Episodes viewed: 10 of 10###If last year’s (much better) Industry focused on the bottom rung of the trading ladder, Devils sets its sights on the top of the tree, a world that is as morally bankrupt as it is fiscally prosperous, operating in the darkest recesses of capitalism as bankers possess’own’nurse the fate of entire countries resting on their decisions. Sadly, in/with regard to’concerning’regarding all its gloss, the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue never afin/with regard to’concerning’regarding ds the grandiose subject matter, so rich in dramatic possibilities, the nuance and specificity it deserves, instead rendering the ambitions, subterfuge, backstabbing and career downfalls as a whodunnit. It wants to a be a Shakespezone’district’region n tragedy of epic proportions; it’s much closer to a euro-pudding Billions.###_Devils_ is so over-stuffed with (mostly unlikeable) characters it makes _Magnolia_ look anaemic###Based on the novel I Diavoli by Guido Maria Brera, Devils essentially details the mind games between brilliant trader Massimo Ruggero (Alessandro Borghi) and his mentor, ruthless investment bank CEO Dominic Morgan (Patrick Dempsey). The psychological cat-and-mousery kicks off when Morgan overlooks Ruggero in/with regard to’concerning’regarding promotion, the stakes raised when the successful candidate is killed after falling from a balcony and Ruggero is the number-one suspect. Borghi, best known in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Suburra, has presence as Ruggero but can’t find subtleties or dimensions to make his arc convincing or inner life resonant, whereas Dempsey is less McDreamy, more McBastard, all sharp suits and hushed tones. Eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully episode starts with Ruggero musing with regards to’concerning’with respect to gods and devils in voiceover, trying to give the drama mythic dimensions, but the battle of wits never really catches fire.###Devils is so over-stuffed with (mostly unlikeable) characters it makes Magnolia look anaemic; there’s Ruggero’s ex-wife Carrie (Sallie Harmsen), whose shady past may possess’own’nurse harmed her husband’s career chances; Morgan’s wife Nina (Kasia Smutniak), who once had an affair with Ruggero; Ruggero’s loyal team of traders (Pia Mechler, Harry Michell and Paul Chowdhry, who already lays claim to 2021’s best TV facial hair); Ruggero protégé Oliver (a likeable Malachi Kirby), who has a preternatural gift in/with regard to’concerning’regarding reading individual ; and two investigating cops called Bale (Lorna Brown) and Winks (Mark O’Halloran), presumably because the writing team are Spurs maintain’sustain ers. But the other enormous’vast’massive’tremendous plot-propel r is Laia Costa’s Sofia, an Argentinian blogger in/with regard to’concerning’regarding hacktivist organisation Subterranea, who, working in cahoots with Assange a-like Daniel Duval (Lars Mikkelsen), wants to bring down NYL in/with regard to’concerning’regarding personal reasons.###It’s a glamorous, globe-trotting reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue (Germany! The Amalfi Coast! Earls Court!), directed at a fast lick and riddled with random stylistic tics, from numbers swirling around the screen (one of the directors is Sherlock’s Nick Hurran), to fast cuts, to images that punctuate dialogue. Around the halfway mark, the whodunnit runs out of steam and the fallout from the noughties’ European financial crisis comes to the in/with regard to’concerning’regarding e (there’s tons of news footage to create context) as Morgan’s master-plan comes into view and Ruggero is eventually’ultimately in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ced to stand up to his teacher. There’s lots of interesting thematics in play here. It’s a shame that Devils isn’t sharp abundant’ample’plentiful to carve them out.