Rotten - A Netflix Original Documentary Series Review (part 1)

Love food? Love investigation or crime shows?

If you answered yes to both (or either) question, this may be the show for you. I have fallen in love with Rotten. It is a six-part, Netflix Original documentary series based on uncovering food crimes. It deals with a wide range of issues from all over the globe in a personal manner that makes even those unconcerned about their food's source become skeptics. It appears to be unbiased, and even has cinematic surprises, which I really appreciate in documentaries.

This is part one of my break down, and I will be focusing on the first three episodes. It will be full of spoilers, so if you aren't sure if you want to watch it check out the trailer here before you continue!

Episode 1: Honey

Addressing issues from colony collapse to honey dilution to price reduction through 'dumping', I found this to be the most comprehensive of the three episodes so far; however, it did lack a bit of the narrative that helped the other two episodes. It addressed almost every angle of honey, especially tariffs and inexpensive honey coming out of China. In addition, it covered the newest science about how they are beginning to detect fraudulent honey. It ended with the topic of hive migration in California and the dangers associated with it.

Episode 2: Peanuts

Primarily dealing with the issues of food allergies, this episode takes a scientific look at what is happening to our bodies. Why are we developing food allergies at such an alarming rate? Why are we developing them so young? It highlights families whose lives have been halted by food allergies, and (my favorite section) shows how restaurants have been impacted by the dramatic rise in allergies. It closes out with a criminal case and hope for the future, for both peanut farmers and those with allergies.

Episode 3: Garlic

Focusing on two small garlic farmers in New Mexico, the episode starts off innocently enough. Through multiple surprising ways, it unveils a monopolistic garlic dumping problem from Chinese garlic growers, along with a possible alliance between the largest US grower and the largest Chinese grower. Following a lawsuit from the two small farmers, the episode ends with an unexpected twist that left me wondering who was actually in the wrong.

Image Sources: Honey, Peanuts, Garlic

Overall, I think the series is off to a wonderful start. I am always a bit skeptical of documentaries - nothing can be completely objective, and there is always a chance of cherry-picking data. However, Rotten appears to be showing both sides of each story, focusing on fact-based information, and encourages the audience to draw their own conclusions. I am excited for the next three episodes!

Do you have any favorite documentaries? What do you think about a documentary that exposes and informs the public about food production?