“Kaleidoscope” is a crime thriller with eight episodes that can be watched in any which way the viewer chooses, which all sounds interesting on paper, right? But does it actually work? Streaming columnist NICK OVERALL takes a look.  

IN our streaming world it’s become the norm to have all episodes of a new show available to binge right from the get go.

But what about watching them in any order?

That’s the gimmick of Netflix’s new series “Kaleidoscope”, a crime thriller with eight episodes that can be watched in any which way the viewer chooses.

Each 50-minute instalment is touted as “a different piece of the puzzle” that culminates in a master plan to steal $7 billion from a vault in New York. 

Ambitious, to say the least. Netflix shuffles the episodes for different viewers, creating a “unique” experience from person to person.

My first experience with “Kaleidoscope” was “The Green Episode”, about a prison escape set seven years before the climactic heist.

Other viewers may get pink, violet, blue or any other iteration of the rainbow to start with. Each episode is also filled with props, costumes and sets that contain its titular colour – seemingly more to show off the concept rather than serve any real purpose to the plot.

All sounds interesting on paper right? But does it actually work?

Well, if nothing else, the idea has managed to raise many eyebrows. 

It became Netflix’s most watched show this month, even at one point dethroning “Wednesday” –“The Addams Family” spin-off that’s become TV’s latest phenomenon.

Despite the intrigue though, the rather pedestrian plot of “Kaleidoscope” makes this a textbook example of missed opportunity.

The show has pulled in a talented cast to play its charismatic roster of crooks. Tati Gabrielle, Jai Courtney and most notably Giancarlo Esposito are great to watch, but they’re held back by the material they’ve been given.

The sad reality is that without its zany concept, “Kaleidoscope” would be a stock standard crime drama doomed to obscurity amongst the endless tiles of Netflix’s catalogue.

For the idea to work, each episode has to operate as a beginning, an ending and everything in between. Unfortunately, in the attempt to do that “Kaleidoscope” seems to lose any climactic edge.

It seems people are trying to cheat that central concept anyway. Already, dozens of articles have emerged online that try to explain the “best order” in which to watch the show. Kinda defeats the purpose, no?

It’s a shame because the idea certainly has potential.

Storytelling through multiple perspectives has proven a hit in film – think “Pulp Fiction”, “Vantage Point” and even more recently the popular whodunit “Knives Out” movies.

The idea hasn’t had the chance to truly flourish on TV though.

What this columnist thinks Netflix needed here was a little more ambition.

The idea of a show that could be watched in any order would lend itself perfectly to an intricate time-travel plot that could be watched and rewatched to get a new understanding of the story each time.

The German series “Dark”, which told an overlapping tale of converging dimensions and creepy time travellers, comes to mind as a perfect example of how the idea could better be used.

Interestingly, “Kaleidoscope” is the latest in a long line of attempts from Netflix to tinker with the TV formula.

In its ongoing attempts to remain relevant, the streaming giant is desperate to jump on to the next big entertainment fad before anyone else does.

ln 2018 it released “Bandersnatch”, a film that gave audiences the ability to use their remote to decide how they want the story to play out – like a choose-your-own-adventure book brought to the screen.

On top of its newest attempt to shake things up with “Kaleidoscope”, it now seems it’s also trying to cash in on the video-game market.

The platform features minimal, but playable, games that are controlled via a select few buttons on the remote. After a quick test run, it’s safe to say they’re pretty lacklustre.

With more and more subscribers leaving Netflix for other platforms, it’s going to take more than glorified “Space Invaders” to stop people from switching off.