Red Rose review: The series has a lot to say, perhaps too much

BBC Three's 2022 drama, Red Rose, just made its Netflix debut on February 15, 2023, and it seems like the streaming giant has decided to head down a much darker direction after the Valentine's Day festivities. Created by The Clarkson Twins, who were also a part of the brilliant Mike Flanagan's The Haunting of Bly Manor, the eight-episode ride into the abyss of social media and smartphones was equal parts intriguing and terrifying.

To be fair, this is not one of the greatest horror stories to come to light. But given its relevance in the present day, especially with the tremendous rise of the virtual world, it is indeed a terrifying prospect to see what an app can do to youngsters, especially when things like this have already surfaced in recent news.

Red Rose follows a group of youngsters and deals with a myriad of suppressed topics, ranging from social media addiction to grief to teenage angst and jealousy. The plate is so full that it could be the only shortcoming of the otherwise brilliantly thought-out series.

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Red Rose review: A creepier and more haunted version of Black Mirror

Netflix's Black Mirror has left such a profound impact on sci-fi viewers that it is almost impossible to see any technological horror without comparing it to the ace show. Red Rose's struggles, its concept, and its resolution all have hints that link it to Black Mirror thematically. But it is much more (or less, depending on the taste).

Kicking off with GCSE student Rochelle (Isis Hainsworth) and her group of friends, the show does not wait at all before building a suspenseful and tight atmosphere. The very first scene of Red Rose is a girl jumping off the roof after being tormented by the application.

It soon lands in the hands of Rochelle, who is still grieving over her mother's suicide and facing untimely financial ruin. With these themes of the human condition already on the table, it is much more interesting when the app comes into another life. Like all apps in the present day (though much more subtle in real life, so far), it first abundantly rewards the user before starting to suck out their life and attention.

As it slowly seizes control of the user's life, the mystery dives deeper into what this application is and who is doing these eerily accurate things. As the series crosses the halfway mark, things also get abundantly creepy and intense. The biggest fear factor in this show remains its relatability, both to the teenage perception of the events in the plot and the eventual growth of technology all around us in the real world.

This ends up creating some enthralling drama and an unparalleled thrill. The ending is also not completely botched and does offer some serious takeaways.

The only problem that is recurring throughout the series is the lack of a concrete direction. With so many themes thrown into the mix, ranging from teenage angst to mental health issues, grief, technological intervention, and ghosts and spirits, it weakens the purpose of a streamlined narrative. While some shows and films have previously managed to excel with multiple themes in hand, for Red Rose, this is quite the Achilles' heel.

Still, it is an excellent watch that is smart, charismatic, and full of promise. Red Rose is totally worth your time and attention.

All the episodes of Red Rose are now streaming on Netflix.