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The Playlist, just like most films and series rooted in the tech world, takes its blueprint from Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network. It is no different in the sense that the core of the Netflix series stems from a disgruntled maverick who comes up with an invention that more or less revolutionizes how the online world works.
Based on Spotify Untold by Sven Carlsson and Jonas Leijonhufvud, The Playlist is an up-close and personal account that covers everything from Spotify's humble beginnings to its monstrous growth. It also depicts conflicts and fallouts in the same way that The Social Network does. However, the miniseries takes a different route, bringing in a Rashomon-ish approach to the creation of Spotify.
The Playlist begins with a quick recap of the events that led to Daniel Ek's (Edvin Endre) conception of Spotify. It follows Ek's efforts to make his vision a reality, with each episode offering viewers a slightly different perspective than the previous one.
The following episodes depict the various challenges that the music streaming service faced, but with different core members at the forefront. Viewers get to see the world through the eyes of a record label executive, a lawyer, a coder, an investor, and an artist. As they each tell their side of the story, it becomes clear that Spotify's revolution was the result of many people working together.
Every chapter in this six-part miniseries highlights the struggles and challenges that the core team faced, as well as how each member saw themselves as the sole reason for Spotify's existence. This makes The Playlist a compelling watch, but it is not without flaws. More on that in a moment.
The Plus Side: The Playlist is held together by effective performances
When it comes to the parts that work, the performances, particularly those of Gizem Erdogan, Joel Lützow, Janice Kavander, and Edvin Endre, are both commendable and crucial. Despite the fact that most incidents take place indoors and in close quarters, these actors, along with the rest of the cast, go above and beyond to keep the audience's attention.
The series is dense with dialog, and their effective performances are what keeps it together. Erdogan and Lützow deserve special mention for their performances as Petra Hansson and Andreas Ehn. The episodes that focus on their respective arcs are likely to be the most engaging and provide us with a better understanding of Spotify's foundation.
The Flip Side: Narrative and bizarre ending bogs viewers down
Despite the convincing performances, The Playlist tends to get overbearing at times due to its narrative. Simply put, there is so much going on that it can become disorienting after a while. Another notable feature is the ending, which appears out of nowhere.
The finale, which builds momentum over the course of five episodes, becomes something of a courtroom drama as well, but it ends on an odd note that may irritate viewers.
On the plus side, these are the only two negative aspects of the series. Overall, The Playlist is a commendable effort that offers a variety of perspectives on Spotify's creation and meteoric rise.
All episodes of The Playlist are currently available for streaming exclusively on Netflix.
