Alexandra Trese who helps the authorities with crimes of the supernatural kind. She has powers and abilities both physical and supernatural, as well as the aide of her trusted allies to solve the mysteries of the unknown. The lore of this world which Alexandra inhabits is filled with monsters and supernatural beings from the Filipino folklore living in the shadows of Manila. It is a world where man and beast live in relative harmony, thanks to the efforts of Anton Trese, Alexandra’s late father. The story begins with random attacks on civilians by these monsters which threatens the delicate peace accords.

What’s hot

On the face of it, the show ticks all the boxes in what is expected from an anime-inspired production. It has its own lore with rich details, it has stunning animation with incredible action sequences, intriguing characters, and a well-paced narrative. However, what makes this show closely resemble an excellent anime is the use of symbolism and analogies as tools for social commentary. Themes of corruption, drug trade, human trafficking, violent crimes against women, and the significant rise in police brutality in the Philippines. For instance, the vampiric ‘aswang’ clan are an analogy to human traffickers who represent the dark underbelly of Manila. The powerful clan leaders of some supernatural beings represent the wealthy and powerful who are above the laws of society. There are several parallels drawn to the real-life socio-political issues in the Philippines.

Parenting is one of the main themes in the story with the lives of multiple characters and their relationships with their families put under the microscope. The writers have also included the issue of child abortion, which is hotly debated across the globe with many countries, and even some states in the US, taking conservative views on the subject. The ‘tiyanak’, a demonic creature that is created as a result of abortions and returns to haunt the mother, is a critique of the taboo surrounding the subject in the Philippines. The episode in which the tiyanak makes an appearance has a scene that is equal parts depressing and haunting and will leave a lasting impression on the viewer. Whether it was a deliberate attempt to sway the argument regarding the subject and if it should have been included at all is a matter of debate.

The first season has six episodes with the pilot and the finale directed by Filipino-American Jay Oliva. Oliva is famed for his time as comic book writer and animation director of DC comics, and DC animated movies and TV shows. Oliva was also given the responsibility of directing the critically acclaimed two-part animated adaptation of Frank Miller's award winning graphic novel, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, released in 2013. It is among the very few graphic novels to be on the New York Times bestselling list, along with Watchman, Maus, and Sandman. It is safe to say that Trese was in excellent hands from start to finish for its first season.

What’s not hot

The show is at times crippled by the weight of its own complex narratives cramped together in just six episodes. As a result, it is forced to provide a lengthy exposition to explain the overall arc of the story towards the end of the first season.

One of the primary antagonists in the story, Talgbusao is almost an exact replica of DC comics supervillain Trigon, the father of superhero Raven. They have identical origin stories, both of them are otherworldly beings with immense power who each manipulate a naive woman as a conduit to enter the human world. Their relationships with their respective children/child are non-existent and merely use them as a means to an end. Talgbusao also has parallels to another DC supervillain, Ares, from the Wonder Woman mythos, and certain plot points are similar to an episode of Justice League Unlimited, ‘Hawk and Dove’. It is likely an attempt at pastiche to pay homage to the famous characters of the DC universe, similar to how the Duffer brothers paid homage to Stephen King by using many of King’s tropes in their hit Netflix show, Stranger Things. There are also several subplots that remain unanswered despite the lengthy exposition in the finale

Verdict

There is more than enough to suggest that Netflix should renew Trese for a second season. The post-credit scene suggests there is a lot more story to be told about Alexandra Trese and the city of Manila. It is far from perfect, but it still manages to deliver a binge-worthy story that deep dives into several themes of contemporary relevance which are thought provoking.