I meant it in a tongue-in-cheek way, of course. But on a more serious note, do be prepared, both mentally and physically. Mouse is a drama that I had briefly dropped at episode 14, and then picked up again after 2 weeks of much needed respite when my brain had finally recovered from the blunt force trauma inflicted from attempting to make sense of it all (and after much encouragement as well as support from MDL friends to re-join this roller coaster of a drama).

Make no mistake, this is a roller coaster in every single sense of the term. It will fry your brain cells, toy with your every emotion, leaving you gasping for air at the end of each episode, right down to the grand finale. Watching this show isn’t as straightforward as simply observing the story unfolding - this production fully consumes you until your entire being is immersed into the layers upon layers and twists within twists amidst the convolution of interconnected nonlinear plots and subplots.

Without spoiling anything, these are the major aspects that I actually liked about it (when my mind wasn’t spiralling)...

The premise of the story about serial killing and the concept of scientific identification of serial killers through their genes (DNA) are original, refreshing and intriguing. Whether or not this is scientifically feasible, only the experts will know (I’ve been told it’s pure fiction). The plot moves at an extremely frenetic pace that’s punctuated by numerous backstories, side-stories and transitions between multiple timelines. This is essentially a “whodunnit” that gradually evolves into the “when, how and why” of it all. Everyone in the comments section and on Feeds (and possibly around the world who’s watching) definitely had fun and/ or stress postulating countless ever-changing hypotheses week in, week out!

Mouse is primarily plot-driven but the acting elevates the entire production to exceptional levels. For me the two main men have been incredible. Lee Hee Joon’s Ko Moo Chi is quite extraordinary where the range of emotions that this character conveys and puts us through is just remarkable. The highlights are many but his heart-wrenching and supercharged performance in episode 5 is certainly worthy of mention. As for the role of Jung Ba Reum, I can’t quite believe how this character is conceived and written. It’s insane when you think about it, really. The term multidimensional is an understatement. What even beggars belief is how Lee Seung Gi is able to bring to life this extremely complex work of fiction. No words of description will do justice to this portrayal because seeing is believing. Both of them are good value for 2022’s Baeksang nominations indeed.

No production is ever perfect and Mouse certainly has its fair share of flaws...

The elements of sensationalism in the screenplay. The screenwriter Choi Ran is certainly deserving of praise for the script on the whole but I couldn’t help feeling that the inclusion of more than a few instances of fake cliffhangers, false endings, shock-and-awe factors smack of exploitation and manipulation of viewership ratings. This drama is anything but subtle because exaggeration is the name of the game. For the most part, it works but sometimes you just feel annoyingly cheated and frustrated.

For me, the women in the show are not as compelling to watch as the men. Although credited as main roles, the characters of Choi Hong Joo and Oh Bong Yi are largely depicted as supportive in the development of the plot. Kyung Soo Jin’s portrayal is somewhat understated while Park Joo Hyun’s characterization has some room for improvement. I didn’t feel connected and invested enough with their characters which lack the extra dimensions that are present in the male leads. Both these two actresses are critically acclaimed award-winning professionals, (Park Joo Hyun recently won the best new actress at the 57th Baeksang) so perhaps the script didn’t focus enough on their characters for the portrayals to be fully fleshed out.

The technical execution, notably the editing and camerawork, could have been better. They become rather erratic, especially in the final third of the production where the cameras seem to be struggling to keep up with the increasingly frantic pace and sudden scene transitions alternating between the various characters’ points of view. To be honest, I think at this stage viewers just couldn’t care anymore and wanted the answers to be revealed as soon as possible.

Personally I struggled to keep up with the storytelling at times, which oscillated between coherence and hot mess. However, all things considered, I think Mouse has largely succeeded in giving viewers what it was designed to deliver - gripping plotlines, edge-of-the-seat thrills, mind-blowing reveals and much takeaway to ponder regarding the overall theme of violent crime prevention. As far as the ending is concerned, I’m actually quite pleased with the final outcome. After all that had transpired, it truly feels like a fitting closure for the characters involved. In truth, no amount of words will do justice to this spectacle because, at the end of the day, seeing is believing.

(Note - If you do decide to start this drama, remember to watch the 2-episode spin-off special, Mouse: Predator after completing episode 15 and before proceeding to the remaining episodes. This special production provides further "clarity" to the entire story)