by As of today, Apple TV+ launches the first two episodes of “Smoke”, a detective series with Taron Egerton but which promises to be more attempt than what it looks like. Guaranteed criticism without spoilers.
After its successful success at the end of 2024 on Netflix with Carry-on, Taron Egerton returns to a mini-series on Apple TV+ in a very different role. The British actor has played many heroes in the last decade, but his best role in showing his dramatic talents arrived with the Black Bird series by Dennis Lehane. In the new Smoke drama, Egerton finds Lehane to track down pyromaniacs.
In this role of fire investigator, Dave Gudsen, Taron Egerton follows two criminals in a fictitious city in the Northwest Pacific. Former firefighter, Dave changed profession after seeing death in the face. Although the narration is a little boring at the beginning, she reveals that Dave also writes a novel based on her career, transforming what seemed to be a standard mystery into an exploration of masculinity, identity and desire. But much more! But to find out, you have to wait until the end of episode 2.
A complex dynamic between the characters
After months of blocking on criminal fires that remain unresolved, inspector Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) is called to help Dave. Their first interactions are full of clichés of police officers: Michelle is emotionally closed because of childhood trauma, and her chaotic personal life overflows on her work. Dave, on the other hand, is reluctant to accept his help, which creates a power struggle that seems ready to degenerate into a romance that we do not want to see.
Despite sometimes clumsy dialogues, their duo evolves unexpectedly. As they investigate a pyromaniac who sets fire to stores, their dynamics are marked by doubt and vulnerability, each trying to understand the other. Their interaction reflects both egotic and emotional tension, which gives another dynamic to their quest for truth.
Apple TV+
An exploration of criminals motivations
Smoke's account alternates between two investigations, one being a kind of whodunnit and the other a kind of “how to catch”, revealing early the identity of the culprit, Freddy (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine), a socially unfit cook. Over the episodes, we will realize that the narrative structure will create a gap between the two intrigues, even if they end up crossing. Smoke really intends to plunge into the psychology of pyromaniacs.
Without revealing why or how, we can assure you that Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett offer solid performance, supported by a set of actors including Greg Kinnear, Rafe Spall and John Leguizamo also in tune. Their presence stabilizes the story, especially when characters like Greg Kinnear, a Dave rival, and Anna Chlumsky, who arrives at half investigation, interact when history begins to run out of steam.
Apple TV+
Assumed ambiguity
Smoke is undeniably an ambitious series, but it also becomes more and more unstable and strange as it goes. The tones vary between realistic and the fantastic, aimed at disturbing the spectator's certainties. Even if this choice is intentional, it can destabilize the spectator. But that does not spoil the desire to see the rest at the end of each episode.
And even if we think that the end will leave some people hungry … Smoke remains a solid summer offer, flirting with a pulp style glorified by the character of Dave.
But in the end, Smoke allows Taron Egerton to show its dramatic range again. We bet that his interpretation will divide even his biggest fans, but it is in our opinion a performance which makes it a series to look without hesitation.
