The Final Problem Netflix Review: A Sherlock-Style Spanish Mystery That Struggles to Crack the Case

An island, a storm, a body and a room full of suspects: the ingredients are pure Agatha Christie. Netflix’s new four-episode Spanish miniseries The Final Problem serves them up with a clever twist on Sherlock Holmes. Whether the dish satisfies is another matter.

The Case File

What’s the Premise?

Benjamin Basil is an aging, barely sober actor who once played Sherlock Holmes in a string of film adaptations. He joins his producer friend Fonseca (Gonzalo De Castro) for a possible new role and ends up at a remote island hotel run by the formidable Mrs. Ausländer (Maribel Verdú). After a stormy night, a hanging body is found. It looks like suicide until Benjamin’s sharp observations suggest murder, and with police delayed, the guests are stuck.

Where It Stumbles?

The reviewer’s biggest complaint is a wasted opportunity. The show could have played with the idea of an actor who only played a genius, but Benjamin simply behaves like Holmes, with no ego or mockery around it. The suspects rarely spark, and even the sidekick barely registers. María Valverde, as the icy widow Adela Figueroa, is a highlight.

The pace is the other issue. Suspense never builds, and the twists feel closer to a game of Clue than a gripping puzzle. The reviewer also questions the finale, and calls the handling of Benjamin’s sobriety lukewarm.

Should You Watch It?

The verdict is blunt: skip it. If you want a stronger whodunnit night, the review points to Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and The Residence. For more streaming picks and reviews, browse Technosports.

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