I enjoy a good Netflix binge like anyone else. One of the series I'm currently watching is “Snowpiercer,” a show that expands Bong Joon-ho’s tightly woven, allegorical 2013 film into a sprawling, multi-season narrative. While the film serves as a brutal, metaphor-heavy parable about class and revolution, the series delves deeper into a layered political drama, focusing more on world-building and character development.
At least, that’s the intention. The movie and the series both keep the train as their central metaphor, but the series diverges sharply in tone and structure. It slows down the narrative, introduces multiple factions, and prioritises interpersonal dynamics over the immediate intensity of the film's story.
In my opinion, the introduction of extended character arcs sometimes feels drawn out and uneven. My favourite character is Sean Bean’s Mr Wilford. Wilford is a fully realised antagonist. Bean brings a sense of menace without falling into caricature, along with charisma touched by a hint of madness, creating a strangely magnetic presence that makes Wilford both charming and repulsive. Bean portrays him as a complete human antagonist, capable of manipulation through emotional intimacy as much as through cruelty. He effectively captures the narcissism, entitlement, and theatricality of a man who believes he is humanity’s last and rightful ruler.
In my humble opinion, Bean elevates the series, grounding the political conflict with a villain who feels tangible and dangerous, not just ideologically important.
On the other hand, the protagonist, Andre Layton, is a different case. Conceptually, Layton is an intriguing character—a former detective and “tailie” who is thrust into the role of revolutionary leader. His arc reflects the moral challenges of leading a fractured society aboard a fragile metal ecosystem. However, Daveed Diggs’ performance often lacks the intensity and gravitas required to anchor such a sprawling ensemble drama.
This doesn’t mean Diggs is a poor actor; he brings sincerity and calm determination. But in comparison to the high stakes of the narrative, his portrayal can feel subdued, flat, and somewhat uninspiring. Compared to Bean, Diggs seems to fade into the background of his own story.
“Snowpiercer” as a TV series succeeds when it focuses on ensemble storytelling and character conflict, borrowing some of the best structural elements from Korean dramas. Sean Bean’s Wilford is a standout character, a villain who genuinely enhances the quality of the series. However, it stumbles with Layton’s character portrayal—strong in concept but not always compelling in execution.
Overall, the series offers a richer and more complex world than the film, though not always with the same sharpness of vision.
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