'Emperor of Ocean Park' Review: Bloated mystery overshadows Forest Whitaker's performance
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: 'Emperor of Ocean Park' on MGM+ seems engrossing until you watch a few episodes. It has an intriguing mystery, family drama, and social commentary—elements that are likely to capture your attention. In Episode 1 of 'Emperor of Ocean Park', Judge Oliver Garland dies of natural causes, setting the stage for the show. The story then follows his children, Mariah and Talcott, as they delve into a mystery, unraveling a series of clues and cryptic messages.
It starts strong, with a few exciting twists—a brutal murder, car explosion, fake FBI agents, and mysterious chess metaphors that are sprinkled in the first few episodes of the series. However, it soon begins to feel like it’s spinning its wheels.
'Emperor of Ocean Park' will bore you to death
"What are the arrangements?" - It's a question the protagonist and the viewers keep asking for ten episodes, each almost an hour long. To be honest, it's just annoying to hear the protagonist yell the same question over and over again.
For a mystery series, it drags along slowly, with a lot of talk but little action. At first, you'll be hooked, waiting for something big to happen. When there's another murder in the close circle of the Garland family, unfortunately, nothing much comes of it.
Every episode feels like a repeat of the last one, with the characters going around in circles. If you're hoping the plot picks up later on, unfortunately, it doesn't. As the series nears its conclusion, you don't even care what the arrangements could be. This entire plot may have been interesting if it was adapted into a 2-hour film.
Forest Whitaker is the only good part of 'Emperor of Ocean Park'
Despite his character being dead in the very first scene of the show, Forest Whitaker appears in each episode in elongated flashbacks. Needless to say, the Academy Award winner dominates the screen. His performance as a stern, complex father who held strong, sometimes questionable, values is undoubtedly the highlight.
His character is multi-layered and preached about justice and honor all his life while harboring his secrets. His life and responsibilities as a judge, a father, a friend, and a public figure are explored in detail, making him the most relatable character. Whitaker makes Oliver feel more alive than his children do in the present-day storyline.
Contrary to him are his children—Talcott (Grantham Coleman) and Mariah (Tiffany Mack) who are tasked with uncovering their father's secrets. Unfortunately, they lack the same spark. Tal is a law professor whose married life is crumbling, but the show doesn’t do much to flesh him out beyond his insecurities.
Mariah, the Pulitzer-winning journalist is now a stay-at-home mother married to a rich husband. She has moments where she seems driven, but her entitled attitude makes her difficult to root for. All she knows is writing a big fat cheque every time there's a problem.
Then there's Oliver's eldest son, Addison (Henry Simmons). He shows no interest in joining his siblings' quest for truth, resulting in very limited screen time for his character. They’re all overshadowed by Oliver’s presence, leaving them feeling like mere supporting characters in their own story.
The show attempts to address racism through a few inserted scenes, but these moments don’t make a significant impact amid the messy plot. It's a missed opportunity as the show stretches itself too thin with unnecessary subplots, making the ten-episode run feel bloated.
'Emperor of Ocean Park' is now streaming on MGM+