The Gardener has an appealingly strange setup: an emotionless hitman and his domineering mother run their business from an ordinary garden center. Then Elmer falls in love with his next target, nursery teacher Violeta. The six-part Spanish series mixes murder, family dysfunction and romance.
Elmer is quiet, cold and efficient. His mother La China is loud, controlling and manipulative. She receives more room than a simple mastermind caricature, although her behavior is not always convincing. Its excess can nevertheless be entertaining.
The visual style creates a strong mood. Color, framing and music move between dark noir and eccentric family drama. Unfortunately, the plotting is less developed. Elmer's movement from killer to lover remains too vague or happens too abruptly.
Violeta gains the clearest profile, with background and motivation that help create an emotional connection. Elmer remains harder to grasp. The series wants us invested in his choice between mother and love, but unease alone is not enough.
Dialogue ranges from sharp to mechanical. Some scenes feel stiff and theatrical, constructed for an effect rather than inhabited by real people. Suspense and exaggerated family psychology never fully come together.
The Gardener is easy enough to binge and certainly has an unusual atmosphere. For me, though, it offers more style than substance: a bold experiment whose intriguing premise deserved stronger emotional roots.