Squid Game has rocked the streaming world, and not for no reason. Squid Game released on Netflix in the middle of September, and has quickly become one of the most watched shows on Netflix’s streaming platform. Rotten Tomatoes critics gave the show a 94%, and the audience gave it a 85%, a well deserved rating as you will hear soon.

The premise of the show may be classic, pitting people against each other for money and killing those who lose. But it takes a new and fresh approach as well, the characters are not one dimensional characters but rather a vast kaleidoscope of actions and emotions. I do not often feel bad for characters being killed off, but with the absolute mastery of the actors it is hard to avoid feeling for them and their situation. I do not think anyone could see the ending plot twist coming, as it both comes out of the blue but not without making sense.

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director, is an incredible story teller and it shows in this piece of media. Although originally the script was created in 2008 and only recently picked up by Netflix, it feels new and fresh, like a new paint job on your old car.

The show has a serious and thoughtful tone, but that does not mean it is dry, surprise humor is thrown in every episode without compromising the main tone. I worried in some moments, laughed in others, and even got emotional over the character’s demise, which was all a refreshing change from the unfeeling television we watch today.

The show is extremely bingeable, nine episodes mostly with hour durations, but by the time you are done watching an episode you will be ready for another, and most likely watch it to completion in only a couple of days or less. Although a small series, each episode is jam packed with emotional moments and plot devices that make the pacing of the show perfect. 

Dylan Nguyen (23’) said, “Squid game is a great short show to watch, it was so good I binged it out in 2 days”. 

The tag #SquidGame on TikTok has been viewed more than 45.9 billion times, as of Oct.22, 2021. Jason Haimovici (23’) says, “I haven’t started the show, but seeing it all over TikTok is making me curious not to”.

Squid Game is a truly amazing show that deserves all the praise and attention it has received, I recommend anyone with a Netflix subscription to check it out, you will not be disappointed if you do.