Eric Garcia, the show’s creator, wanted Kaleidoscope on Netflix to be interactive, and that’s exactly what we got. In the ensuing heist drama starring Giancarlo Esposito, a complex choose-your-own-adventure plot challenges viewers to piece together the puzzle as they watch the program. Instead of using a number, each episode’s title uses a color, which affects the mood and presentation of each chapter.
The order of the episodes is supposed to vary depending on the viewer, with the exception of the conclusion, which is always the last. According to Netflix, “[viewers]’ perspectives on the tale, the characters, and the issues and answers at the heart of the heist will be impacted by the order [they] watch the episodes].”
Thus, there are several
Watch it backward.
The colors denoted by those letters are: “Pink,” “Red,” “White,” “Blue,” “Orange,” “Yellow,” “Green,” and “Violet.”
Seeing where everyone goes after starting with “Pink” entails going back through the process of how they get there. You can still reserve “White” for last or reorder it so that it comes after “Red” in the chronological order Garcia intended.
Characters can age backward, resurrect, and arrive at the point that sends them off in the wrong (or right) route using this technique.
Watch the episodes chronologically.
The episode titled “White” is set to act as a finale that reveals the answers to many questions throughout the show. But that’s not the end of the story in a chronological sense. Here’s the order for looking at things along a linear timeline:
“Purple” “Green” “Yellow” “Orange” “Blue” “White” “Red” “Pink”.
The overall story spans 20 years. So getting the exact date of each episode would look like this:
Violet: 24 years ago
Green: 7 years ago
Yellow: 6 weeks ago
Orange: 3 weeks ago
Blue: 5 days ago
White: Present (Raid)
Red: 1 day later
Pink: after 6 months
Again, Eric Garcia doesn’t want people to see the show that way. However, if you’ve already experienced the show in some other way, it can be a satisfying way to review the show. With so many moving parts, a final chronological review might reveal things you didn’t understand when you first viewed it. kaleidoscope episodes in chronological order is the best order.
Begin with the heist coming together.
A story revolving around a man who seeks revenge on his former partner, this constellation is covered in violets. All this background adds a lot of context to why heists take place, but it might be more interesting to start by assembling the group, much like the classic heist movie Ocean’s 11. In this case, start with “yellow”. Leo (Esposito) brings together cast members Paz Vega, Rosaline Elvey, Peter Mark Kendall, and Jordan Mendoza. That way, you can watch the rest of the show and understand who everyone is and how they relate to each other.
Then going back to purple and green gives us more context. Or you can throw in when you’re ready to learn more about Leo and learn why Leo decided to break into a particular vault.
If you’re looking for other possible lineups, Netflix has tweeted out some ordering suggestions.
Be as erratic as hell.
Some Redditors claimed that when they logged into Netflix on various devices, the episode sequence was presented to them in a different way.