Turn of the Tide (TV Series 2023– ) Poster

(2023– )

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8/10
A true Portuguese gem
Rabo de Peixe is a true gem that effortlessly captures the spirit of community, resilience, and hope. Set in a picturesque Portuguese fishing village, this captivating series weaves together multiple narratives, delving into the lives of well-developed characters who feel like real people. The attention to detail in the set design and cinematography immerses us in the vibrant world of Rabo de Peixe, while tackling important social issues with grace. With top-notch direction and production values, this must-watch series creates an unforgettable viewing experience, portraying the strength of community and the power of dreams.
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6/10
A poor man's Narcos
thePopcornExplorer16 June 2023
Let me start by mentioning that I have been very impressed with the content that Portugal has been putting out these past years, it all started when I saw the TV show "Sara" a mix of drama and comedy all the way until "Glória" made its debut as the first Portuguese show to come to Netflix - and "Glória" is in fact a good example of an amazing produced series based on a real life event even though it also took a lot of creative liberties to the actual story, I am afraid to say that it's not the same for "Rabo de Peixe".

The fact that is based on an insane real life event, it had all the potential to be a great story, but they went for a loosely based adaptation instead of a more factual one which although its not necessarily bad I feel its a missed opportunity to tackle some important issues that to this day affect what is one of the most poor communities in Portugal.

I don't want to talk for the people of the neighborhood they will have their own take but in all honesty I don't think this depiction made them any justice whatsoever.

For starters, I realize this would've been a hard task, the main characters have absolutely no accent and given that Açores is known for its thick accent (Rabo de Peixe in particular when depicted on Portuguese news, journalists actually add subtitles even for Portuguese audiences), so it automatically loses its authenticity there.

Of course this is not the main issue, one could look the other way but here's the major problem; this is a generic Hollywood drug related drama... there's nothing specific to the way its told that differentiates it from any other drug related story you see.

You have a conflicted likable protagonist that leaves in tough conditions and wants to improve their life so you insert the drug trafficking as a plot device, intense / over the top action sequences, predictable outcomes, party related scenes filmed frenetically.. and the list goes on.

Furthermore the plot is so fast to develop, you have a Mafia boss that arrives on the island and finds what he is looking for in record time and to wrap things up a lot of the acting is a bit strange given they tried to add a pinch of comedy to it so it just becomes strange in specific scenes.

Without getting into much more details its a boring, average action story, the characters are not charismatic enough to make it better (with the exception of the great Albano Jerónimo although his performance seems quite the contrast in comparison to everyone else) the only really amazing part are the outstanding landscapes of Açores given it probably has the most beautiful locations in Portugal.

You get the feeling that somehow they took (heavy) inspiration from Narcos but not in a good way, I am hoping to see more Portuguese content gaining relevance but I hope they don't extend this series too much, not worth it, they took the focus from the event and made it to this blend main protagonist.
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6/10
Ok for international standards /Great for national
I believe this series is a step in the right direction but still a long way to go Inflating this series rating just because we are portuguese is a disservice for portuguese acting. On the good side the image is good, beautiful landscapes, there are some funny moments, and the acting from the younger actors (characters Eduardo, Bruna, Silvia etc.) is very good. The acting of some of the older generation is not.. There is too much swearing, the story line lacks suspense, intelligence and unpredictability. Series like Narcos, Casa de Papel, Prison Break, Peaky Blinders are worthy 8 or 9. This one if I hold the same standards cannot be given more than 6. It's ok for international standards, great for the current National. Anyways congrats on the work and keep going. I wish all the cast the best of luck.
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10/10
Way better than I thought it would be!
ricardormsoares26 May 2023
I'm not gonna lie, my expectations were really low but I was still curious about it, I start watching it and the story was just too addicting to just stop in the first episode, the more you watch, the more you wanna watch. It's a great feeling I haven't felt in a while! If you are into kind of thriller slightly dark humor vibe with a lot of profanity, I really recommend you take a look at this. Enough to say that the story is actually part real, part fiction... Just like titanic... The events are real but the story itself is not, but actually I was surprised of how accurate the show came out to be to the real event that took place in Azores. I was also surprised by the quality of the visual effects and editing, besides some art choices, and dialogue comparing the budget of this show compared to some mainstream shows. I would totally recommend to see it!
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10/10
Amazing
psymart26 May 2023
This is an amazing show-a tour de force of writing, acting, directing, filming, story-telling. The plotting is remarkable, in that it unfolds as it must have had to, but is surprising at every turn. It is a series fully aware of itself in the history of such movies as it mentions-Dirty Harry, Carlito's Way, even Matrix-but never derivatively. It's rammed with life, history, local and world culture. It's wicked and delightful all along, and every single performance, every line of dialogue and voiceover narration, hits home with the viewer and with the characters in the action. It's themes of poverty, the will of God, and the motives that animate the human condition suffuse every scene and shot and situation. Great too is the the use of language-Portuguese, Italian, English-and of the actors who move in and out of them as they work out their fates.
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Uneven
Blechtrommel10 June 2023
A couple of actors are really good in their roles in just the right balance between caricature and naturalism. Namely Rodrigo Tomas. Others, like Afonso Pimentel, are over-the-top and right down unbelievable, playing characters that behave as randomly as being catholic in one scene and muslim in the next. But the worst part is that some of the options taken by the directors are simply in poor taste: the cringe voice-over by Pepe Rapazote, the extended disco scenes, the exhausting drone shots, the fact that no-one so poor would look as fit and groomed as Jose Condessa or Helena Caldeira, the fact that almost nobody in the cast has the unmistakable accent of that particular island. In fact they mostly speak in a very metropolitan central-Portuguese accent. Moreover, the difference in quality between the episodes directed by Augusto Fraga and the ones directed by Patricia Sequeira is ENORMOUS, with her episodes very often lacking in ideas, structure (her cutting is absolutely random whereas Fraga's is almost cinematic), or rhythm. It doesn't help that she also gets the least eventful episodes, but still, what she chooses the do with them seems devoid of purpose and often borderlines the telenovela.
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7/10
Nice try but Portugal is not quite there yet
JPARM-IMDb28 May 2023
As a portuguese, I'm obviously proud to see a production from my country on a platform like Netflix. It's an uncommon achievement for us. However, and I know some people might get this wrong, we still have a long way to go.

Rabo de Peixe doesn't exactly bring anything refreshing to the table, except maybe for the picturesque shooting location. We've seen this kind of clichéd, formulaic action and drama many times before.

I don't mean to generalize but what we have here is an amateurish and over the top acting and a flawed and lazy writing. You'll find some unrealistic moments and plot holes. What's more, I know it must be hard to find actors with a micaelense accent but it makes no sense to shoot a series about people from Azores where no one seems to be from there. Also, it's relatively normal to swear on TV but there's way too much swearing! The overuse of cursing won't add anything to the story, on the contrary.

That being said, it's still an enjoyable show about misery, hope, greed and survival but a forgettable one too.
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10/10
Amazing
acesteves-9805027 May 2023
Amazing story, photography, writing, landscapes, actors and director. I have no words to describe such a great job!!

I feel that Turn of the tide is much more than a story that happened in Azores, Portugal. It could have happened anywhere. Only that it didn't. A group of friends, full of dreams with a lousy life. Improving their lives using all means they can.

In my opinion this is really a good series. The actors are great and the director did an amazing job!

Turn of the Tide is for sure something we will remember many years from now. I strongly recommend seeing it!

Looking forward to season 2!!
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6/10
Poor direction and action scenes that belong in a spoof movie...
gamesxppt22 November 2023
It's not all bad here but the bad bits are indeed REALLY bad. The voice over from Pepe Rapazote is mostly cringy, the script is often very amateurish and the action scenes involving the police are so terrible that look like they were taken from a poorly made spoof movie. If there's a second season I'll definitely watch it but they gotta up their game to get anywhere near the level of other foreign TV shows like 'La Casa de Papel' and other much better crafted shows. Overall, a disappointing effort which has received a lot of undeserved hype, and as a Portuguese I look forward to seeing a real quality show being produced within our shores.
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10/10
A surprise
helena_resende29 May 2023
Loved every bit of it! It is an addicting show, you can't just Watch one episode, It leaves you wanting more! In my opinion one of the best portuguese shows, portuguese ficcion is outdated to say the least, these guys did an amazing job! Seen some people complain about "excessive swearing" well as a portuguese the swearing felt very normal (unless you're from Lisbon and it scares you😂) portuguese people swear a lot, sorry!! Loved the actors performance even tho I didn't know one or two.

Regarding not using the accent from Azores people really need to understand that not even continentals can understand it, so it kinda makes sense for it to not be predominat with the main characters ( even tho they acc try to say some words) but most of the secondary characters and extras do have the accent ;)
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6/10
Not completely bad but a
inesmgr5 June 2023
I enjoyed the show because of some of the actors and the scenary (Azores are really beautiful).

The sound track was ok, I enjoyed a lot because, apart from Sandro G, the were songs I grew up with.

I knew about Rabo de Peixe cocaína story, and that was one of the reasons I went there when I was.on holiday on São Miguel island.

But I didn't like the writing, the depth of the characters and there were so many loop holes that the story does not have any credibility whatsoever.

And the girls wardrobe... I know it is Britney Spears peak time in the 2000's, so low waist and showing the belly was the rage back then. And they live near the sea. But why do they have to be on a bikini all the time? I know sex sells, but that is too much.
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10/10
A promising series
hquerido9731 May 2023
"Rabo de Peixe," a Portuguese series filmed on São Miguel Island in the Azores, Portugal, offers a gripping and thrilling narrative that captivates viewers from start to finish. Set in the small village of Rabo de Peixe, the story takes an unexpected turn when a ton of cocaine washes ashore, forever changing the lives of its inhabitants. The protagonist, Eduardo, a young fisherman, along with his closest friends, embarks on an impromptu business venture with the newly arrived Atlantic treasure. However, dealing with a ton of cocaine doesn't go unnoticed, and our characters find themselves entangled in a dangerous and unpredictable adventure, facing off against the drug lords, the police, and a host of unpredictable individuals. This series excels in keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The fast-paced storyline is filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and high-stakes encounters. It skillfully weaves together elements of action, drama, and even a touch of dark humor, ensuring an enthralling viewing experience that leaves audiences eagerly anticipating the next episode. Not only does "Rabo de Peixe" offer an adrenaline-pumping narrative, but it also showcases the stunning beauty of São Miguel Island. The breathtaking landscapes of the Azores serve as a picturesque backdrop, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the series. The stunning cinematography captures the essence of the island's natural splendor, making it an integral part of the storytelling. The cast delivers outstanding performances, bringing depth and authenticity to their characters. Their portrayal of the emotions, struggles, and resilience of the villagers adds an emotional layer to the series. The chemistry among the actors is palpable, creating a believable dynamic that draws viewers deeper into the story. "Rabo de Peixe" tackles themes of courage, friendship, and the consequences of one's actions. It explores the complexities of small-town life and the unexpected challenges that arise when faced with extraordinary circumstances. The series offers a profound examination of the human spirit and the choices we make when pushed to our limits. In conclusion, "Rabo de Peixe" is a remarkable Portuguese series that combines an exhilarating plot, breathtaking scenery, and outstanding performances. It takes viewers on a thrilling and emotional journey through the lives of the villagers in Rabo de Peixe, as they navigate the dangerous world of drug trafficking. This series showcases the incredible talent of the Portuguese television industry and is a testament to its ability to create captivating and internationally appealing content.
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7/10
FISH TAIL
Guanche4829 June 2023
I really liked the series, I didn't know what to expect, but it surprised me in a very positive way. It has all, or almost all the elements to enjoy a nice ride! It's exciting, humor, good music, good story and fantastic photography! And the Portuguese language, really nice!

I think the last two chapters change the pace a bit, but without taking away too much thrillish elements. I would have given it a 8, if there wasn't a romance that bothers me, it's still something personal, but it does take away some excitement from the story in my opinion.

The girls in bikini the whole time, are a No go! Very unrealistic and strange.

I recommend it without a doubt! And by the way , I think the translation of the series title is really bad, Rabo de Peixe is just a beautiful title with a meaning too.
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3/10
Pity the story is so poorly told!
qui_j9 June 2023
This is an interesting concept, set in a place with beautiful seascapes and scenery, but is a story that is poorly told. It's as if there are many dots for story points, but there is no connecting thread to connect the dots in a logical manner. The scenes are just randomly stitched together in the hope that the story will somehow unfold, and that viewers will not question the sequence of events too much, especially when there is no context provided to show a connection between A and B. It's as if the writers and directors did not use a story board, but instead did a cut and paste as they went along, stitching together some very strange patchwork of events along the way. Do not see how there can be a season 2 given the rather flimsy plot of Season 1. Multiple sex partners and gender bending really isn't enough to hold things together.
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10/10
A-MA-ZING
pedrocorreia-2981830 May 2023
In a worldwide perspective it's another gangster/historical/fictional show, which considering the budget, it came out with an excellent result in terms of production.

In a local perspective (as a Portuguese) it's the best in that genre show that we have made. For us, it has all the actors, all the scenes, all the beauty of S. Miguel, attached to one of the most iconic dark event of Rabo de Peixe community that marked a generation, very well fulfilled with a fictional story that "forces us" to want to see more.

For those who complain about the lack of Azores actors, according to Wikipedia there are 8 Azorean actors... I know there are many more irl but why is that such an issue?

10*
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9/10
A giant step forward for Portugal
ruijramos31 May 2023
A top-notch cast, brilliant plot, excellent realization. Finally a Portuguese product of such quality. All those involved deserve congratulations and it's a giant step forward for Portuguese television.

Pepe Rapazote proved once again to be a high-flying actor and made the series even more interesting when he started to appear. José Condessa played the role of the protagonist excellently. The entire cast was very well chosen, and well played in having given the Italian role to Marcantonio Del Carlo.

The town of Rabo de Peixe is very well represented and makes you want to visit the filming locations. The whole island was very well used for the filming. I can't wait for the second season.
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7/10
Another decent Portuguese show
JeanFlores-Dickens8 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I have to say this series was way better than I expected, one of the things for me is even though I speak Portuguese fluently I had to put subtitles on, and I believe it's because of the Azorean accent The leads were great specially the characters of Eduardo and Carlos

Pros 1. The story was great and compelling 2. The area it was based the f 90's I believe.

3. Jose Condessa, what a gorgeous man

Cons 1. The obsession with America, but then again I believe that was a thing in the 80s 90ss 2. Uncle Joe, what an underdeveloped characters speaking English all time and they all understood each other, I understand the Portuguese. It speaks good English, but that was a bit too much.. 3. The ending sucks. I don't know if this is Netflix thing trying to have this open ending so they could've come back for season two, but it just sucks.
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7/10
Could it be better?
jcmoreno-0744314 June 2023
Let´s begin from the reviews, a lot of 10 that are not worthy and i believe they come from people connected to the project.

So, is this bad? No, it´s a nice effort from a portuguese producer who have good things and other not so good.

It´s based on a true story , a boat with a load of cocaine, with a mechanical problem who has to be repaired ,but first they hide the drugs in caves near the coast and local people find it turning a small poor village in a chaotic zone.

The good: Good photography ,nice landscapes,some good acting, good soundtrack.

The bad:This is a mix between comedy and drama, and it doesn´t work so well on this series.

Some overacting , some characters are very good ,but some are exaggerated. The cut sometimes is to frenzy. The story could had a better argument.

So, it´s not a must see ,but it´s nice to watch if you dig this kind of stuff.

I would give a 6 ,if not portuguese, but it´s portuguese and i know how hard is the effort to put something like this to work ,so i will give a 7.
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10/10
Unexpected plot filled with beautiful scenery!
Loved this show so much I wanted to rewatch it right away over and over again!! 😁 Gongratz to all the people who worked on this show!! It was so beautiful to watch and so exciting!! Every episode was so engaging it grabbed my attention and didn't let go!! From the start the characters brought the viewer onto that island and kept us all entertained. It was really refreshing to watch and the most beautiful part is where it was filmed: in the azores! Such beautiful place! Every scene with natures , the mountains and ocean all around them were breathtaking! I totally recommend everyone to watch!! Have fun!
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7/10
Uneven but watchable
privateman-2633629 September 2023
I found the plot kinda uneven, even pretentious at some points. The first episode starts off very good. You are then taken to some character development with some of the main protaganists that felt like plot filler instead of being necessary to tell the story. Some of the actions of the main protaganists were repeated over and over and became annoying. The next problem is the main protaganist is waay too knowledgeable and slick about how to handle every situation that he incurs. The highlights are some good plot twists toward the end and some fantastic location filming. Taken as a whole the series is very watchable and recommended.
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10/10
Pretty Great!!
fwxxfhbg29 May 2023
Great actors overall, pretty decent action and great scenery!

I came into this show with low expectations since the first portuguese netflix show Gloria was so terrible. However, i was surprised with the quality of the plot! Sure it might be a little cliché and predictable, but it's still totally enjoyable!

I do want to mention that it's a little disappointing to not have the characters have an azorian accent or azorian vocabulary, but it's not surprising... Still, so the scenery of the whole show beautifully portraits the unique Azores

Outstanding performances by Pepe Rapazote especially, but also from Ze Condessa, Helena Caldeira and Albano Jerónimo!

I ended up binge watching it in two days, and i don't do that with any show!

I really encourage you to watch it if you feel like having a chill good time!
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7/10
Better than i expecteded
carrapice9 August 2023
Good performances from the actors,good story and cinematography, well shoot.

Things to improve:

First of foremost the audio mixing in post-production, too much bass, music's too loud in relation to the dialogue, especially during the narration scenes.

The narration combines Portuguese/English/Italian, most of the time english/portuguese, it is spoken too fast and with an "aguardante" (brandy) voice and that combination of things makes it sometimes hard to understand.

I need subtitles and i´m portuguese.

Another minor issue is the excessive use of curse words, don't get me wrong it's ok in the right context, but when a character uses the F word as an end sentence every time in the same episode, well that's just too much for me.
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5/10
Not good, not bad, just ... Meh
bastos-ar19 June 2023
Although entertaining, this show misses the potential it had. Fundamentally, it resulted in an attempt to mimic a Guy Ritchie influenced action/comedy bounded by Portuguese idiosyncrasies and stylistic approach. Now, imagine that in Ritchie's films, the gipsy speaks with a Californian accent or the Eastenders speak with a Chelsea accent, that's similar to what you get when you cast Lisbon-based actors to portray the islanders of the Azores archipelago.

Adding to the many nonsensical bits in the plot, there's an overall lack of realization of the comedic and dramatic heights as a combination of poor writing, directing, editing or acting choices.

Stylistically, there's just something very questionable about Portuguese commercial productions, something like a kitsch folkish vibe with a degrading sense of humour and generalisation of vulgar traits that contributes to the poor acting performances, understandably so, one might add. This results, among other things, in unrealistic dialogue with overusage of slang and curse words. I beg directors: don't make Lisbon-based actors curse on screen! Sounds ridiculous... Exceptions to the above are Rapazote and Del Carlo who deliver solid performances.

So, yeah...
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10/10
Fresh air, so awesome and simple
joao_mprata7 June 2023
Good actors, the story is amazing based on true events. What a good surprise. The places that shows up are incredible. I recommend this series 10/10. Congratularions to Portugal and to netflix that supported these guys. The ambient is cool, the music, the colors. We need more like this

Good actors, the story is amazing based on true events. What a good surprise. The places that shows up are incredible. I recommend this series 10/10. Congratularions to Portugal and to netflix that supported these guys. The ambient is cool, the music, the colors. We need more like this

Turn of the tide is a must see.
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9/10
Great job! We want more
holisticvision_sigma22 June 2023
Imagine half a ton of cocaine washing ashore on the most remote island in Europe. The people from the island are the poorest and don't even know the drug. If this came to reveal as a tragedy for them, it was also a divine comedy - and it really happened in 2001, in one of the Azores islands. This place is called Rabo de Peixe, which in Portuguese means something like "Fish Ass". The series finds a funny and strange side, which reveals several layers of feelings through apparently comic characters while showing several ways of looking at this problem. This ends up being a case study of how external factors completely transform a community.
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