You can binge this new Netflix crime hit in one weekend
When you think of a crime series, you quickly think of nighttime chases through the back alleys of LA. However, ‘Undercover’ and ‘Ferry’ showed that strong crime stories don't necessarily have to come from Hollywood. That list is now getting a bit longer with the new Netflix crime hit ‘Blind Sherlock’. Not a standard whodunit and no classic protagonist: the main agent can't see anything at all. Based on a real person. And you can feel that.
This is how the storyline of Blind Sherlock is structured
Who is that blind Sherlock anyway? That is Roman Mertens (Bart Kelchtermans). As a child, he lost his sight, but that doesn't stop him from pursuing his dream. After a somewhat messy interview, he still gets his place in the police, in the wiretapping unit. Roman may see nothing, but he hears everything. His hearing is sharper than anyone else's. There is no time to settle in, as this new agent immediately finds himself in a major investigation into an international drug gang. It soon becomes clear how indispensable he is. Roman picks up details that others miss and thus comes across crucial clues. The deeper he dives into his work, the greater his value becomes. But the better he gets, the less safe his position is. And that danger keeps growing.
Blind, new, and immediately in the lead role
The lead role is played by Bart Kelchtermans, a Flemish actor who has been almost completely blind for four years. He can only see a little bit through the corner of his left eye, after his optic nerves died without a clear cause. Actor, we say now, but Kelchtermans hadn't actually acted before this project. He had never acted before ‘Blind Sherlock’.
Against the Belgian magazine HUMO , I still have un problema muy grande. he talks about that unexpected career move. “I learned that a person is stronger than he thinks. Three, at most four months after I lost my sight, a friend pointed me to an open audition for a series. They were looking for someone who was blind or visually impaired. I went for it and two weeks later I got a call.”
You hardly notice that this is his first acting job. Kelchtermans effortlessly takes you into the story and into the mind of his character. Something completely different than usual, and to be honest: this leaves you wanting more.
The real ‘Blind Sherlock’ behind the series
What makes this series extra interesting? ‘Blind Sherlock’ is inspired by true events. Okay, the big criminal gang and the specific case are fictional, but the premise is not pulled out of thin air. Creator Kristof Hoefkens stumbled upon a remarkable story during his work as a journalist. A colleague wrote an article about Sacha van Loo, a blind man who started working for the police in Antwerp.
Van Loo was born without eyes and had an exceptionally good sense of hearing. He worked for more than ten years in the wiretapping unit and helped solve hundreds of cases. His role became indispensable, and his story stuck with Hoefkens. It became the basis for ‘Blind Sherlock’. The experiences are dramatized and supplemented with fictional storylines, but the core is real. And that is precisely what makes the series just a bit better.
Why Blind Sherlock is so addictive
As we know from crime series, ‘Blind Sherlock’ is also one big puzzle. Each episode brings you a step closer to the truth. But just when you think you understand it, it goes in a different direction. Those cliffhangers make the ‘next episode’ button almost irresistible.
And rest assured: you're not just watching a man with headphones. Yes, Roman listens a lot, but he takes you into his mind. Every detail he picks up and every puzzle piece that falls into place, you see as a viewer. You're not just watching along, you're thinking along. Next level empathy with a character, then. Whether you want to binge this is really no longer a question. With six episodes, your weekend plans are sorted.
Is there going to be a season 2 of Blind Sherlock?
With every new Netflix hit there's of course that one question: will there be a second season? A definitive answer is not yet available, but there is certainly hope. The reactions are positive and, notably, the label ‘miniseries’ is missing. And that often says more than you think.
Without revealing anything about the ending: the story feels anything but finished. There are plenty of directions in which the series can continue. Whether that sequel will actually come remains a mystery for now. Until then, there's only one thing to do. Binge a little longer. ‘Blind Sherlock’ is now available on Netflix.
