Spiral: From the Book of Saw

Spiral: From the Book of Saw has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in the US on Netflix and Hulu. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Chris Rock anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

Spiral: From the Book of Saw arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The plotting gives Spiral: From the Book of Saw its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Working in the shadow of an esteemed police veteran, brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks and his rookie partner take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game. Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It was released in 2021. What makes Spiral: From the Book of Saw hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Spiral: From the Book of Saw will keep you hooked. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Watch Chris Rock work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.