REVIEW: ‘The Gardener’ Fails To Come Together

The Gardener is a Spanish thriller miniseries directed by Rafa Montesinos and Mikel Rueda and written by Miguel Sáez Carral and Isa Sánchez. Years ago, China Juardo (Cecilia Suárez, Snakes and Ladders) and her son Elmer (Álvaro Rico, Sky High) were in a terrible car accident that left Elmer unable to feel emotions. Due to a twist of fate, they discover that his inability to feel, combined with a sharp, analytical mind, makes him an excellent hired killer. The pair soon use this to their advantage, offering their services to those in their area being abused and hurt. That is until Elmer begins to feel for one of his targets.

Elmer’s story begins with a simple hit but quickly expands to include numerous plot threads and individuals. While slow at times, the narrative creates a strong sense of atmosphere as Elmer discovers his new feelings. He explores these emotions through his budding relationship with his unknowing target, elementary school teacher Violeta (Catalina Sopelana).

The unfolding emotional discoveries of Elmer become far more complicated than they initially appear. At first, they seem to function solely as a mechanism to challenge Elmer’s path in life. But The Gardener quickly reinforces that all of these emotions are new to Elmer, and the impact it has on a grown man with an inclination for violence.

Love, heartbreak, confusion, and sorrow have not been his to experience within his living memory. A situation that quickly creates far more turbulent waters for the man to navigate as he tries to weather an emotional onslaught that is like puberty on steroids. And eagerly adding fuel to the fire is his mother China.

Cecilia Sáurez is absolutely loathsome as China in The Gardener.

China’s role to play in this tale is a familiar one. The mother who has gotten used to having her son at her beck and call, tries every hurtful and manipulative thing she can to drive a wedge between him and his new love interest. Despite not bringing much new to the familiar concept, the depths of derision that China culminates make the character equally memorable and loathsome. Sáurez projects a deeply disturbed and sinister tone throughout the series’ six episodes, demanding the focus of any scene she appears in.

While the power with which Sáurez drives home China’s manipulative nature leaves a lasting impression, it also somewhat works against the plot. Like many familial monsters in storytelling, The Gardener tries to ground its villain with a relatable motive. The reason for her son’s changing emotional state is a justifiable cause for concern. One that would leave any parent worrying.

However, any attempt to give even the slightest warmth to China’s motives is instantly drowned out by her forceful and manipulative cruelty. This leaves moments of drama that feel hollow. Elmer struggles with letting go of her, but it’s hard to imagine why. Being someone’s mom can only entitle you to so much grace and forgiveness.

The other thing that makes The Gardener’s drama hard to invest in is the lack of a character to root for. Everyone in the show has something working against them. Everyone has a skeleton in their closet or some other significant issue that makes them hard to engage with. This can be frustrating, given a largely strong cast.

Poor pacing hinders the effect of the overarching storyline. 

The only major exception to this is with the pair of detectives that find themselves on Emler’s trail. This pair delivers so much dryness to the series it could make skin flake. Even when the pair try to provide tension, it falls flat. The worn-out cop vibes they exude are so pervasive that they drain the energy out of almost every scene they are in, creating small energy black holes throughout the series.

The strength of the cast’s ability to play these objectionable characters is that it helps build tension. It often feels like a situation could go over the edge at any moment, allowing the viewer engage with the plot, even when the cast is out of reach.

The other strength of The Gardener’s story is how it unveils elements of the narrative’s past. Details are peeled back in a well-paced way and in moments that feel fitting. Revelations hit with a solid amount of force thanks to the strong implementation, making these moments some of the best of the series.

But while the story has its strengths, there are also some weaknesses. The biggest of these hiccups is pacing. The early couple of episodes can be slow, making the series hard to commit to, despite its short episode count. Once the various plots get going though, something generally pulls the story along.

The latest Netflix miniseries fails to deliver a satisfying ending.

The other big problem with the series is the frequent lack of sound. While silence can be powerful at the right times, the lack of noticeable background music or strong sound design in the series can leave scenes feeling less striking than they otherwise would. This especially hurts during slow moments when the series struggles to keep investment in the story going.

Something else to be aware of is that this “miniseries” doesn’t feel like one. While its six-episode length makes it look like one, the cliffhanger ending makes it feel less like a miniseries and more like a part one. So if you are looking for something short to invest in, this may not be as appealing as you think.

The Gardener is a series of hits and misses. It has a strong core premise and some stand out acting, but never truly comes together to be fully engaging. Also hurting it is the fact that it feels like half a season, denying it a final payoff that could make its shortcomings worth the price.

The Gardener is streaming now on Netflix.