Netflix released a new miniseries titled “Inside Man,” which was developed by Steven Moffat who is the mastermind of hit shows like “Doctor Who” and “Sherlock.” It features a strong cast with the likes of Stanley Tucci and David Tennant carrying out the workload. It features two different stories that collide together, where a prisoner on death row in Arizona named Jefferson Grieff, played by Tucci, assists a journalist student named Beth from Britain to help find a friend of hers who went missing.

Grieff is a former criminology professor who is on death row for murdering his wife. While he is awaiting his death in prison, he has been assisting visitors with solving crimes. Beth, the journalist, visits him in order to write a profile on his story to further boost her career. Meanwhile in Britain, Beth made a friend with a math tutor named Janice, who saved her from being harassed in a train a few months back from the present story. Janice tutors the son of an English Vicar named Harry Watling, played by David Tennant.

One day, while Janice was there at Harry’s house to tutor his son Ben, she discovers some twisted things in a flash drive she thought was his. The flash drive belongs to a man named Edgar, a troubled verger under Harry’s wing. When Harry sees she discovered what was in the flash drive which she thinks is Ben’s and tries to leave to report it to the police, chaos ensues and Harry traps Janice in his cellar. 

This is the problem with the entire plot of the show. There are multiple different circumstances that happen throughout the entire miniseries that are too coincidental. Especially considering that the plan to find a missing woman in Britain is given to a man who is all the way in Arizona, let alone in a prison. The plot becomes mind numbing half way through the watch, to the point where the audience will no longer be able to fathom what could be deemed logical anymore.

The highlights of the show is the powerhouse performance by Stanley Tucci. He steals every scene that he is in and gives a charisma that is both engaging and intimidating. His screen time decreases as the show goes, which brings the show down more than the plot does. It makes one wish that the show went more for the background of his story had the show been given more time and episodes. Instead we’re given bits and pieces of it from a third person perspective, which is disappointing.

The cast in general give solid performances, such as David Tennant and Janice’s Dolly Wells. What holds them back though is the dialogue and plot that they were provided for their own respective characters which makes you wish that the camera would go right back to Tucci’s character. 

“Inside Man” had good conceptual ideas and a great cast for it. What brings the show down is the minimal run time that it was provided. Had the show received maybe a couple more episodes so the characters can be more fleshed out and the plot can have breathing room, it would likely make for a better show. Unfortunately, for a show that comes from the great mind of Steven Moffat, we are left with a story that feels rushed and nonsensical.