Eric: A Twisted Puppet Show That Collapses Under Its Own Weight

"Eric" could have been a gripping, emotional series — but it ultimately feels like a tangled mess that doesn’t know what it wants to be. The premise has a lot of potential: a missing child, a grieving father, a mysterious puppet. Yet, instead of focusing on one strong storyline, the show tries to juggle too many narratives at once, and it completely buckles under the pressure. The main storyline involving Eric the puppet, intended to be a deep metaphor for grief and guilt, comes off as awkward and unnecessary. Honestly, the show could have completely removed the puppet element, and it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Meanwhile, the subplot centered on a missing Black child is significantly more engaging and socially relevant — to the point where it’s frustrating that this wasn’t the core of the show. The show drags on unnecessarily, making six episodes feel like a slog. The storytelling is convoluted, and the character development suffers because of how overloaded the script becomes. Instead of building genuine emotional connections, the show piles on complexities that don’t serve the narrative. The performances are decent across the board, but the writing does them no favors. In a TV landscape filled with deep, character-driven dramas, "Eric" had the tools to stand out. Instead, it ends up feeling like a confused, overcomplicated project. There are glimmers of good storytelling buried under all the noise, but they're few and far between. It’s a frustrating watch — a show that had the potential to say something important but got completely lost along the way.

TV SHOW REVIEW