Netflix fans gripped by crime thriller dubbed 'the best in a very long time' as it rockets up charts with 'phenomenal acting and raw emotion'
Currently holding the number one spot on the streaming platform is the limited series Untamed, starring Eric Bana.
The murder mystery is gruesome and exciting, drawing watchers in with its captivating premise.
But quickly climbing the charts is rival show To Kill A Monkey - a tense thriller hailed by watchers as gripping, impactful and technically excellent.
Netflix has already released all eight episodes of the Nollywood drama, which has garnered global acclaim since its release earlier this month.
The plot follows a young man who is coaxed into the 'alluring world of cybercrime, where every decision he makes draws him deeper into a moral minefield.'
Our protagonist, Efe, is a struggling father who must make compromising decisions to keep afloat.
His life quickly spirals into chaos when he finds himself involved in a cyber conspiracy, attempting to outrun 'the fallout of his choices'.
The show by Nigerian filmmaker Kemi Adetiba stars Stella Damascus and William Benson, and has jumped sporadically in and out of the Netflix top ten most-watched shows in recent days.
The story of betrayal, emotion and pivoting plot points has been lauded by fans.
One reviewer wrote online: 'I think this is the best Nigerian series I have seen in a very long time.
'There are more than 1001 lessons to learn from this eight-episode packed series. At some point, you will wish the series will never end.'
Another gushing watcher agreed, saying: 'This show is one of the best I have watched for a very long time.
'There were zero dull moments from the beginning to the end. The actors perfected the script and I wish we would have more of such TV series that are loaded with life lessons.
'Kemi Adetiba is a century filmmaker and television director. Not a dull moment with her production.'
One called the show 'the best limited series Africa has ever produced,' while another praised the slickness of 'authentic, well written and well executed' production.
Aside from the merits of the series itself, viewers pointed to the grabbing title and imagery, having been drawn in from the start.
One said: 'The title of this series caught my eye. I decided to watch a little of the first episode to see how it was. I am completely hooked!
'From the first scene, the acting and story line is riveting! I binged all the episodes in two days. I highly recommend this show to anyone.
'It's very authentic, great characters - a look into a world and culture totally different from mine and so fascinating...a must watch!'
And commenters noted how gripping the series was, prompting watchers to turn to the next episode.
'Surprisingly good!' said one, before adding: 'Keeps you on the edge of your seat.'
The actress playing Idia in the show, Lilian Afegabi, opened up about how important the role had been to her.
She wrote on social media: 'Playing Idia was more than just a role. It was a journey of becoming one with a character whose strength, vulnerability and spirit I poured my soul into.
Adoring fans of the newly-released thriller sang its praises online, lauding the direction, acting and storyline
'I gave everything to bring her to life and seeing your kind words, messages and encouragement means the world to me and makes it all worth it.'
This summer has seen Netflix produce a range of hard-hitting dramas that have been vying for the few top spots, as well as introducing new installments of already-loved shows.
The streaming service has revealed the future of Wednesday beyond the upcoming series two.
The American supernatural comedy series, which began in 2022, follows Jenna Ortega, 22, as the spooky Wednesday Addams.
It is one in a series of takes over the years on The Addams Family, the eccentric fictional old-money clan, famously macabre and gothic in manner and look.
The second series of the Emmy-winning programme, executive produced and often directed by horror icon Tim Burton, 66, is set for release in August.
And now, it has been announced that not only will Wednesday definitely be back for a third series, a spin-off programme is currently under discussion, according to Hollywood Reporter.
Fans were absolutely delighted to hear the fate of the beloved show has been secured, taking to social media to express their excitement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Beloved ITV detective show slapped with 'trigger warning' for crime scenes in 'woke' move
ITV 's Inspector Morse has been slapped with a 'trigger warning' in a move that has been branded ' woke '. The popular series now features a pre-warning for crime scenes throughout the show, which seems to have caused a stir with people online. The streaming giant also advises there are 'satanic images' in one episode of the drama. It then has a parental lock on the episode, titled Day of the Devil. Inspector Morse first aired from 1987 to 2000, with a total of eight series. Other episodes also feature a warning over crime and violence. The popular series now features a pre-warning for crime scenes throughout the show, which seems to have caused a stir with people online Speaking about the update, Senior MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke slammed: 'This is another example of soft-touch Britain seeping into everything. 'We're just going to be laughed at as a country if things like this continue, because nobody's prepared for the real world where there are no.' Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment. In the past, it has said about general alerts: 'Programming that contains politically sensitive or distressing themes, content, or language has carried appropriate warnings since our launch.' Just a few weeks ago, Netflix bosses axed an iconic moment from Pride and Prejudice to avoid 'objectifying men'. The unforgettable scene of Mr Darcy - played by Colin Firth - emerging from a lake was all the rage in 1995. But show bosses have confirmed it will not resurface in the forthcoming version of the rom-com. According to reports, many fans will be disappointed as the famous BBC scene is said to have 'got millions of women hot under the collar'. A source told The Sun: 'It is also credited for sparking subsequent moments of male objectification on screen - likes Aidan Turner's famous topless scything scene in Poldark.' It's claimed that Netflix bosses 'don't want a repeat'. The saucy scene soon became one of the most favourite TV scenes, however it didn't actually feature in Jane Austen's original 1813 story. Arguably the most iconic wet shirt ever worn sold at auction for £25,000 - double its estimated sale price.
Times
4 hours ago
- Times
Death Comes to Pemberley review — bloody deeds and country dances
In this murder mystery the stately characters are familiar with the intricacies of country dance steps, and one is even willing to try his hand at an Italian aria. There's no shortage of period atmosphere in Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff's adaptation of PD James's journey into the realm of Pride and Prejudice, even if the plot tends to meander towards a genteel conclusion. Abel and Wagstaff, who are best known for their stage versions of The Girl on the Train and The Da Vinci Code, have here collaborated on a more low-key venture, directed by Jonathan O'Boyle, which is the first touring production mounted by that resourceful Berkshire dinner theatre venue, the Mill at Sonning. It made a reasonably snug fit at Windsor Theatre Royal, thanks in part to Sean Cavanagh's discreet set design, which uses sliding panels to ease the transition from the staid domestic interiors to the Pemberley estate where a bloody deed on a suitably dark and stormy night prompts the arrival of Todd Boyce's quizzical magistrate Sir Selwyn Hardcastle. Suspicion immediately falls on that handsome ne'er-do-well George Wickham. Jane Austen admirers will no doubt be hoping to hear from a firm and manly Darcy, and James Bye (who recently bowed out of EastEnders as Martin Fowler) duly obliges, although the script doesn't allow much in the way of conversational duelling with his demure wife, Elizabeth, played by Jamie-Rose Duke. Sam Woodhams makes an exceptionally chiselled, bare-chested Wickham and doubles as the ailing young local Will Bidwell. • Read more theatre reviews, guides and interviews It's never going to be easy to replace the authorial voice of Austen or James; the pace often sags as the leisurely investigation unfolds. Sarah Berger, though, supplies a pinch of wry humour as the perpetually indignant Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a doughty matron who is determined to put everyone in their place. David Osmond's piano score adds a welcome touch of elegance too. Osmond had also been due to play the character of the gently pining Henry Alveston, but his place was taken at the last moment by Joe Bence, who more than rose to the challenge. He deserved all that applause.★★★☆☆ 140 minutes Touring to Sep 13, Follow @timesculture to read the latest reviews
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
‘It's the most empathetic voice in my life': How AI is transforming the lives of neurodivergent people
For Cape Town-based filmmaker Kate D'hotman, connecting with movie audiences comes naturally. Far more daunting is speaking with others. 'I've never understood how people [decipher] social cues,' the 40-year-old director of horror films says. D'hotman has autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which can make relating to others exhausting and a challenge. However, since 2022, D'hotman has been a regular user of ChatGPT, the popular AI-powered chatbot from OpenAI, relying on it to overcome communication barriers at work and in her personal life. 'I know it's a machine,' she says. 'But sometimes, honestly, it's the most empathetic voice in my life.' Neurodivergent people — including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other conditions — can experience the world differently from the neurotypical norm. Talking to a colleague, or even texting a friend, can entail misread signals, a misunderstood tone and unintended impressions. AI-powered chatbots have emerged as an unlikely ally, helping people navigate social encounters with real-time guidance. Although this new technology is not without risks — in particular some worry about over-reliance — many neurodivergent users now see it as a lifeline. How does it work in practice? For D'hotman, ChatGPT acts as an editor, translator and confidant. Before using the technology, she says communicating in neurotypical spaces was difficult. She recalls how she once sent her boss a bulleted list of ways to improve the company, at their request. But what she took to be a straightforward response was received as overly blunt, and even rude. Now, she regularly runs things by ChatGPT, asking the chatbot to consider the tone and context of her conversations. Sometimes she'll instruct it to take on the role of a psychologist or therapist, asking for help to navigate scenarios as sensitive as a misunderstanding with her best friend. She once uploaded months of messages between them, prompting the chatbot to help her see what she might have otherwise missed. Unlike humans, D'hotman says, the chatbot is positive and non-judgmental. That's a feeling other neurodivergent people can relate to. Sarah Rickwood, a senior project manager in the sales training industry, based in Kent, England, has ADHD and autism. Rickwood says she has ideas that run away with her and often loses people in conversations. 'I don't do myself justice,' she says, noting that ChatGPT has 'allowed me to do a lot more with my brain.' With its help, she can put together emails and business cases more clearly. The use of AI-powered tools is surging. A January study conducted by Google and the polling firm Ipsos found that AI usage globally has jumped 48%, with excitement about the technology's practical benefits now exceeding concerns over its potentially adverse effects. In February, OpenAI told Reuters that its weekly active users surpassed 400 million, of which at least 2 million are paying business users. But for neurodivergent users, these aren't just tools of convenience and some AI-powered chatbots are now being created with the neurodivergent community in mind. Michael Daniel, an engineer and entrepreneur based in Newcastle, Australia, told Reuters that it wasn't until his daughter was diagnosed with autism — and he received the same diagnosis himself — that he realised how much he had been masking his own neurodivergent traits. His desire to communicate more clearly with his neurotypical wife and loved ones inspired him to build Neurotranslator, an AI-powered personal assistant, which he credits with helping him fully understand and process interactions, as well as avoid misunderstandings. 'Wow … that's a unique shirt,' he recalls saying about his wife's outfit one day, without realising how his comment might be perceived. She asked him to run the comment through NeuroTranslator, which helped him recognise that, without a positive affirmation, remarks about a person's appearance could come across as criticism. 'The emotional baggage that [normally] comes along with those situations would just disappear within minutes,' he says of using the app. Since its launch in September, Daniel says NeuroTranslator has attracted more than 200 paid subscribers. An earlier web version of the app, called Autistic Translator, amassed 500 monthly paid subscribers. As transformative as this technology has become, some warn against becoming too dependent. The ability to get results on demand can be 'very seductive,' says Larissa Suzuki, a London-based computer scientist and visiting NASA researcher who is herself neurodivergent. Overreliance could be harmful if it inhibits neurodivergent users' ability to function without it, or if the technology itself becomes unreliable — as is already the case with many AI search-engine results, according to a recent study from the Columbia Journalism Review. 'If AI starts screwing up things and getting things wrong,' Suzuki says, 'people might give up on technology, and on themselves." Baring your soul to an AI chatbot does carry risk, agrees Gianluca Mauro, an AI adviser and co-author of Zero to AI. 'The objective [of AI models like ChatGPT] is to satisfy the user,' he says, raising questions about its willingness to offer critical advice. Unlike therapists, these tools aren't bound by ethical codes or professional guidelines. If AI has the potential to become addictive, Mauro adds, regulation should follow. A recent study by Carnegie Mellon and Microsoft (which is a key investor in OpenAI) suggests that long-term overdependence on generative AI tools can undermine users' critical-thinking skills and leave them ill-equipped to manage without it. 'While AI can improve efficiency,' the researchers wrote, 'it may also reduce critical engagement, particularly in routine or lower-stakes tasks in which users simply rely on AI.' While Dr. Melanie Katzman, a clinical psychologist and expert in human behaviour, recognises the benefits of AI for neurodivergent people, she does see downsides, such as giving patients an excuse not to engage with others. A therapist will push their patient to try different things outside of their comfort zone. "I think it's harder for your AI companion to push you," she says. But for users who have come to rely on this technology, such fears are academic. 'A lot of us just end up kind of retreating from society,' warns D'hotman, who says that she barely left the house in the year following her autism diagnosis, feeling overwhelmed. Were she to give up using ChatGPT, she fears she would return to that traumatic period of isolation. 'As somebody who's struggled with a disability my whole life,' she says, 'I need this.'
