The Final Problem Review
Director: Félix Viscarret
Date Created: 2026-09-25 17:12
3.5
The Final Problem Review: Directed by Félix Viscarret, Netflix’s Spanish miniseries El problema final stars José Coronado as Basil, Martiño Rivas as Francisco Foxá, Maribel Verdú as Mrs Raquel Ausländer, María Valverde as Adela Figueroa, José Condessa as Tony, Cristina Kovani as Vicky, Pepón Nieto as Doctor Seruya, Gonzalo de Castro as Fonseca, Yaiza Guimaré as Frau Klemmer, and others. Based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novel of the same name, the series has 4 episodes, each with a runtime of 50 minutes.
The Final Problem Review
Netflix’s The Final Problem is set in 1959 when 13 individuals are stranded in a remote hotel located on an island near Mallorca following a storm which isolates them from the rest of the world. Everything becomes more complicated when the body of Elisa Mandar, an English tourist who stays in the hotel, is found dead. At first sight, her death appears to be a case of suicide, but Basil starts thinking otherwise. As there was no means of contacting the outside world, there was no simple way for the police to be brought in, and the guests were forced to stay together even if the murderer could be hiding among them.
In Netflix Spanish series The Final Problem, Basil is someone who had played as Sherlock Holmes actor so he is not the real detective, and that’s what provides Basil’s investigation with an element that seems peculiar because this character has been acting as a detective for many years, observing rooms and connecting various facts and details that do not seem related at first glance. It is now when a real murder takes place near him that all of this becomes helpful. I found it interesting to watch Basil transition from acting like a great detective to the realisation that he is now playing for real.
However, there is also an interesting thing about how the investigation affects Basil. He is presented to us as a retired actor, one whose best days are already behind him; but thanks to the murder, he finds himself being able to return to the role for which he was known. Hence, his investigation not only serves as a way to find the murderer but also gives him a purpose in life. This side of Basil is done very well by Jose Coronado, since he manages to give Basil charm while still showing his old-age activeness.
The interaction between Basil and Foxá also provided some of the best moments in the Spanish series The Final Problem. There is no denying the fact that the dynamic between these two people has the same Sherlock Holmes-Watson feel about it, but it is definitely not a mere replication of that well-known combination. Foxá is not just there to idolise Basil’s brilliance, and Basil is not always the all-knowing guy. The differences in their opinions provide spice to the detective process since they both look at the case from a different angle. Both of them can be wrong at any point.
In my opinion, the greatest strength in the Netflix series The Final Problem is how it is able to maintain suspicion due to the isolated nature of the plot. This includes no mobile phones, internet searches, CCTV footage, or other forensic evidence that could come out of nowhere and solve the mystery. Basil has only his interactions, the behaviour of others and their observations. As a result, even small exchanges between the guests become crucial in the plot. A peculiar reaction, a surprising relationship or an intriguing comment can make a person appear suspicious.
However, some of my issues with the 2026 The Final Problem series are that the show has many strange characters; however, some of them do not get enough development to be equally intriguing. While some of the guests seem to be well-developed suspects, the others appear only to keep the mystery alive. Some of them deserved more screen time, since the plot raises quite intriguing issues of class, romance and individual aspirations.
This becomes more pronounced in the case of Mrs Raquel Ausländer, who is portrayed by Maribel Verdú. Maribel Verdú is an actress whose performance I was really looking forward to in the series, but I found her character somewhat underused. As the manager of the hotel, Mrs Raquel inevitably becomes an important person that Basil has to talk to, and her evolving view towards his inquiry adds some suspense to the story. Nevertheless, there just isn’t enough written for her to become more prominent than I anticipated her to be.
Moreover, the plot of the story also raises some grim themes hidden behind the usual murder mystery. The unveiling of what is going on with the characters makes the mystery an act of exploitation, ambition, social classes, and the ability of those in power to influence people seeking advancement. The thing I liked about the story was that these themes seemed more interesting to me than I thought because they add a touch of humanity to the murder. However, my problem with the themes is that sometimes they are introduced but not explored enough.
Netflix The Final Problem Review: Summing Up
Overall, I wouldn’t claim that the 2026 series The Final Problem is a perfect mystery, considering how some characters need more development and a number of its major themes should have been developed rather than quickly solved. But there was enough good in Basil’s story, in the suspicions of his guests and in the original twist: a senior Sherlock Holmes actor solving the murder. But the series can be regarded as an interesting and stylish Spanish murder mystery featuring an intriguing character and many twists in its plot.
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