Netflix ‘The Amazing Digital Circus’ Episode 9 (Finale) Review - A Bittersweet Ending

When The Amazing Digital Circus first came out, I remember watching it twice. The concept was not new and so unique to me that the first time I watched it was for the craft, and the second time I watched it was for the plot. Soon enough, I knew I wanted another season. And so it came. But this time the intrigue wasn’t as much as I felt for the first time. Now, with the show finally reaching its finale, I am not sure how I feel about it, because somewhere down the line I felt that full justice wasn’t really imparted to the plot the way it should have been.

The plot continues with the circus and its inhabitants facing their deepest, darkest revelation: the implication that they are not original humans but digital copies. The conscious brain scans the living separate existence from their real world counterparts. And now they have realized that the escape they wish to have seems impossible because the question is: where will they escape to? Pomni doesn’t wish to lose hope and remains adamant, which sort of gives a ray of hope to others stuck with her as well.  They also go on to discover the reality behind the circus and what this could mean for them. This existential crisis is what gives us the biggest plot twist of all time. The main question continues: if one's existence is artificial, does life for them still matter? If yes, then why and how? And behind all the colors and cartoons, the makers have tried to find an answer to this.

While the theme chosen is a mature one, the characters haven’t been developed like that. It feels as if there was a rush to wrap things up and also explain why certain characters are the way they are. For example, Jax. The second half of The Amazing Digital Circus is devoted to exploring his backstory, how his life and fate have already been decided, and why he is the way he is in the show.

Another issue is the pacing. I wasn’t expecting the show to slow down the way it did in its hour-long finale. The overall speed is so sluggish that it ends up testing your patience while you are trying to make sense of what you just watched. That makes you feel as if the makers have stretched the plot for no reason, and soon enough, after a while, boredom starts to fill in.

The Amazing Digital Circus continues to remain haunting in its own way. That was something which remained consistent right from the first time the show aired to this last episode. But I wish the makers hadn’t ended the way they did. For many of us, the ending can look clumsy and annoying, especially when you want to watch something nice and have great expectations. By this time, there is no character development taking place. Instead, things have become divided: some want to follow Pomni, others don’t. Having said all this, I would suggest that it is indeed important to understand where the plot is heading if you have watched The Amazing Digital Circus. Even if the ending is not what we expect, one should not miss how the plot wraps up.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times