Review: TVF's 'Cubicles' Is Relatable, Accurate & Entertaining But May Take Time To Click

If there's one thing that digital platform and YouTube channel TVF (The Viral Fever) has successfully managed to do over the years then that is being able to take the real from reality and marry it with entertainment and intelligence. Shows like Pitchers and Kota Factory are examples of how TVF usually gets it right when it comes to reflecting the education and corporate system in India.

Another attempt to depict the corporate culture we live in has now been presented in the form of their latest show, TVF's Cubicles. The first episode was recently out and here's what I think about it.

The story sets our right into motion as we meet Piyush Prajapati (Abhishek Chauhan) who is also the narrator of the series as he is prepping for his first day at his new (legitimate) job, where he will be working as a junior developer in coding. 

Just like you can imagine anyone's first day at work, pretty much the same goes on with Piyush as he tries to wander through being clueless about umpteen things in a big company along with immediately rubbing a senior the wrong way to end up having a bad day overall as he is schooled by the boss. The first episode ends with a rather-expected motivational speech by her team leader, Megha Asthana (Nidhi Bisht) thus gearing you for the next episode.

The one thing that TVF has excelled at before and does this time around too is the accurate depiction of the world they are inviting the viewers into. Be it the lingo, jargons or general lifestyle in the respective world, everything seems as real and relatable as it can get. That continues with Cubicles where the sense of excitement, fear, nervousness, skepticism and even sadness of a first-day employee in a corporate office is perfectly depicted in the episode.

The casting, like everytime is spot-on where TVF also continues it's tradition of casting a new face as the lead along with their usuals. Sameer Saxena as Boss Dhume, Shivankit Singh Parihar as Angad, Nidhi Bisht as team leader Megha and Badi Chavan as Gautam are the regulars and as always as reliable as you expect them to be. Leading man Abhishek Chavan is the new face and he manages to entirely exhibit the mixture of naivety and nervousness of a young employee with conviction. His roommate and colleague Kalpesh Bhatia (played by Arnav Bhasin) is yet another welcome addition and a comic relief to the plotline.

Inspite of being accurate with depiction and casting, Cubicles lacks the punch or getting hooked-on-to-it factor that the channel is usually known for. Be it Pitchers, Permanent Roommates or Kota Factory, the shows had that one moment in the first episode which immediately gets you intrigued and willing to watch the next episode right away. Inspite of the fairly effective motivational speech by Megha in the last moments of the 1st episode, the show doesn't have an instant likability about it. However, I am not ruling out the possibility for this change completely in the next episode and it may even get better.

With intricate details about work culture and instant relatability, Cubicles may not be an instant hit or click with the viewers right away; but has the components and potential to pick up in the later episodes and be another addition to the channel's illustrious list of successful originals.

Rating - *** (3/5)