‘Catalog’ (2025) Netflix Series Review - Heartfelt but Repetitive Plot

When I started watching Catalog, I liked it. But mid-way, I realized it wasn’t something that I was watching for the first time. Here’s what happens here: at the center of the plot is Youssef, a grief-stricken workaholic father of two. He lost his wife Amina, who was also the mother of children. Now he doesn’t know how to navigate life without her. How can he? He was so used to her taking care of things that he had no clue that he would have to take care of things one day, too. Right from birthdays to pickups and drop-offs, clearly, Youssef is having a hard time. But his wife was a smart lady. She knew her husband’s capabilities and abilities. Before her passing away, she recorded videos in which Amina explains everything to Youssef. However, even with that, the family terribly misses Amina. And the foremost question that arises- can Youssef adjust to all this? Will he now become a more emotionally available dad for his children? Through his imperfections and lack of ability to tie pony tales, Youssef must learn to become both a father and a mother to them.

Now that you know what happens, I am sure most of you will agree that this isn’t a new plot. Movies like Fatherhood, featuring Kevin Hart, deal with the same theme. And while the video recording might be a bit unfamiliar, it’s still something we have already explored before. At this point, the audience wants something fresh, out of the box. Deliberately touching soft themes doesn’t mean it will work every time. Catalog feels the same.

For a quick watch, you can proceed.  Eight episodes flew by swiftly. And most importantly, if you are someone who likes watching shows that deal with grief, fatherhood, legacy, and family dynamics, this show is the best for you.

When it comes to acting, the actors do a great job. This drama is high on emotions, the adults as well as the child actors do a great job in depicting the emotions point on. From seeing a husband grieving about his wife to young children grieving about their mother, we see a range of emotions in different age groups. Each age has a different way of dealing with loss and death. This show is a perfect depiction of the same. We also see how great a mother Amina was. Not to mention her thoughtfulness for Youssef. She knew the struggles he would face and thus made life easy for him in the best way she could.

However, sometimes, the pacing might feel a bit slow, and the anger of the children comes across as artificial. But like I said, if you are ready to ignore the repetition of themes, this show can be a great watch.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times