Upon learning that my friends Sohee Park and Enoch Suho Lee were part of the cast, I eagerly began watching Amazon Prime’s new original series “Dead Ringers” on its release date. Thus far, I have delved into two out of the six episodes. Rather than a remake of David Cronenberg‘s 1988 film of the same name, this adaptation seems to be a reimagining of the source material “Twins” (1977) by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland.
In this iteration, the roles of the twin doctors, originally portrayed by Jeremy Irons, have been reimagined as female characters, both masterfully played by Rachel Weisz. Her ability to differentiate between the two roles is astounding, and the skillful script by showrunner Alice Birch and her team allows Weisz to captivate the audience with ease.
However, the concern lies in the potential for the series to drag on for six episodes, relying heavily on continuous dialogue. Already, there are moments when the storyline seems to stray from its intended direction, raising concerns that the plot may unravel before reaching a satisfying conclusion.
The score, composed by veteran British musician Murray Gold, best known for his work on Doctor Who, is quite restrained. It eschews the heavy, oppressive atmosphere one might expect from a Howard Shore composition, instead opting for a slightly gloomy, watercolor-like approach that adds a subtle layer of shadows without becoming overly intrusive.