Inside 'Fantasmas': Julio Torres' surreal satire on tech and fame
Usually, reviews are written to recommend something to someone. Or quite the opposite: to warn the unaware viewer from wasting their time and money. This review states one thing: this is not a series for everyone. And it's a pity because it's fantastic!
One thing is sure here: the title. "Fantasmas" accurately describes what we see on the screen during this six-episode rollercoaster ride. I would love to be in the office of some wealthy TV producer when Julio Torres pitches his idea for the series. Did it sound like this:
"My character, who is not me, though he has the same name as me, loses a gold charm shaped like an oyster. To find it, he has to get a 'certificate of existence' and navigate through bureaucratic machinery, encountering many adventures"?
Or maybe more like this: "It's an exceptionally contemporary and sharp satire on technology, social media, the cult of influencers, and show business. We'll serve it in a fluorescent sauce and sprinkle it with absurdity"?
There is yet a third option: "I'll gather my friends from 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Los Espookys' so that familiar faces attract viewers. We'll make a parody of 'Real Housewives' and 'Alf,' but this time, the family father will have an affair with a furry alien. Did I mention the Smurfs?"
I don't know which of these options Torres chose - but it worked! He wrote, directed, and then starred in the leading role in "Fantasmas," a strangely colourful creation. It's as if someone gave a child all the crayons in the world and said, "Now draw your dream." The metaphor with crayons is not out of place (and reviewing this particular series, I would have every right to), because the serial Julio is the inventor of a colorless crayon. And an aspiring influencer. And a hypochondriac. He's also someone who must at all costs get a 'certificate of existence,' without which, in the world of "Fantasmas," you can't do anything.
As many colours as there are in the series, there are many characters in this astonishing menagerie, such as Julio's assistant, Bibo. A star of a teen series wants to start an equal distribution of goods among industry workers until he realizes that this would mean he would have less. Mermaids are running a call center. An aspiring actress is pretending to be her agent and her fans online. "Real Women of New York" is dressed in sequin gowns wandering the set of the 20th season of a reality show, which turns out to be part of a mad producer's devilish plan. A lot? This isn't even 10 percent of what you'll see during this rollercoaster ride.
But it's not like "Fantasmas" is a crazy carousel without rhyme or reason. Yes, "Fantasmas" is a crazy carousel with mirrors placed very thoughtfully. To reflect, transform, reveal, and mock. Indeed, even Charlie Brooker of "Black Mirror" will open his eyes wide when he sees how Torres portrays our entanglement in technology and our submission to it. Take the acid, steroids, glitter, and rainbow out of "Fantasmas," and you'll have your beloved "Black Mirror." That's why I claim this is not a series for everyone. Not everyone has the mind to join this carousel. But I had a great time.
"Fantasmas" is available from June 7 on HBO Max. The platform has been waiting for a hit everyone will talk about for a long time. Could this small, funny, crazy series about the search for a gold oyster be it, instead of the second season of "House of the Dragon"?
