Criminal: Spain (2019) User Reviews

Not as good as the UK episodes

[maibritt-589-918706 · 7/10 · 29 September 2019]

I love the fact that Netflix made four different takes on this with different languages. I first saw the UK episodes and loved them! The problem for me with the Spanish episodes is the character of Maria, the boss of the team. From the first five minutes and through the entire three episodes she seems unprofessional, reckless, chaotic and unlikable. She breaks rules, fakes warrants, sleeps with one of her employees and takes over interrogations as she sees fit. Maybe I'm just not getting her character, but it kind of ruined the Spanish episodes for me. The thing I loved about the UK episodes was the sense of professionalism and skill set, that I just don't get here. The stories are interesting though, and the other actors are great, so definitely still worth the watch. I watched it with original sound and subtitles, as I did with the UK episodes (I'm Danish).

Not bad

[dawnster-1 · 8/10 · 29 September 2019]

But the woman in charge of interrogations is a real psychopath. The actress playing her did really well in making me hate her with her actions

Outstanding !!

[Vindelander · 8/10 · 21 September 2019]

Just like the French, German and English versions this series is unbelievably good and it's just a shame that the episodes are so short and few. Hopefully they'll develop the concept into a longer series as we're only just getting to know the characters by the end of episode 3.

Great casting and storyline and eminently suitable for adaptation to the stage.

Estas Pillado !

[refordgarry · 6/10 · 11 October 2020]

Reminiscent of "Crown Court", from those rose-tinted days of good daytime UK TV. These 3 "shorts", however take us to the Spanish Police interrogation room, where vital trial evidence is being gleaned from unhelpful detainees. The 3 unrelated plots suffer from being as corny as "pastel de choclo", with all the vogue "messaging" & 100% telegraphed plot-twists. The "rubia" Police inspector , played by Emma Suarez, behaves like a sociopath bully, but her two junior colleagues, represented by Álvaro Cervantes & María Morales offset her most competently, all actors, incidentally with excellent diction - good enough to present to modern languages students - a recognition of the skills required for good acting-craft, and taking care of one's own language.

Overly dramatic

[River225 · 7/10 · 24 November 2019]

The suspect's stories are interesting. However, the lead prosecutor is too dramatic. It's overkill. She distracts from the show. Also, the defense lawyers are just props. They're useless to their clients. I really enjoyed the UK series. I'm glad they're only 3 Spain episodes.

Buenisima serie!! Solamente 3 capitulos? Snif!

[Guanche48 · 10/10 · 23 September 2019]

Maravillosos actores,Emma Suarez buenisima en esta serie!! Ninguna cosa negativa que añadir. No se la pierdan. La tension la musica ..el guion, todo!! ..fantastica!! Vi la version UK tambien.. y tampoco tiene desperdicio. :))) Dont miss it!!!

Lacks subtlety

[tureluur-99170 · 7/10 · 22 January 2022]

It's interesting enough, and the setup is the same as the UK version: separate cases with a suspect in the interrogation room. But the Spanish version of Criminal lacks the subtlety of the UK version, as do the French and German versions. Besides, the acting isn't as good as in Criminal: UK.

Also funny: some of the actors in Criminal: Spain have enormous noses. In Holland (or any other northern European country), they would never be cast to act in a series like this BC they would be considered not goodlooking enougd.

Better than the impressive U. K. set

[gibbs-18172 · 10/10 · 20 September 2019]

So after watching the superb UK trilogy I opted for the Spanish version and to be honest at first it seemed terrible, cringe worthy even but it was the dubbing that was getting under my skin. So here's a tip for anyone who is under the same impression. Go to options, and choose original Spanish audio and English subtitles. This makes the irritating noise disappear and you can indulge in another 3 episodes of this unique idea of a detective series.

One of Netflix's triumphs, if you are too lazy or shallow to read the subs then you make do with voice over actors

I gave the UK version a 9 and that starred David Tennant, this is good.

Dilemma

[Guanche48 · 10/10 · 23 September 2019]

Every episode is another and different thema. Worth watching..all of them!

Bad characters

[clsi-19102 · 3/10 · 21 September 2020]

The characters of the series' investigators are liars, manipulators and even forge evidence to intimidate the investigated. They do everything to get results. Although it is fiction, exaggerations are offensive to viewers with common sense.

A great series by Netflix

[aurasbob · 8/10 · 1 October 2019]

Carmen Mache was FABULOUS in this & makes the entire program worth watching alone. She should win an award for her performance!!!🏆

Spanish People Don't Seem To Like Their Police

[dibeyendu · 8/10 · 8 February 2024]

Since the Criminal series features four countries, comparisons are inevitable and the Spanish version really fares badly against the British, Germand and French versions. The police seem to be a very unpopular lot in Spain, judging by how this series has been written. I got the same feeling watching Money Heist, where the police were depicted more as villains than heroes. In all three episodes of Criminal: Spain, the police officers behave very badly, resorting to some very unethical practices in order to get their way. This creates an uncomfortable situation for the viewer. Who, after all, is the criminal here?

Great Show

[bshaef-34229 · 8/10 · 27 September 2019]

I'm really into this series. I watched all of them in one day. I am changing my middle name to dl Los Angeles. That is so cool, especially when someone has to say her full name. I certainly wouldn't want to be interrogated by one of those detectives if I had killed someone or done something equally nefarious.

Lmao can the plot be any more ridiculous???

[ana-gagoidze · 1/10 · 29 September 2019]

Fake the warrant? Nearly kill a suspect with heart attack due to threatening them to put their dog down? And after this crap the chief investigator gets a pat on the shoulder for doing a great job. Over dramatic, ridiculous and terrible acting.

Good show

[awwburreee · 8/10 · 28 September 2019]

Love all the plot twists that remain pretty unexpected. Cervantes would make a fantastic prince harry in the future.

Creditt the voices please

[tabithacowen · 8/10 · 26 September 2019]

Enjoying these as pieces of short drama and appreciate the challenges of making shows "less dubby" As an avid radio drama. Listener the U.K. Season relied heavily on looks and visual tension, so far the Spanish one would work equally well on radio. I cannot find any info about the British actors who are in this series. i thought one of the detactives is Alison's dowling who plays Elizabeth's pargiter in the Archers and it's driving me nuts not knowing!! Please credit these actors as often they are having to bring a clunky translated script to life.

If you liked Criminal: UK...

[taedirish · 3/10 · 20 February 2021]

If you liked criminal UK, you'll probably be hugely disappointed by Criminal Spain. I'm unsure how accurately this show represents Spain's legal system but if it's accurate, the cops spend half their time trying to kick out the defendant's lawyer and the rest of the time asking about their vacations or backing up their nonsensical theories with their "gut" Perhaps it's something lost in the awful translations but this show is definitely NOT up to par with its UK counterpart...

Bad script supervisor and editing

[edamamebb · 2/10 · 5 October 2019]

This first episode is so different from the UK version. The story isn't bad but it just seems very, very sloppy. Isabel is far too uneasy the whole way through. Overacting for getting excessively fidgety. The sloppiest of all is when the props are all at the wrong place. Isabel has all her stuff out of her bag and back in her bag over and over again and they don't match up. It's especially evident in the end (37:05) when she puts on her lipstick one last time. Her bag and phone are on the left of her but when she was done and the camera angles switches coming from the corner of the room, her bag, phone and everything are on the corner to Isabel's right. No continuity whatsoever. Did they even have a script supervisor? What a sloppy editor for not noticing or ignoring the mistake. This is not on par with the UK series at all.

Can't compare with the German or UK episodes

[bemelius · 1/10 · 5 December 2019]

If the show gets renewed, please replace Spain with any other country on this planet. This was such a let down after two very strong installments from Germany and also the UK. The Spanish one was just not good at all.

weak

[duncanidaho123 · 3/10 · 29 September 2019]

The spanish Version is far worse than UK or Germany, bad acting and weird cases, especially the story with the dog.

Wtf moments

[supercutelillian · 3/10 · 2 October 2020]

After watching UK season one and two and France season one, it's safe to say this version is totally disappointing. I convinced myself to keep watching because I had faith, only to feel cheated at the end... WtF? That's it? What's it trying to convey? I'm so annoyed I need to write a review warning people not to waste precious time.

The worst of the criminal series

[krombang · 2/10 · 18 August 2020]

Ridiculous. Seems like the writer doesn't even know about the law yet writing about crime story. I stopped watching during the 1 st ep. when they brought in the dog. at the same time I was wondering if I just watched a movie made by elementary kids who definitely would agree a scare tactic using a dog will work in the police department. Or, are you saying that the police department in Spain is that silly? I would be offended if I were from Spain...

Crappy

[redinnevada · 1/10 · 29 August 2020]

I'm a sucker for even half decent mystery and detective type shows. If they have an even half decent plot to keep you guessing, then it's worth spending time on it. I reasonably enjoyed the UK version even if the 3rd episode got really boring.

But this version was BAD. Horrible, stupid, not even interesting crazy plots. Just...BAD! Bad acting, bad plots, bad dubbing, bad acting! (again), bad everything.

NONE of the characters draw you in to even care enough to continue. But should you make it through the first episode (and this is REALLY tough given the most ridiculous plot I've EVER seen) then you'll truly come to despite the so-called lead character. She's an entitled, manipulative B. I wanted her to fail every second.

Nothing of value in this string of episodes.

I really hope the France and Germany line of episodes redeems this show idea.

I wanted to like this part of the series too but couldn't

[eac-89 · 4/10 · 6 May 2021]

I watched Criminal UK and Criminal Germany. I am sorry to say this but this version is not half as good as the other two. The main reason was the Maria, the chief investigator who was just highly irritating from the start to finish. Unethical decisions and arrogant acts such as hers has no place in a police department. If it was not for her, my score for these series would be a 6.

the Spain version is a pure exercise of mansplaining

[pilar-narvaez · 2/10 · 25 September 2020]

A pitty the version from Spain surrenders to sexism. Actors are bad, the scripts are very bad. I can't imagine how the screen writers handled to turn a series with a female boss and a balanced team into a pure exercise of mansplaining where men tell constantly the boss what she has to do and how wrong she is and how the two female in the team don't get along because one of them is jealous of her beauty boss... Comparing it with the UK version is a bad parody.