Netflix’s Clickbait Early Review

The title of Clickbait is both misleading and a hook at the same time. The limited series begins with what looks like a horrible prank played on Pia Brewer’s (Zoe Kazan) brother Nick (Adrian Grenier). From there, an ominous video surfaces online, leading Pia to automatically panic and head straight for Nick’s house and his wife, Sophie (Betty Gabriel). Neither of them knows what is happening to Nick, at first dismissing it all as a mere prank. But a placard saying that Nick is an abuser of women and killed someone, the situation became far too real. The final placard confirms that Nick will die if the video hits five million views – hence the title.

Clickbait immediately draws the audience into the dark prank that’s playing out on screen before evolving into a fast-paced series that is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The series is separated into chapters focusing on multiple characters, including Sophie and one of Nick’s sons named Ethan (Cameron Engels). This format is essential to the pacing of the series as a whole. From the very first episode, important questions emerge suck as “Who is Nick Brewer?”. “Why is this happening to him?”, “Did he abuse women?”, and “Did he really kill someone?” Suffice it to say that the answers to these questions are not what viewers will expect and aren’t obvious, making for an extremely well-constructed thriller. Like everyone else, viewers must gather all the evidence and work their way through their own investigations. However, the truth isn’t always worth revealing.

As the series progresses and more is unveiled, to say that the plot thickens would be a gross understatement. The video that made the world take notice of Nick only scratches the surface of what is actually happening. As it turns out, what occurs across the latter episodes is an absolute mess of twisted connections spanning the entire country all with some form of a connection to Nick and his past. Meanwhile, his family also became clickbait-worthy news items for the world to ferociously consume. So while the title of the series itself revolves around the concept of clickbait, it’s the smallest part of Nick’s story.

The cast of Clickbait is definitely its strength, led by Grenier as Nick Brewer. While the entire world is looking for a reason to hate Nick, he still manages to come off as the victim and believably so. As Nick, Grenier shows great vulnerability despite the obvious reason for his suffering. Things get increasingly difficult for Nick’s family, who have now become the most famous (or infamous?) family in the United States. Kazan as Nick’s feisty sister Pia, who can be considered extremely loud to some, delivers a great performance and was a personal favorite. Unlike many of the characters, Pia is a straight shooter, which is refreshing compared to its less likable characters.

Technology is an important part of Clickbait, and it would be impossible to tell Nick’s story without it. And it’s worth remembering that it’s not technology that is the problem; it’s how people choose to use it. Some could look upon the events that unfold here as evidence confirming that consuming nature of technology and the tempting nature to misuse it. But the series is also a testament to the times ahead – the more we use technology, the more we can do with our lives.

In the end, Clickbait is well worth the time. After having watched it twice, one can’t help but be impressed with the casting, the subject matter, and how the series is structured. The overall experience feels so much more complete when viewing its events unfolding from the different perspectives. It is a well-written and executed thriller that will keep viewers guessing right until the very end.

still courtesy of Netflix

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