Aaku

"The Wicked Game" wasted no time pulling me into its world of power plays and family secrets. From the very first minute when Pheem stepped into the conference room with his smug face, the intrigue did not stop, it was gripping, stylish and tragic all at once- at least in the beginning. But as the episodes go on, things get increasingly dramatic, messy, and at times downright ridiculous. The CGI does the series no favors, and every gun scene felt over-the-top and hard to take seriously. But hear me out, it's entertaining and worth a try.

Spoilers Alert!!

Pheem's backstory is harsh enough to explain every cold edge he has now, and Offroad brings out his layers so well- the loneliness, the anger, the sharp tongue that cuts like a weapon and the mind games. On the other hand, Dao as Than is warm, grounded, and instantly likeable. There's a sincerity in the way he smiles, moves, and speaks and he's far too forgiving when it comes to Pheem- I honestly don't know if that's a good thing or not. He's an absolute goner for Pheem, and it shows. Their chemistry? Absolutely electric. It's messy, charged, and impossible to look away from - honestly the biggest reason I stayed hooked even when the plot went off the rails. Also, when Pheem shot Than for trying to expose the company, there's no universe where that's defensible, in fact, like the title promised, it was truly wicked. Did it leave me stunned? It did. Did I curse Pheem out? Absolutely. But did I devour the angst anyway? Guilty. I did that too. Their chemistry made me forget everything else at least to some extent.

And I absolutely hate Thanet. He is a complete failure in the name of father and such a misogynist that it's painful to watch. In the very starting, the project idea was clearly Risa's, yet all the credit went to his "legitimate" son, Chet. And then he has the nerve to say very controversial things. But the worst part? People like him exist and it's infuriating. The way he treats Risa is awful, the way he treats Chet isn't much better and the way he treats Pheem is even worse. He abandoned his own son after everything that happened- as if losing his mother wasn't enough. Pheem didn't just grow up alone, he grew up forgotten. No wonder he's all cold edges and quiet anger now.

Also, Chet and his bodyguard, were my eyes playing tricks on me or was there really something there? I mean I could see the sparks flying from the very starting. And Chet himself- what a villain. The kind you want to scream at and yet can't deny the charisma. Not that Pheem is any less chaotic. Jason too was unexpectedly charming; his scenes with Pheem carried a tension that never fell flat. And Risa- I went from cheering for her to wanting to throw something at her. A true mastermind, but dangerously so. And I don't know what to say about the finale. The whole gun fight seemed ridiculous but yeah well it is what it is but I did enjoy watching this every week.

So yes, it gets messy, ridiculous, and overly dramatic. But the cast and their chemistry kept me glued. "The Wicked Game" isn't perfect, not even close, but it is wildly entertaining, and filled with the kind of chemistry that's worth watching at least once.