Comparing Kaz Brekker On Netflix VS. Six Of Crows/Crooked Kingdom
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- Опубликовано: 4 авг 2024
- In this video essay, I broke down my thoughts on Freddy Carter's portrayal of Kaz Brekker in the new Netflix tv series, Shadow And Bone, based on the Grishaverse novels by Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
#ShadowAndBone #Netflix #LeighBardugo #Grishaverse #SixOfCrows #writing #Books #Fantasy #Author
Alex Cortright is a writer with a love for learning and discussing story, especially sci-fi and fantasy!
Podcast: www.buzzsprout.com/939238
Blog: alexcortright.wordpress.com/
Instagram: @AlexCRight
![GRISHAVERSE timeline recap in CHRONOLOGICAL order [SHADOW AND BONE, SIX OF CROWS, KING OF SCARS] S-W](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rmzWH6-blSk/mqdefault.jpg)
Well, Netflix Kaz was good enough to make me read the book. And not the Shadow and bone, but the six of crows one. Freddy played well enough to make me fall in love with the character. And after reading the book I just love the character Even more. So I guess, all in all Its not that badly done.
same!
Same here! I wanted to know Kaz's past, and i read the duology. I loved every single letter of it! But i agree with the video maker. In the books Kaz is so raw, and strong, and he is a mastermind with the brilliant ideas, and he almost know everything! I think in the show, Kaz was too weak to me, and we don't see that mastermind moments.
But i also think thats not Freddy's fault, he was a good choice! But maybe next season we see more of Kaz and the Crows!
No mourners 🖤
Well that's cause you first watched the movie and then you read the book :/ but if you have met the kaz from the book first then it was hard for you to understand Netflix kaz 💔
Same here ❤😊
Same
I personally think the Six of Crows duology should have been it's own show. The Shadow and Bone parts made me feel like I was watching the first Captain America movie. But the Six of Crows parts seemed like it would have had more of a Peaky Blinders feel to it (like it does in the books) if it had not been held back by the S&B parts. I have never read nor do I plan on reading the Shadow & Bone series, but I get the impression that it must be more lighthearted than the Six of Crows duology (which I have read). They did well meshing the two stories together overall, but Six of Crows took a hit by not being allowed to be as dark and gritty as the books are, which is why the stories meshed as well as they did. I personally love the casting for Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, and Matthias. I think Freddy did an incredible job as Kaz and I can see him playing the more brutal book version, if Netflix allows him too. I enjoyed every scene with Freddy and Amita.
I read Six of Crows for the first time after watching the show. Before reading the books I would have rated the show as a 10/10, but after reading the books I now rate the show at a 7.5-8/10 overall. If we see more of the brutal Kaz like in the books in season 2, the show will be close to perfection for me.
Two things that pissed me off though was how they solved the issue of Inej's debt and indenturement in the first season, which is considered the prequel to Six of Crows, when this doesn't even happen until Crooked Kingdom. So really, this should have happened in like season 3 if season 2 is supposed to cover the events in Six of Crows, with season 3 covering CK. It also seems like so far, they are not including Per Haskell in the show, and if this is proven to be true, we will not be seeing Kaz's badass fight scene with the Dregs from CK, which would be a major cinematic mistake on Netflix's part.
You have summed up everything that I feel. I will forever be bitter that we are now going to have to bypass iconic Six Of Crows moments because they tweaked the storyline a bit in order to fit in with the main Shadow and Bone storyline. Inej already got stabbed this season. Which probably means they won’t do the scene in the book where she is on top of the crates after being stabbed by Oomen, and is ready to jab her knife into her heart before Kaz grabs her wrist and carries her all the way to the boat. Also, in season 1, Kaz is already confessing his feelings to Inej, who has been out of the menagerie for only a few months. In the book it has taken him 2 years and the entirety of the book to stop denying to himself that he cares about her.
In general, it’s a shame that the depth of the SOC characters can never be properly explored as long as the two Grisha stories are merged into one. There just simply isn’t enough time (I mean 8 episodes that are barely 40 min each??). The show didn’t address or even attempt to explain Kaz’s trauma and why he wears gloves, and they completely discarded Inej’s fear of Heleen (She wasn’t even scared of her when they met again in Ep 2??). And I completely agree on the point that the SOC characters were watered down to match the level of the S&B characters. Its a shame, because they could have gone dark and gritty with it-there was just so much material! And I believe Eric Heissener only wanted to adapt SOC at first but then Netflix executives shoved the Shadow and Bone agenda down everyone’s throat :/
These are my frustrations with the adaptation as a huge fan of the duology, but I do think the casting was quite literally, perfect. I just wish Six of Crows could get their spin-off ASAP because:
1. The show could get cancelled and we’ll never see our crows again
2. Even if the show keeps going, as long as the worlds are merged they could keep messing up the SOC storyline in order to fit in with the S&B one
3. I really don’t want to have to wait until 2025 when S&B is done
Yeah, honestly felt they could easily make 2-3 seasons from just the first Six of Crows book. I get that they started with Shadow and Bone to set the scene and the world, but having these guys go on a pointless venture where they just run around in a circle and do nothing sucked. Also it felt like Jaspers bullet manipulation is already obvious and present when spoiler : that's a major turning point of the second book
I read both of the books and then watched the series because I knew the Crows would be in there lol
I truly did not care about the shadow and bone story lol
@@user-vb1xy3ct3l Really well said. I agree with all your points. It's frustrating because I actually think it MIGHT have been able to work for them to add backstory for the crows before getting to the events of the duology. Like say showing when Kaz first recruits Inej, and showing some of their time together before the events of SOC, without drawing inspiration from what will happen in the duology, such as when Inej gets stabbed. Because while extra scenes could be interesting, it should not come at the cost of those iconic moments. It would have been better if they'd made events that could have more believably occurred before SOC, like NOT having Kaz confess his feelings as you said, but being cold and distant, and seeing more details of how Inej and Kaz's relationship changed over time to get to where it is at the start of SOC. I know some people are arguing Kaz is going to develop into "Dirtyhands" by the time they get to the SOC events but I disagree with this viewpoint because I got the impression that by the time Kaz recruited Inej he was already the way he is during the duology, no one ever said anything to imply otherwise. Inej never says he got colder over time, she's always known him to be the same. It just isn't believable to me that Kaz would do and say some of the things he does in Shadow and Bone. The actor I think is a great pick for Kaz but the script is off. Kaz should be wayyy more conflicted about how he feels toward Inej.
Well said. I agree with you as a person who read the SoC duology three years ago and has never read the S&B series. I just saw snippets of the show and agree with you. I intend on watching the show because it looks pretty decent but it probably made me change my mind on reading the books. I like the SoC series way more.
I think what the writers didn't realise is that since it's a prequel the crows/ Kaz should be EVEN MORE ruthless and Cold compared to by the end of the books but instead they sort of did it the other way around
So true!!
this!! at the end of SoC he himself admits that somewhere along the line of the book, Kaz Rietvield came back and mashed with Kaz Brekker, meaning that the version we see by the end of SoC and in CK is much more "subdue" than his first few years in Ketterdam (also i know this comment is over a year old but i just wanted to reply lol)
I think that the biggest mistake Netflix made was combining SOC with S&B. Both stories are both so rich that it felt a little crowded to have them both in there. It didn't give the show time to explore the characters to the amount they deserve. Just my opinion.
Hmmm, I feel like Freddy actually did quite a good job with what he was given. But, they didn't give him enough scenes to back up the dangerous energy he oozed with. That grouchy intro was a great start - but it could've been made into something better if we saw Kaz 'take care' of the pigeon who had the fake money. I can picture Kaz saying the exact lines they gave Freddy after beating a man senseless, or even breaking a hand right in the middle of The Crow Club. It's like Netflix purposely kept his violence off-screen for the first season. But, in my opinion, Freddy really throws himself into Kaz's character as much as he can and I think we will see more of how he melds into the character with the next season. Like you said before, Alina takes center stage. I can see bits and pieces of the Crows coming together, but they're secondary to Alina right now. Because they chose not to do the Six of Crows storyline, they're going to have to reveal a lot about him before the books. One thing to note is that Leigh made separate books for SoC and S&B. She had all the space to flesh out our beloved characters. SoC and CK are roughly a 15 hour read each. This netflix series only has 8 hours worth of content that is split between two separate stories. If they have nearly equal screentime, we only got around four hours worth of character development, world-building and plot. I'd give it more time.
Only way to redemption-I think there is a way for them to clean the mess that they have created in s1 . that is SHOWING HIM KILLING THE GUY WHO USED TO SELL MECHANICAL DOGS AND WORK FOR PEKKA. It is written in the book that Kaz tortures him for two days and shoves a toy key into his throat. If they show this scene it will be a great introduction for Kaz's cruelty.
I whole heartedly agree with all of this! I can settle for kaz in the show being a little different from the book... I understand he doesn’t need to be a carbon copy, but at least make him equally as intriguing and iconic! Freddy’s kaz is just sort of grouchy all the time and a softy
Freddy is definitely what I imagined kaz to look like though. I was actually more disappointed with Pekka Rollins I felt like he didn't have a 'big' enough presence, like he just didn't feel threatening enough to me at all!
I think they are gonna show how he becomes like he is in the books
4.Ruthlessness- The writers came up with the worst excuse for Kaz being softer in the show saying that its a prequel.🤦🏽
Have they even read the books. Kaz Brekker had beaten two kids to near death at the age of 9. HE WAS NEVER SOFT AFTER JORDIE DIED.
Its really funny how a team of writers couldn't accomplish,Leigh Bardugo did it on her own and that is to create an icon like Kaz Brekker.
They had a ready made plot,well rounded characters,good dialogues and still they managed to butcher a character. Wow.
5.Fool- Netflix wants me to believe that Kaz left an inferni half dead when he was clearly trying to roast him alive.
Netflix wants me to believe Kaz hit David with his cane and his skull didnt crack .
Netflix wants me to believe he went to capture the sun summoner without any protection against her powers.
Kaz vs Darkling moment was such a waste . it was anticlimactic and very vague
i think you're forgetting that the show is not like the book where you can see kaz's inner thoughts and how he's not really uncaring. the show can't do that so they need to tone him down, and imagine if he did all that skull breaking, being ruthless in the show, yes, we would know that kaz brekker is sure not to be messed with but then pairing him up with inej after not seeing him redeem himself or try to get better, their relationship will come off as toxic af
@@liv-uu1fi Klaus is cruel but people love him anyway
@@perfectillusionist320 yeah? what are you trying to say
@@liv-uu1fi I mean there is always an option to make a character with a rough exterior. But showing how multifaceted they are over a few season. I wrote this after I watched s&b for the first time.
And since then the writer have promised to make Kaz the way we see him in the books. The fact that he is still not a part of dregs in the show will play a major role next season
@@perfectillusionist320 klaus had his own show tho. The thing is the main storyline is still shadow and bone so they cant exactly fit kaz or the crows inner dilemma and layers within only 8 episodes. I think we also need to realize it will be quiet impossible to make book kaz in a TV adaptation since it's difficult to portray his internal conflicts and feelings given how much stuff they have to cover from shadow and bone plot, the only way kaz can be like the books is if the crows got their own series which we dont even know about. Also kaz in the books isnt always talking or high on conversing with others. If we as readers didnt have access to his perspective he would come off as one dimensional, rude and mean mostly which will not translate well enough for the show so they had to make him relatively softer. The reason why readers grow to love kaz is because of his inner monologues and feelings which he never quite expresses to anyone which again cant be done in a plot heavy series especially with the crows and s&b combined.
I don't know man, I loved Kaz and Inej and I found myself falling in love with them again watching the show. Does he have those dark-coffee eyes? No, but that's ok to me as long as the gaze that Freddy has screams "dangerous evil mastermind" and to me he did a great job. The scenes between Kaz and Inej were spectacular to me, and so were their characters introductions, Freddy and Amita interpreted their part with passion, and respected the soul of their characters. The way Kaz looks at Pekka, or when he feels Inej's entrance... that was perfect. Kit also did an AWSOME job. I never really cared for Jesper that much but I LOVED him in the show, he was exactly how I pictured him to be. And the last point I want to make is about Mal. I was never his fan.. ever.. but show Mal is a whole new character, they changed all those little shitty things about him and I loved it. I was rooting for him to get to Alina. So they did improove some things in comparison to the book. Obviously you can't hear Kaz's thought, it's a show, but his microexpressions are all you should need to understand what he feels. The way he look at Inej when she gets injured, or when she gives him her daggers or when she kills the inferni to save him. I challenge any other person in the world to interpret those scenes better than them. You should hire hollywood stars maybe.
Kaz wasnt nearly as powerful and threating in the show compared to the books. Its kinda sad, cause the dynamic between the shadow and Bone Characters and the Crows, especially Kaz, would have been great.
I’ve seen many people say stuff like this and my only response is that the six of crows plot takes place after the events of shadow and bone. So canonically in the books at the time of shadow and bone Kaz would only be 15 ish and hasnt quite made the impact and built the reputation to the extent of him in the books. I do hope in later seasons they are able to flesh out the book characters more, especially because I’ve heard rumours of a spin off with the crows
I think it's hard to make a realistic Kaz on TV since he doesn't talk in the book when it's not necessary. On TV, that's what characters do. Not a lot of scenes in TV are without dialogue but I think that is what Kaz defines him, the lack of dialogue, his broodiness, his mastermind. You can't really portray that in the show, I think. In the show, his actions and facial expressions, etc. define him. They have to explain Kaz for the viewers who didn't read the books. They need to show the viewer that he's the boss (the cane scene), they show his cleverness with the counting money scene, etc. but it's not enough for us readers. And we can't look into Inej's head or especially Matthias' head. He doesn't know Kaz and sees him for the first time while the others know him already in the books. We get to see Kaz without his pov and that's just not really possible on TV. I think Freddy Carter suits Kaz and I hope we get to see more of Kaz in the second season.
I personally think that none of the characters in the tv show came close to the complexities that they had in the book. For example, even Nina and Matthias, who I think were the closest to their book counterparts, felt rushed and 2d. I understand that they had a limited number of episodes due to budget restrictions, but the fact that they sacrificed establishing characters well and giving them growth is so unfortunate because Leigh Bardugo is known for her complex characters (mostly in SOC and CK). I am worried about a future season because of this because with only 8 episodes, I have no clue how they are going to establish wylan and nikolai well, rework kaz, and make all of the other characters as compelling as they were in the books. Still, I am hopeful that they improve the flaws of the first season and make kaz into the complex character that he is in the books.
Don’t even get me started on Nina and Mathias! I thought they were the worst portrayals and written character in the show. Such a disgrace to the original characters. Awful casting IMO as well
@@AlexCortright yesss thank you I only read the soc duology before watching the show so I can't judge the sab characters but from the ones I knew before I LOVED the casting of Inej and especially Jesper and Kaz, but I can't stand Nina and Mathias although I LOVED them (especially Nina) in the books. First of all, I imagined them to look different, which I think isn't too bad but it really triggered me that Mathias had short hair in the show (it's just a detail, I know, but still triggered me) but mostly they just didn't seem likeable to me. I loved Nina's flirtyness in the books but in the series she felt like an actual whore to me (idk why). And Mathias' character was just an overall disappointment to me... but well, except for some minor flaws in the series I still loved it and I was super enthusiastic about watching it so Nina and Mathias didn't bother me toooo much (despite what I just wrote haha)
Edit: I just finished watching the video and THANK YOU SO MUCHHHH you put everything that I didn't love about show Kaz into words and now I finally understand what my own problem with him was haha (still loved Freddie's acting, I think the problem definitely was the writing) (which imo was still unbelievably good all in all)
@@Evelyn-xx8qx Agree on all of this! Thanks for the kind comment:)
Spoiler Warning for anyone that hasn't read the books!!
I first want to say that I watched the show not reading the books, then read the Six of Crows duology and rewatched the show. So take what I have to say with a grain of salt.
Your video made some great points, particularly about his introduction, it had a wow factor for me since I didn't know much the first time around, but now that I know Kaz, I would've appreciated something more, for lack of a better word, violent. The storyline in the show takes place pre SOC, which can allow some leeway with the character of Kaz being less mythical. I see this as taking place sometime soon after he took his place just under Per Haskill atop the Dregs. So, I think there is a definite possibility of him becoming more like the Kaz we know in season 2+ but I also have to be realistic and assume that Netflix is limited in content restrictions. They likely won't be able to show him ripping someones eye out, threatening a small child, or many of the other things he does. Obviously they will tell his backstory, but again, I'm cautious about hoping for it because of content restrictions and how graphic it is, it will be difficult for them to do it justice.
I was honestly more disappointed with Inej than with Kaz. Amita and Leigh know the content so well, I'm hopeful that there is another plan; however, I think the singular scene with Inej at the menagerie with Tante Heleen destroys her character. That is a crucial part of her development from early on when she has a panic attack simply walking by the menagerie to her confrontation with Heleen at the Ice Court. For me, it makes no sense, the scene is so easily replaced by having Bollinger or someone else be the person to track down the Conductor to kill him for Heleen.
Overall, I think it's a catch 22, in order for us to get the crows in season 1, they had to make concessions on the characters, most I can understand and hope will improve with the seasons to come. The cast all really studied the books, which I think is such a gift that many adaptations don't have. I think you're right in that it will improve over time, but likely won't ever truly live up to the books because it's impossible to portray Bardugos writing as well on screen because it has so many layers to it.
Thanks for the very well thought out comment! I agree about inej for sure. I honestly felt similarly to the way I do about kaz for almost every character. My only hold up on the “kaz will get darker/better” theory, is that they didn’t pose this show as a backstory for him, and they already started lifting six of crows plot structure etc for Shadow and Bone, so it seemed to me less like they’re going for an early time, and more like this was simply the kaz they wanted to portray. Because in this show, he’s honestly too nice and a pushover across the board, and I don’t remember there being any reference in the books to how he “used to be so nice to inej” etc. so it makes it seem like major character elements are simply going to be dulled for the show. I honestly don’t even need him to be that violent, I just wish he had the depth the book gave him.
tbh six of crows need their own show
I am so so grateful to you for making this video.
Spoilers ahead.
When the casting decisions came out I was quiet skeptical of Freddy playing the role of Kaz as he really did not have a strong screen presence in any of the picture.
But then I saw a video clip of him playing Jason the ripper in Penny wise and felt that he can do justice to the role.
But unfortunately all my hopes were shattered when the show came out.
My problems were as follows
1.Freddy Carter doesn't have Kaz's charm. In Inej's words Kaz can make you blush one moment and make you want to commit murder the next. That aspect of him was completely missing in the show. In terms of mood Freddy Carter's Kaz felt like book!Kaz when Inej was taken captive by Van Eck but only more one toned. Book!Kaz kills people,threatens kids but we love him because he looks good doing it but Show!Kaz feels like a wet cat who wasn't given dinner the previous night.
2.Personality-A big part of Kaz is his inner struggle to convey basic human emotions. And that makes so much sense considering his back story and his struggle to power as a nobody in the barrel but in the show he is not only very vocal about his feelings but his emotional revelations feel very unearned.
3.Trust Issues-One thing that I love about Kaz in the books is how he is just not a generic bad guy with a heart of gold. He doesn't regret a thing he does and is also awfully ungreatful or at least not very vocal about being grateful. He let's Inej cry for a whole day after her first kill and doesn't have the decency to knock her door for once. But here he makes cheesy declarations like "no saints ever watched over me not like you have". Which was so out of character.
Also when book!Kaz says things like "Inej will never truly be mine" or "I don't deserve her" we believe him because he was kinda horrible to her in the beginning of the book. But in the show he is so nice to her that it feels like if he later thinks "I am not the guy for her" it will feel very Winny and unnecessary.
Kaz portrayal in the show is more human and realistic. If someone always has an answer and be sure it will reduce the threats and he seems more gray in the show. Maybe it’s the story of how he becomes the Cruel Kaz in the books.... and they are not supposed to be the same.
I honestly prefer netflix's version. Cheers for Kaz actually trusting Jesper and treating Inej with actual kindess (in his twisted way, but still).
okay so here's my opinion. book kaz is deadly, incredibly complex, morally grey and an overall fascinating character. i think he might be my all time favourite character I've ever read about.
as for show kaz, i think freddy carter did an incredible job and i couldn't possibly imagine anyone else playing him. my only problem was (as a person who read soc and ck before watching the show) show kaz was a lot more soft than book kaz. sure he was cruel and deadly but book kaz was just deadlier. and the scene where pekka beat up kaz...i mean book kaz would've never allowed that. but i think it's on the screenwriters and not on freddy. he did a great job but i think (hope) the writers made him softer in the show because the timeline is around 2 years before soc begins so maybe they'll develop his character more and make him reach his full potential as in the books, in later seasons. i really really hope so, because freddy is perfect as kaz and if the character isn't developed more in the show it would really be a shame
I feel like if some things were changed (Netflix, meshing 2 series into 1 show, writing, etc.) the Crow Actors could really embody what we as readers imagined
Coming from someone who started with the show, I LOVED Kaz. I thought his intro was amazing and that he was a smart, a total badass and really funny with his one liners. The scene between him and the Darkling was phenomenal.
Now that I've read the books I still think Kaz is great in both show and book. I think Netflix just needed to test the waters. Freddy clearly loves his role. He read the books and became just as big a fan as the rest of us. I think season 2 is gonna be a chance to mold the two together. When I read the books I see Freddy Kit and Amita. I'm stoked to see Jake as Wylan!!
i think the show missed the mark with the characters' thoughts. obviously, there is no inner monologues to help us fall in love with the characters. i hope in future seasons, they go back and make flashback scenes about how kaz became the criminal mastermind he is, in order to show the character better on screen. over all, i think six of crows was so spectacular characterwise, with its relationships and individual development, and i think it can never be truly replicated as a television show or movie
I think its hard to give the crows their character development without the actual six of crows plot
Something that confuses me about this show is the timeline. I'm not sure how old any of these characters are because if we're saying this is before SOC and before Nina joined the Dregs, then maybe 15 as hes 17 in the books and Nina was in the Dregs for a year. So hes 15. I am definitely not sure when Jesper joined the dregs, but if we're saying he was here then he would probably be fresh into the dregs. So why do they all look older? Inej would probably be recently out of the menagerie and not yet "scary." Just learning. Shes definitely not just learning. And why is Kaz so childish? He was plenty angry back then and also trying to prove himself. Hes not "Boss" yet as everybody calls him, he wouldnt even be a lieutenant yet. He would be lower down, so why is this 15 year old being called boss. Kaz was always supposed to be a rough person who got things done, and an intelligent person. But in Tv hes just useless and a bit predictable? He needs the conductor to figure out a way to get to the palace and he gets beat by Pekka Rollins? PekkaRollins, my god. Another thing that made the crows so childish was Pekka Rollins being made into the bIg BaD vIlLiAn. He was not a very major character early on and never portrayed as some anger violence man. Hes a barrel boss and a con man, but not a guy who does the dirty work. He definitely wouldnt threaten some guy in the dregs, which according to the timeline is currently a bad gang. If the Dregs are apparently a respectable gang right now then Pekka wouldnt risk starting a gang war unless a situation like CK when everybody is against them. Or unless he was sneaky. He would not blatantly threaten Kaz and also somehow beat him in a fight? What?? Netfix just really makes us hate him when in the books hes sort of a dynamic villian. he is a bad guy, but it's not his direct violence that kills Jordie. Pekka is used to show how people affect others without trying. he assumed the kids would bounce back, but they didnt. Hes used to show how actions have consequences. He is not just some volatile dude who attacks people randomly
The tv show is a bit of a mess-
I totally agree with you. I feel like if you're given a bad script no amount of good acting can make up for that. Freddy Carter is a good actor that's a fact, but I seriously agree with you when you say that he might not have been given what he needed to bring Kaz to life fully. While his interpretation of the character was good it wasn't the best and it's not his fault. I feel like this series really focused more on plot driven story then character driven story which how it is in the books. Which is a real shame.
The thing i remember when watching the show is some of this showing Kaz becoming more of Dirtyhands he isnt quite there yet though they do show his sharp thinking and his eye for details
Kaz would never admit he needed his crows, not so soon, at least. But in the show he did. He also said, She's not like you, no one is. I think these are swoon worthy lines, but it's not like Kaz to admit his feelings out in the world. And then there was Jesper asking him if Pekka recognized him.
I know there wasn't enough time in the series to show Kaz's meanness and his backstory, but they could do with one step at a time. We could start with a mysterious, invincible man and then his backstory could be revealed. I don't know. I feel like the series Kaz is a Dad version of Kaz Brekker. (Which I kinda admire, but can't totally accept :( )
After having watched season 2, I think Netflix Kaz was much, much better. He's still not exactly the Kaz we imagined but there's so much more to him and it's made me fall in love with him all over again!
I think Freddy did well with the script he was given. The script made Kaz seem more stupid, less interesting, but to me it seemed like Freddy was trying his best to encapsulate Kaz’s energy regardless. In the looks he gave or the way he stood. I really do think it was entirely the fault of the script-makers
You should analyze this again with season 2! I noticed a lot more of book kaz coming through in the second season
I think for me, the thing that was really missing in Kaz was his humour. He's funny! He isn't serious all the time! And I think that fault lays with the writers, who maybe thought that aspect of his character would undermine his authority when the Dirtyhands mask dropped back into place.
BOOK AND POSSIBLY FUTURE SEASONS SPOILER ALERT:
When I look at book Kaz's character arc I see: a man driven by revenge who brings the Crows along in an impossible heist, so that he can serve his egoistic goals, but as the books progress we see that there's more to it: greed and spite have to come in second to keeping his friends alive, the stakes are huge and that sort of pressure is where Kaz's brilliance is shown. Kaz grows from 'Dirtyhands' who doesn't refrain from any monstruous deed to have his way to Kaz, the brilliant mastermind who is intelligent enough, devious enough that he can achieve his goals and save his friends with zero casualties on his hands.
When I look at film Kaz, I see: driven by spite at the beginning, he enrolls the Crows into a heist that might make him the money he needs for revenge. The Crows then fail to capture Alina, not because they can't, but because they have an internal conflict - namely Inej realises that Alina is not a fraud, but a girl with something special who has been tricked and held captive much like herself and so decides to let her go, and though there's friction in the Crows about that, by the time they have a second chance to kidnap Alina, Jesper has followed in Inej's steps and then Kaz decides to settle for less, he can keep the Crow Club and the chance to buy Inej's freedom, but lets go of the bigger prize that might serve his revenge purposes. Why? Because friends come ahead of revenge, and selling Alina into slavery is not something that Kaz would do to achieve his goals.
Film Kaz is a preamble to book Kaz as I see it, because inside the monster humanity always fough for real estate, and even though I agree with you that Kaz didn't feel as dangerous and the Crows were more comedic than they were dramatic in the show, I still believe that the room to grow to the high stakes-devious mastermind is definitiley still there for Kaz. The Crows' arc had to be set as a failure in the show in order to have Alina's arc stick to the book, which makes the Crows look a little pointless, but I like it that they put the failure not on the Crows ineficiency, but on their humanity.
I hope you can remake this video with season 2 kaz! It has a much better representation of the character
I completely love Kaz on Netflix.....the more I watched the more I like him!
I’m currently confused as I read the first book however many years back when it was the only book I was aware of. What have I missed out on?
Although I do agree with alot if things said in this video but i have to say that freddy carter's portrayal of kazbrekker does have potential cuz i remember watching the scene where finds out about the conductor and for me at least his character was unpredictable for a second and i do agree that considering the show is catering two plots and trying to make them as cohesive as possible, I guess that's what somewhat over shadows the character portrayal but yeah i do think if we get a spinoff with the same cast it may be what we expected in the first place cuz then the show runners would wholly focused on the six of crows characters and their storyline.
I think the biggest downfall of TV Kaz was that we couldn't get inside his head. In the books, we feel his longing for revenge, his willingness to do anything to get it, his struggle to let himself feel emotions because we're there seeing those thoughts but there's just not a way to do that in a show. While he never touches anyone skin to skin, we don't know that he's actively avoiding it. We get the sense he doesn't like Rollins but we don't get the pure hatred and backstory foreshadowing that come along with it. He wears the gloves all the time but we don't know what they really mean to him. It's the things like that that are lost in the transition that change the way we see the character.
Books and films/series cannot be exactly the same. And that is why they both exist and people are still spending hours and days reading while everything goes faster and shorter in our time! In films/series, I do think it is better when certain things are not just showed by rather guessed and implicit. That is adding to the intrigue. In films/series, the story and facts are the most important elements. The psycho of the characters should not trouble the story line too much, otherwise the narrative and rythme will be damaged. I think the series was harmonious and captivating while mixing so many complex characters without one really shadowing too much the others. Kaz in the series was very mysterious and I like the fact that we are never sure everything will go fine because he controls everything and is some kind of super clever man. Otherwise where is the suspens ? Kaz in the series has a more realistic psycho and is very touching and make me want to know more about him. More than the other characters. He was the most touching and mysterious. But again films/series can’t and shouldn’t compete w/ books. They are complementary when both are well done in their genre.
freddy did a good job, and in love the casting but I cant help but feel like book kaz and show kaz are two different people, both in looks and temperament. love them both though ❤
Leigh is so good at using perceptive to it's fullest and without cheating the reader just for shock value, but organically surprising them. I like the show and think it is better than the Shadow and Bone novels (which was single pov), but Six of Crows in itself is so complex that it's in my eyes it is nearly impossible to pull it off on screen, because it uses all the written medium has to offer to it's fullest. I'm reading an old book series that was made into tv feature films in the 90s and i liked the show and how the characters were drawn so to speak. But when i read the first novel i saw how shallow they actually were in comparison. it was like 5 characters' POVs in 5 paragraphed and each and everyone of them was different in perception of the word, values and motives. Have fun getting that one page on screen that effectively.
So to get back to the beginning: it's a testament to how good leigh it at what she's doing. You'd need a looot of hours to get the crows on screen in all their glory and she does it in about 100k words or even 1 paragraph. I'm not a person to quote whole novel paragraphs. At most sentences like "Joost had to problems: The moon and hist mustache", but Kaz' opening paragraph stuck with me. It's all you need to know about Kaz. And it is no empty hyping up a character, but a promise and Leigh delivered
As much as I can agree with almost everything that you said, main point of fact is that the series centered on the story of Shadow and Bones and its characters so its largely a reason behind this supposedly "not Kaz enough" feeling. The Crows were added to the show as they are fan faves from the bookverse, and their storyline in the series was specifically made for the show, which I think tried it's best to be as honest their book nature. Yes they aren't just side characters, but the story wasn't made to be about them just like how their own books are all about them so surely they are more and better fleshed out there and not in this series. For however Freddy portrayed Kaz Brekker, I think he'd done great enough for someone who isn't too involved in the bookverse before even being casted. Let's just hope this criticism can reach the production and be considered for season 2 because you did made a lot of good points. Season 2 is a chance for so much improvement and character development. Kaz Brekker is such a unique and complex character and it'll be really hard to see him in motion pics as perfect as we've read him. But I trust Leigh would never let a series murder her best babies. 🖤 No mourners!
They need they own show to show us more
Thank you, I completely agree.
I think they're trying to make character development cause book kaz is a few years after the events of shadow and bone. I am positive freddy and the crew will do justuce for the character. If we don't it will not be Freddy's fault cause we all know that freddy really respects kaz and he understands him.
Well Kaz was bitter after Jordie's death, his time with Inej and the other crows taught him how to be human (he was more human in CK than in SOC) So I guess we'll only see him getting softer, not the other way around :(
Kaz in the books would have been one step ahead in the plan to get Alina. His skills were lacking while Inejs and Jespers skill was clearly shown. It makes Kaz boring tbh. And go add there was just a smidge of true Kaz violence. I don't know how they will fix this.
I think people have to differentiate between the books and the series. Because one we create every scene in our minds and the other is shown to us and we don't have any power over it. I love the series and the fact that they've included the crows but I would never compare it to the books because it is not the same. I guess people jump too fast to criticizes everything, we can all take the Harry Potter franchise as an example because even though the movies didn't do justice to the books they are still a fan favorite to a lot of people and you don't see every book fan hating on them.
I have read the six of crows books but not the shadow and bone series just because I loved kaz brekker and freddie carter who played him.
I think that in the scene when Kaz slammed his stick (forgot the word) on the on the table and shakes his head would have been better if he just stared at Jesper and not shake his head. In my opinion it would have made him a more cold person. In some other scenes in this video he seemed insecure and angry not cold and a mysterious mastermind. No spoilers tho if you reply, I haven't watched it yet
I agree! And though none of the characters in the show really looked how I expected or imagined them, they didn't act how they seemed in the books either. But I can cut them a lot of slack for that because we can't expect them to be exactly how we want. I think it would be better though if the characters at least embodied the spirit of their book counterparts.
I think that the actors are all very good, but the way the writers of the show introduce the characters and the fact that they had to change to plot so much in order to combine both series' definitely damaged the portrayal and the emotion that readers get from Leigh's books. I still adore the show and think it's amazing, but in order to watch that and maintain my extreme love for the books I end up separating them into two different series in my mind, instead of an adaptation. All in all the writers didn't develop the characters as well as Leigh did, maybe I'm just bias because I love the books and Leigh so much though. (Also I'm making it very clear that the actors did an amazing job and I think they're very good, it just doesn't feel the same because of the changes in the story and appearance of what I had in mind, which is always an issue when a book is made into a show).
I'll be honest I was really disapointed with the crows overal portrayal. NO FAULT TO THE ACTORS, I think they all did brilliantly (especially Jesper, who is honestly the only one I think they got right). But just small things like how Inej is the one to inform Kaz about the job and her main interest is the money, talking about the kind of cash without a quote about how that much money brings more trouble than good (she said something similar to that in the books) is so out of character for her, not to mention she only brings up the saints towards the end of the show or as a replacement for oh my god - seems kind of like they added it last minute. This might be a controversial one, but I also think inej having unaturally straight and long hair plus eyeliner is out of character, she lives in the poorest and roughest section of ketterdam but looks like a model - im aware she's still working at the menagerie in the show but imo that's even more of a reason for her to look more roughened with unstyled hair during her heist so when we see her at the menagerie we're shocked by her transformation. Amita Suman is gorgeous, i hope the show isn't afraid to show her in a more casual and everyday look like she's described in the books in the future. As for Kaz, ik it's before Six of Crows and they want to show character progression but he's FAR too weak. You don't have ot have him being a criminal mastermind yet but having him on his knees before pekka rollins (who wasn't a nessecary character at all for the show at this point) just stings. While acted out brilliantly, all show kaz does is show up to places and fail miserably. They didnt give enough attention to his lockpicking or schemeing abilities making it unclear why he's the leader of the dregs when jesper or inej right now look so much tougher. Final thing, ketterdam looked a bit too flash imo. You can show the flashy tourist luring buzz of the city while still making it look hostile, the portrayl of ketterdam didn't really showcase the desperation of people in the barrel. thank you for coming to my ted talk, no hate towards the show creators or anything because this is a youtube comment critique and not a personal attack on anyone - just my opinions feel free to have others
I loved Freddy's acting but my problem was with how the script and show wanted to portray Kaz.
I didn't see it necessary to make him weak in the 1st season because Kaz had become the cold and dangerous criminal since he was 14 which in shadow and bone books was the same time but in the series it didn't work. They showed us his soft spot for inej so soon and too much and his abilities with his cane and strength in being a thief so little. I knew the series was about Alina so I was ready to get less from the crows. Even tho I like show Kaz I have problems with how the series showed him like he was any other character having a development like any other when Kaz had gone through that years ago.
Hopefully second season won't have these issues so boldly.
You have worked what I was feeling so so so well! Specially that scene where Pekka's men hold Kaz down and beat him up, compared to the Kaz in Crooked Kingdom who walks into the Crow Club and kicks the shit out of everyone and overthrown Per Haskell. I couldn't digest that.
Utterly true.
well according to the show runners, the crows were there to introduce the characters for a posible spin off, and a way to conect boths stories, so even if the characters felt like they didnt have enough time to develop, its because SaB show is not their show. but define the connections between this characters and give us a glance of their motivations and set the bases for the events of the duology, if it all goes well with the continuity of the show, thinking that netflix has a reputation of cancelling series in their first season if they think they.re not popular enough. besides, lets not forget Kaz is a proper villain. but SaB already has its own villan so obviously you cant eclipse the villain of the main story xD all they need was to make them appealing enough for us to want more.
Keeping in mind it is hard to portray what a character is truely feeing on the inside in a tv show when in the book you can in a sense, read their thoughts
I started watching the show before I read the duology (I had read the shadow and bone trilogy first and didn’t know about it) and I didn’t think much of kaz, I just thought he was an unimportant side character. (I’ve read the duology now)
THEY DID MY KAZ DIRTY
maybe in season 2 we will have everything we lack!
Because all what it happens in "six of crows" it happens after "shadows of bones" , let's trust guys!
I personally think that SoC should be a different series, since it’s in a different timeline. The Dregs were never on the skiff and that made it weird for me
I just read soc and im afraid to watch the series bc i loved the book so much
Overall, I loved the performances from all of the Crows. I’ve read through SoC and am making my way through CK and I thought the characters were generally pretty accurate to how I’m seeing/imagining them.
My only real gripe against Kaz is he’s too “grouchy” to use your words. The books mention that Kaz does laugh, smile, and make jokes pretty frequently with the other characters. Of course, he’s still a massive dick, and most if not all of his jokes are at someone’s expense, but they’re still there. And that’s something I think the show didn’t do a very great job of showing. Kaz was always scowling, and what few comedic moments he had did not come from him trying to be comedic. I feel like the insulting jokes really added to the “mastermind” persona because it’s like he always had a reason to be cocky. He always knew he was capable of taking on whatever he was walking into. Although, I’d attribute that more to the writing than I would Freddy’s performance. It’s not like he did a bad job of selling those parts of the character, they just weren’t there in the first place.
Despite that, I still suspect that the differences are there because this isn’t supposed to be the Kaz we get in the books. Shadow and Bone takes place two years before SoC, so if the show follows the same timeline, it could mean that Bardugo is trying to show a Kaz who’s still trying to build that legend. And then, once he’s done that, he either takes on that personality in order to add to that myth, or he simply eases up a tad bit (even though he’s still far from a happy person).
Sorry but as a lover of Grimdark books myself I don't think it's audience would love what actual ruthless means. I literally felt that show Kaz was bit realistic according to his potential. It's a YA book n I usually hate Ya books except some few. Book Kaz felt unrealistic at so many times and there were plenty of mistakes in d books. Kids who r just used to typical YA books would definitely find that amazing but book wasn't anything outstanding for me but yes it was d best book of Leigh till now I would say far better Grisha trilogy. Moreover when Kaz is surrounded by people who r way more powerful than him rather than being in Katterdam. Things differs alot. There r various silly mistakes done in Kaz's personality in the books. Show one still felt real n practical honestly. Also Freddy did a fine job 👍 but for me guy who plays Bruce in the Gotham was perfect for Kaz of book
This couldn't be more accurate. I thought it was just me🤕
I think he misses the point of it being a TOTALLY DIFFERENT MEDIUM! Books can go anywhere and do anything, film medium is 98% showing. It's like watching/reading historical fiction and getting mad that it breaks away from actual events. I ALWAYS remove my book expectations from tv/movie expectations. I am here for the journey not the page by page version of how I read the books and envisioned the character, they would never fully get it right, so chill and enjoy what you get...
You're so right
I just got myself to watch the show because i knew i would be letdown and what they chose to do with kaz was definitely the biggest disappointment.
He didn't feel like a feared and respected leader, He Could hardly fight and kept getting whooped while in the books is a savage and gets into physical fights countless times, He didn't feel cunning and controlled, just broody and angry.
One of the best things about kaz as a character is how everyone is looking to him and trusting him to get them through a squeeze because they know they can rely on him, but show kaz just felt like he was along for the ride most of the time.
i think soc should have its own show instead of being clubbed together with sab. the casting is perfect, the actors have all done a great job, but since the characters from different stories have been shoved together, the crows' plots and characterisation were kinda overlooked a bit. nina/matthias' plot came closest to the books, almost the same. but inej's backstory with heleen and her indenture being paid off was strange. like why did they rush that part and make kaz sell his shares to heleen?
i still liked the show a lot bc the actors and their performances came the closest to how I'd imagined it, and so i really hope they develop the crows more and make kaz more deadly and like the books because freddy is perfect as kaz and not developing him will be a huge waste of potential
Did well. He was more brooding. The Bone people had more story.shic ruled the series. Less violent. Crows were cool and had the best action scences
i do like the analysis. However its not very logical given the timeline of the series.
The kaz we know has an stablished reputation. The one on the series is years before that.
So comparing a younger self to a more mature self.. is odd
Disagree. The series is set 2 years prior. There’s nothing to stand on that implies kaz will become an entirely different person within 2 years as he is already acting like a grown man in the series, and Bardugo never implies in six of crows that kaz waits until 1 year prior to the novel to became the character in the books. So while it’s not entirely out of line to suggest that some manner of character development on the show could occur in the future and before six of crows begins that brings the book kaz and show kaz closer, it’s still entirely evident by the shows narrative decisions that it was a conscious effort (or oversight) to take kaz in a different direction. Seeing as how he says and does things in the novel that compromise his defining character traits (like the way his relationship develops with inej by the end of the show)
Lol I thought he did a great job
i hate the fact that they used shadow and bone instead of six of crows. it would have been a much better movie with more intense moments
10000000% agree
Is it just me or Jesper's portrayal is sooo much better than Kaz. I felt like Jesper was a real character and somehow I felt safer with him than the Netflix Kaz. Everytime I see Freddy I just sigh bc he's physically not as strong or as CON as the book describes. He is a great actor, but it's true that he really feels flat for the role.