We were in awe of how well the different ages were cast... they looked so like each other. Even when old Ulrich was introduced we were shocked it was a different actor and not the original with make up! Well done!
4,144 Reviews
Memorize the characters' names!
gamzeyilmazcan815 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I highly recommend this show. I don't want to compare it to any other show but it reminded me of Twin Peaks in terms of its darkness. Each episode raises audiences' suspense, which is a good thing. However, you should note every character's name on a paper, prepare a family tree otherwise it will be harder to remember. Great show!!
Wish I could give this 11/10
sliterjacob-163-40774621 June 2019
An engaging masterpiece from start to finish
savindri21 June 2019
Insanely good, every episode shocks you in ways you never thought was possible. The constant gripping revelations were so unexpected but tied the story so well together. Exceptional and convincing acting skills by the entire cast and tons of heartfelt scenes between different character dynamics. This show is the perfect epitome of a well thought out show, meticulously crafted and executed so well and overall knows where it's trying to advance it's story. This show has revolutionized time travel storytelling and is definitely one of the most smartly and consistently written shows of our time
Intoxicating
jimajima-320-95229814 June 2019
This is quite possibly the greatest show I've ever known to exist. It's just so pure. Every scene is saturated with substance. It's actually so good that I won't binge watch it. I take in each episode (possibly without blinking) and savor each experience. I'd write more, but my mind is seriously blown.
Watch in German with subtitles
savagecaption13 May 2019
I tired to watch this with the English dub but it was just terrible. It's the only show I've ever given a chance in a foreign language and I don't regret it. If you're the kind of person who watches shows with subtitles anyways then this is for you. It just hits the spot in every way you can imagine. Amazing writing, acting, great plot, and leaves you mind blown.
German masterpiece!
Mork_the_Borg8 July 2019
This feedback is currently based on the first 10 episodes of season one (still watching the series as we speak), and to be honest it made me downgrade my rating for 'Stranger Things' quite a bit. It's clear that this series is the child of a genius - everything just works. The acting is great, the cinematography is great, the soundtrack is awesome (reminds me of Klaus Schulze at times), and the story-line is mind-boggling. This series is just miles above anything that leaves Hollywood. Wish that all productions could be like this. Thanks Netflix for bringing this awesome series to me screen. Say bye-bye to public television!
Life is a labyrinth
huetagolimaya2 June 2020
Dark is a deliciously morbid research on human decisions and their interconnection in between each other and through time. This family sci-fi drama tightly stuffed with literature, philosophy, science references and focuses on such themes as determinism, Christianity, freedom of will, existentialism, quantum physics. Dark has a bit of lovecraftian vibe to it, not in terms of monsters, yet in terms of unseen evil, an existential dread, where "the evil" is Time itself. The show operates on a higher level of scriptwriting, there are no filler scenes let alone episodes, and details are also mega international. Everything is important because everything is connected. Get ready for a hella ride. And don't blink while you're watch it.
BEST NETFLIX SHOW. NEVER BELIEVE ANYTHING ELSE.
eob-665541 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Dark is easily one of the best shows out there( if not the best). Just thinking back on all the events that happened, it makes my head ache, and it's a good kind of headache because it reminds just how the show was very well-written. The casting of characters are the best, it is unbelievable how they had different actors to portray one character of different ages and you would not even notice they're different actors (i literally believed that the 2019 ulrich and the old Ulrich were played by the same actor, the old one being played with makeup on). The soundtrack and cinematograpy are also top-tier. But what makes Dark such a compelling show is its story. Unlike other scifi shows that suffers from over convolution, Dark strives because of it. And it ended on a high with a satisfying finale. Overall, it is a time-travel spectacle with biblical and mythological references, trying to answer existential questions through the character's journey of love and loss. It is totally a must watch for everyone
Dark, a thrilling brain scrambling sci-fi series
bettercallsaul-017539 August 2020
Dark is Netflix's one of the best supernatural, science fiction series. The narrative is mind-bending and utterly complex, but you could see how well it has been planned and how much time has been put into the production and creation of this show.
There are various reasons that make this show a fantastic series that is bound to mess with your mind, for sure. Now, science fiction is not everyone's cup of tea, and that is understandable, but trust me Dark really takes it up a notch. And if my words still hasn't convinced you to watch it yet, I hope the following few points can.
1. The Characters and Their Arcs
Dark has a whole lot of characters, I won't lie. And for someone who dislikes too many characters, this might pose as a bit of a challenge, but it is all worth it. None of the characters are purely saints, and that is the best part of this show. There is no good and evil, but rather a realistic fact that good and evil resides in everyone. We are all the heroes and also villains in the story, one way or the other. It is compelling to see how as viewers, you are confronted with your own initial prejudices and views about the characters, and how they change along with the progress of the show. It will make you so conflicted till the point that you're not sure who is wrong and who is right, and you'll empathise with them all, for sure. This is how the characters are crafted in the show, and it makes it very difficult to choose favourites.
2. The Plotline and The Writing
Trying to explain Dark's plotline will be like trying to understand whether the chicken came first or the egg. It is one of the most intricately written stories, but so well laid out and perfectly planned that it will never cease to surprise you at any point. The writers have planned everything out, and they do not miss a single detail. Easter eggs are laid out throughout the show and the whole plotline it just too clever. So clever, it will blow your mind every time.
Dark is a show full of thrill, suspense, and mystery, laden with hints of the supernatural and family drama. At no point will you feel bored or underwhelmed, that is a given guarantee. The beauty of this show is that the suspense and mystery keeps you hooked right until you've finished the show, and even then, you will be craving for more; questioning, scratching your head. The twists and turns are superb and very intricately placed in the storyline. They are dramatic but not stupid. Nothing is wasted on space, story or with dialogues. In Dark, know that every single visual, every single dialogue, everything has a role to play.
The storylines are connected, and no episode will leave you without questions in your mind. You will definitely want more, and when you think you've figured out the plot, the show writers will pull out another secret, another stunt that will leave you speechless for sure. It is amazing, and I cannot tell you how many times my jaw had hung open while watching this show.
3. Family Dynamics and Drama
It would be wrong to leave out the drama because it surely plays a pivotal role in this show. As I've already said how exceptionally well the character arcs are, same is with the family drama too. The show brings together the individual lives of four families whose paths - futures, present, and past - intricately cross with one another, connected in a whole big loop (and by connected, I mean really connected). Questions about sacrifices and betrayal and love all come into focus as the show progresses; who's hiding what, and who's related to who. How far will you go to save your family, to save the ones you love? It is a question that repeats itself over and over, playing out as an elaborate bigger theme.
Each family has their own humanly possible problems to deal with. Starting from loss and grief to battling one's sexuality and past, it deals with all the aspects in a coherent way. At its core, Dark is largely about familial relationships that span generations, about tragedies, and betrayals that shape them, about the love and hurt, ultimately bringing everything and everyone together in a very complex web. If you thought understanding the family dynamics and drama in Once Upon a Time and Game of Thrones was difficult, wait until you watch Dark.
4. Time Travel, But With Logic
One of the setbacks of this show could have easily been its time travelling storyline because, let's face it, it is super hard to create a reasonable time travel story. Often than not, shows dealing with this theme has the risk of losing the logical explanation and then witness everything going haywire. But Dark surely takes this theme at its best and delivers to us a complicated show that you'll eventually understand. To put it lightly, time travel also exists in the show as a metaphor of confronting your own self, past and future, and in the way paving the way for growth (and maybe destruction too). It doesn't actually mess up with its varying range of timelines, and keeps a note of all the complexities, all the timelines, knitting everything together in a clean circle. At times, it may get difficult to understand and seem to get haphazard and it surely will be confusing, but things play out well. It is all well at the end.
5. The Various Philosophical Themes
In the midst of family drama and time travelling, Dark also has in store a whole array of philosophies to boggle your mind and keep you questioning your own beliefs, your sanity long after the show is over. Largely dealing with the question of time and human origin, the show tends to treat time in the same vicinity as that of God. To create a world without time enslaving us humans is one of the central running theme of this show, and something that it follows quite religiously. Using fantasy, it takes on a very different angle or storytelling in the television era, questioning the meaning of faith and family, blood and time. It takes into questions about fate, destiny and choices. Can you change your destiny? Can you be truly free from the clutches of time? Can you change your future? Are we really ever free of time?
6. A Visual Delight
Apart from the brilliant lead of casts and the super confusing yet fantastic plotline, Dark is also blessed with pleasing visuals which is a definite 10/10. The creepy forest setting provides an excellent view to the storyline, adding a sense of fear and dread in the viewers. The caves too provide an atmospheric essence to the story, a pioneer of time travel that connects everything. The settings are eerie and mostly unsettling, and seem to be always announcing an impending doom. It can be agreed that the cinematography really adds a whole boost to the whole series, adding exclusively to the suspenseful storyline. It complements the show really well, and becomes one of the reasons why this show is extremely amazing to watch.
1. The Characters and Their Arcs
Dark has a whole lot of characters, I won't lie. And for someone who dislikes too many characters, this might pose as a bit of a challenge, but it is all worth it. None of the characters are purely saints, and that is the best part of this show. There is no good and evil, but rather a realistic fact that good and evil resides in everyone. We are all the heroes and also villains in the story, one way or the other. It is compelling to see how as viewers, you are confronted with your own initial prejudices and views about the characters, and how they change along with the progress of the show. It will make you so conflicted till the point that you're not sure who is wrong and who is right, and you'll empathise with them all, for sure. This is how the characters are crafted in the show, and it makes it very difficult to choose favourites.
2. The Plotline and The Writing
Trying to explain Dark's plotline will be like trying to understand whether the chicken came first or the egg. It is one of the most intricately written stories, but so well laid out and perfectly planned that it will never cease to surprise you at any point. The writers have planned everything out, and they do not miss a single detail. Easter eggs are laid out throughout the show and the whole plotline it just too clever. So clever, it will blow your mind every time.
Dark is a show full of thrill, suspense, and mystery, laden with hints of the supernatural and family drama. At no point will you feel bored or underwhelmed, that is a given guarantee. The beauty of this show is that the suspense and mystery keeps you hooked right until you've finished the show, and even then, you will be craving for more; questioning, scratching your head. The twists and turns are superb and very intricately placed in the storyline. They are dramatic but not stupid. Nothing is wasted on space, story or with dialogues. In Dark, know that every single visual, every single dialogue, everything has a role to play.
The storylines are connected, and no episode will leave you without questions in your mind. You will definitely want more, and when you think you've figured out the plot, the show writers will pull out another secret, another stunt that will leave you speechless for sure. It is amazing, and I cannot tell you how many times my jaw had hung open while watching this show.
3. Family Dynamics and Drama
It would be wrong to leave out the drama because it surely plays a pivotal role in this show. As I've already said how exceptionally well the character arcs are, same is with the family drama too. The show brings together the individual lives of four families whose paths - futures, present, and past - intricately cross with one another, connected in a whole big loop (and by connected, I mean really connected). Questions about sacrifices and betrayal and love all come into focus as the show progresses; who's hiding what, and who's related to who. How far will you go to save your family, to save the ones you love? It is a question that repeats itself over and over, playing out as an elaborate bigger theme.
Each family has their own humanly possible problems to deal with. Starting from loss and grief to battling one's sexuality and past, it deals with all the aspects in a coherent way. At its core, Dark is largely about familial relationships that span generations, about tragedies, and betrayals that shape them, about the love and hurt, ultimately bringing everything and everyone together in a very complex web. If you thought understanding the family dynamics and drama in Once Upon a Time and Game of Thrones was difficult, wait until you watch Dark.
4. Time Travel, But With Logic
One of the setbacks of this show could have easily been its time travelling storyline because, let's face it, it is super hard to create a reasonable time travel story. Often than not, shows dealing with this theme has the risk of losing the logical explanation and then witness everything going haywire. But Dark surely takes this theme at its best and delivers to us a complicated show that you'll eventually understand. To put it lightly, time travel also exists in the show as a metaphor of confronting your own self, past and future, and in the way paving the way for growth (and maybe destruction too). It doesn't actually mess up with its varying range of timelines, and keeps a note of all the complexities, all the timelines, knitting everything together in a clean circle. At times, it may get difficult to understand and seem to get haphazard and it surely will be confusing, but things play out well. It is all well at the end.
5. The Various Philosophical Themes
In the midst of family drama and time travelling, Dark also has in store a whole array of philosophies to boggle your mind and keep you questioning your own beliefs, your sanity long after the show is over. Largely dealing with the question of time and human origin, the show tends to treat time in the same vicinity as that of God. To create a world without time enslaving us humans is one of the central running theme of this show, and something that it follows quite religiously. Using fantasy, it takes on a very different angle or storytelling in the television era, questioning the meaning of faith and family, blood and time. It takes into questions about fate, destiny and choices. Can you change your destiny? Can you be truly free from the clutches of time? Can you change your future? Are we really ever free of time?
6. A Visual Delight
Apart from the brilliant lead of casts and the super confusing yet fantastic plotline, Dark is also blessed with pleasing visuals which is a definite 10/10. The creepy forest setting provides an excellent view to the storyline, adding a sense of fear and dread in the viewers. The caves too provide an atmospheric essence to the story, a pioneer of time travel that connects everything. The settings are eerie and mostly unsettling, and seem to be always announcing an impending doom. It can be agreed that the cinematography really adds a whole boost to the whole series, adding exclusively to the suspenseful storyline. It complements the show really well, and becomes one of the reasons why this show is extremely amazing to watch.
Drawn out
public2-627-81089311 October 2021
The premises are clear at the beginning of the second season. The only new pieces of information come at the end of the third season. During the one and a half seasons in between, we see the characters struggle against their fate. A struggle that is ultimately futile since the characters do not have agency: we know since the beginning of the second season that everything is predestinated. Watching the characters fight with their inevitable fate becomes boring mid-second season, because we already know where it'll end. Some small twists are revealed, but fundamentally the story is standing still. This changes in the show's last episode, in which a loophole is introduced that allows the story (and its characters) to progress. The end makes sense and if fulfilling, but should've come earlier.
The big things and the little things don't follow the same rules
nelsonreismonteiro21 July 2020
To add to all other 10/10 reviews, I will tell you my personal take.
This show challenged my thoughts and emotions, and not always in a pleasant way. Behind all the plot and puzzles, its themes truly makes me reflect about meaning of life and drags me to uncomfortable places. And believe it or not, it feels good. Paradox!?
I would love to be on the writers room to see how they planned, wrote and executed this project. I would love to pass through the experience from the other side. Maybe I should create a time machine for it.
Thanks to everyone that took the risk to allow, work and help them to bring their vison to reality. You have done a magnificent work.
Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese thank you and congratulations for your masterpiece. You wrote your name in history!
This show challenged my thoughts and emotions, and not always in a pleasant way. Behind all the plot and puzzles, its themes truly makes me reflect about meaning of life and drags me to uncomfortable places. And believe it or not, it feels good. Paradox!?
I would love to be on the writers room to see how they planned, wrote and executed this project. I would love to pass through the experience from the other side. Maybe I should create a time machine for it.
Thanks to everyone that took the risk to allow, work and help them to bring their vison to reality. You have done a magnificent work.
Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese thank you and congratulations for your masterpiece. You wrote your name in history!
Absolutely adore the first season.
moustachepimp6 September 2021
I personally love the first season of dark and have watched it three times. I regard it as some of the best tv ever made. However I feel like what the themes, the feel, and the writing were of the first season was not carried on into the subsequent seasons. The mysteries set up in the first first season were not resolved, or revealed satisfyingly, and concepts became more zany and less grounded as the show went on. Season 2 I could enjoy even though I could feel something was off. When I watched episode 6, that felt the most like season 1, I started to clue in that this was not at the same level as season 1 was for me. Season 3 was by far the worst. The whole season was pretty bland, the reveals had no eureka moments to them, and I thought the ending and ultimate reveal was lame and lazy writing.
STOP Comparing
youknowwho6193 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I see a lot of people are comparing this show with ST, well, they are nothing alike. Both the shows have different story lines and elements. Time travel is not same as entering a parallel dimension. Dark is much more deeper and complex than ST. They have taken their own time to build each character and that too through different generations and the way they have connected the characters is mind blowing. ST felt like every other show with a simple story line and nothing much over to think over while Dark is on a different level when you compare the depth of the stories and characters.
Masterpiece!
andyolivares3 July 2019
I rarely write a review but this is truly a masterpiece. Excellent storytelling without holes in the plot or weird artifacts to fill a gap. You can see how hard the writers worked to create a coherent story. Keeps you intrigued the whole time.
The best part is that season 2 is as good as the first one. Take that HBO!
One of the best shows I've seen in a while. Kudos Netflix and keep up the good work!
The best part is that season 2 is as good as the first one. Take that HBO!
One of the best shows I've seen in a while. Kudos Netflix and keep up the good work!
Insanity captivate
aydin-jd3 July 2019
I tend to analyze things to bits and find a lot of si-fy movies/series have been dumbed-down or childish.
Dark, seasons 1&2 have been outstanding so far. Acting, directing, and cinematography are excellent. You need to follow the dialogues closely and pay attention to subtle hints/gestures.
In today's trend of fast-food approach towards everything, this is very refreshing.
I highly recommend watching it.
I highly recommend watching it.
It's too good as a whole and After S3 it is all time best
tashdid-5455829 June 2020
The story as a whole is mind bending. You can never imagine what can happen next. The cinematography and acting is spot on. It has most satisfying and a bit complicated ending as well... Season 3 just made it a thing to remember...
Dark, gritty and interesting.
lanycera1 December 2017
I can't agree with the reviewer before me. They are not trying to copy Stranger Things, and I don't want to go into 'copying' at all - because Stranger Things has parallels to a few games, movies and books that have been popular before it was even in the making.
'Dark' is slow paced in the beginning, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is tense, the cinematography and acting is great. There is so much more depth to it than the mentioned Stranger Things. It's not bloated with special effects and didn't have a Hollywood budget. This is how TV should be. It has got a Donnie Darko feeling to it.
I guess the majority of people complaining about the pace would also complain about Blade Runner 2049 or Interstellar...so please, just stick to Marvel movies. :)
'Dark' is slow paced in the beginning, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is tense, the cinematography and acting is great. There is so much more depth to it than the mentioned Stranger Things. It's not bloated with special effects and didn't have a Hollywood budget. This is how TV should be. It has got a Donnie Darko feeling to it.
I guess the majority of people complaining about the pace would also complain about Blade Runner 2049 or Interstellar...so please, just stick to Marvel movies. :)
How is this show not the highest rated TV show out there..!!!
cfsmarandi16 June 2020
This show made me write my first review on IMDB... I must say this show is beyond incredible, truly and genuinely a masterpiece... Everything about this show is just perfect, the story, the casting, the acting everything is perfect...
Can't Wait For Season 3 To Explode My Brain
chris-7993824 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
If you think Christopher Nolan's Inception and Interstellar using time concept telling stories method was mind blowing, making you think, well until you'd watched this.
This is not your average popcorn drama. It just hooked you up and dig your brain. Season 1 is mind blowing and, shocking, Season 2 gets more complicated in time frame story. Just when you thought each character connected to time travel cycle, the finale ended up with one of the character, Martha claim "it's not about when is the time, it's about where", that gives the fans a hint on Season 3, these characters not just connected to different time, but also universe from different world, judging by the final statement and the more advance device Martha brought.
Seriously, I hope Season 3 just can arrive next week instead of next year. Can't wait what the Dark universe would bring us.
I Loved the 1st Season and Hated the 3rd Season
christophertritch24 December 2021
I feel really conflicted about this show. I thought the first season was fantastic. But, by the time the 3rd season ended, I felt thoroughly annoyed by this show.
Season 1 has a really interesting, unique, and well crafted plot. The story is a little complicated, but not overly so. The 1st season was a fantastic scifi mystery story. It really sucked me. After watching the 1st episode, it was difficult to drag myself away from the TV.
It was thus with high hopes that I began watching seasons 2 and 3. However, after watching them, I find myself wishing the show had been cancelled after season 1.
As time goes on, the plot gets more fantastical, unrealistic, and contrived. It also gets really complex. The show introduces a huge cast of characters, and it becomes difficult to remember who everyone is. I felt like I needed a spread sheet in order to keep track of everyone.
Ultimately though, I think this complexity was covering up a stupid plot. Throughout the show, there are coincidences, things that don't make sense, and characters who behave in absurd ways. I'm also not certain that the established rules of the show's scifi mechanic are always portrayed consistently.
Also, the show gets ham-fistedly dramatic. Many of the characters love to give big dramatic speeches, and to give long soulful stares. Towards the end of the series, I fond myself constantly rolling my eyes.
All that said, the 1st season is really good. I have a love/hate relationship with this show. I recommend that you watch the 1st season, but pretend that the 2nd and 3rd seasons don't exist.
Season 1 has a really interesting, unique, and well crafted plot. The story is a little complicated, but not overly so. The 1st season was a fantastic scifi mystery story. It really sucked me. After watching the 1st episode, it was difficult to drag myself away from the TV.
It was thus with high hopes that I began watching seasons 2 and 3. However, after watching them, I find myself wishing the show had been cancelled after season 1.
As time goes on, the plot gets more fantastical, unrealistic, and contrived. It also gets really complex. The show introduces a huge cast of characters, and it becomes difficult to remember who everyone is. I felt like I needed a spread sheet in order to keep track of everyone.
Ultimately though, I think this complexity was covering up a stupid plot. Throughout the show, there are coincidences, things that don't make sense, and characters who behave in absurd ways. I'm also not certain that the established rules of the show's scifi mechanic are always portrayed consistently.
Also, the show gets ham-fistedly dramatic. Many of the characters love to give big dramatic speeches, and to give long soulful stares. Towards the end of the series, I fond myself constantly rolling my eyes.
All that said, the 1st season is really good. I have a love/hate relationship with this show. I recommend that you watch the 1st season, but pretend that the 2nd and 3rd seasons don't exist.
the atmosphere
Kirpianuscus12 August 2019
It represents the best part of a wise crafted serie. In same measure,the serie is a portrait of a community. And great plot, defined more by nuances than by colors. A serie about webs of past. And about reconciliation with yourself. Travels, questions, a large puzzle. And a profound good serie about shadows, people and truth.
Just because it's different doesn't make it good.
sagittaur7914 December 2021
There are some wonderful things about this program:
And that's about it. What's exhausting is that it goes on and on and on without respite. You just lose any kind of sympathy for the characters because there are just too may versions of the same people, all with different narrative arcs. And the to-ing and fro-ing with timelines and worlds, just makes for frustration.
Completely disagree with those saying this is the best thing ever - suspending disbelief is one thing; after all, you have to accept the premise/logic of the narrative as it's given. Confusion is not the same as intrigue, and the former has no place in good storytelling.
The philosophical posturing is monotonous and exhausting. The script is such a let down: how many bloody times can people keep saying "everything happens for a reason" / "everything has its place in time" / "everything repeats itself" / "it's a never-ending cycle" ... omg, we get it! You can't decide whether it's destiny or free-will. But the mind-numbing repetition is plain stupid.
The first season creates sufficient build-up, and from there it plateaus. I have to keep watching because I'm a sucker for punishment, and despite feeling it's not going to go anywhere I just want the damn thing to end. But after that I'd happily delete it from history if possible.
- it establishes mood convincingly: the sceneography is suitably morose, the colours muted or harsh, driving in the idea that it's all, well, Dark.
- the actors are fine artists, the emotions not being hammy or kitsch
- the situations - the secrets, the jealousies, the infidelities - are all plausible
And that's about it. What's exhausting is that it goes on and on and on without respite. You just lose any kind of sympathy for the characters because there are just too may versions of the same people, all with different narrative arcs. And the to-ing and fro-ing with timelines and worlds, just makes for frustration.
Completely disagree with those saying this is the best thing ever - suspending disbelief is one thing; after all, you have to accept the premise/logic of the narrative as it's given. Confusion is not the same as intrigue, and the former has no place in good storytelling.
The philosophical posturing is monotonous and exhausting. The script is such a let down: how many bloody times can people keep saying "everything happens for a reason" / "everything has its place in time" / "everything repeats itself" / "it's a never-ending cycle" ... omg, we get it! You can't decide whether it's destiny or free-will. But the mind-numbing repetition is plain stupid.
The first season creates sufficient build-up, and from there it plateaus. I have to keep watching because I'm a sucker for punishment, and despite feeling it's not going to go anywhere I just want the damn thing to end. But after that I'd happily delete it from history if possible.
Arguably the best fictional television I have ever seen - do not miss this
harrylosborne28 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
People are instantly put off watching Dark by the most ridiculous of stigmas - subtitles. Entirely produced in German, viewers use the feeble excuse of "I don't like reading and watching at once" as a valid argument for why they don't watch something like this. I will say now, that if this is your reason for not continuing with this show, then you are an idiot. Dark is some of the most gripping, most shocking and most amazing television I have ever seen; to compare it to another show, it gives me the same feeling of anticipation as Game of Thrones did back in the glory days. The only reason I haven't given it a 10 is because the third and final season is yet to be released, but I don't think this show can put a foot wrong.
The story starts simply enough, but it spirals and develops like nothing else: in the small German town of Winden, the disappearance of a child rekindles memories of a similar incident 33 years before. Embroiled in this story are four main families, each with their own secrets to hide and motives to act. At the centre of it all is a mysterious cave, a nuclear power plant, and a time-traveller who brings more questions than answers. This, however, is not a sci-fi heavy, pothole-riddled story, but a genuinely brilliant drama about family ties, and their effect on the past and future.
Time travel is often overwrought in cinema, struggling with clashing alternative storylines and people's actions not making any sense. Dark is magical in that this isn't an issue, and altering the past isn't something the show leans on for shock factor. Instead, the real mysteries are all in the present, and people's backstories are crucial in understanding the overarching plot. No character is wasted, and no conversation or action is not carefully considered in the grand scheme of things.
The acting is phenomenal, and arguably the best I have ever seen in a large-scale production. This German cast should be internationally renowned, as every character (from the children to the elderly) is exceptionally cast and portrayed. My personal favourite would have to be Oliver Masucci (Ulrich), an unwavering but troubled policeman at the heart of the issue, but completely without answers. The resemblances between future and past selves is uncanny; the person responsible for casting each character should be given a knighthood, as this quality creates a cohesion between time periods that is so often unattainable.
One of the most underrated qualities of Dark (and an issue that American/British productions are routinely guilty of) is that the characters themselves are not annoying. Let me reiterate this: when one character has information that another would benefit from, or if there's a general consensus that for safety, people should know something, they tell one another. Mother knows something dark about their husband? They tell their kids. Police officer working outside the parameters of the job finds a lead? They let their partner know. This is what's necessary to elevate television from decent to truly believable - scriptwriting that makes sense.
The music, cinematography and period clothing is amazing, but almost goes without saying, given Dark's overflowing quality. No timeframe looks inconceivable, and the devoted set design means different iterations of buildings and characters look as you would expect. There are two integral pieces of music: one a piercing violin piece for the shock factor, and the other a Eurotrash record that becomes foreshadowing background noise. The production does use some CGI, but sparingly, a mercy that several other big-budget pieces could have learned from. By not overusing the effects, they are spectacular when you do finally see something revelatory.
Dark should be Netflix's giant killer show alongside Stranger Things, but the stubborn nature of the average audience member means this show has become under appreciated. Regardless, I defy anyone to not enjoy this programme for its brilliance; I am yet to see something alternative that would rival what I have just watched. The final season arrives in 2020, and I firmly believe it will be some of the best television ever broadcast. Personally, I cannot wait.
EDIT: Having now seen the final series, this is a 10. They did it justice. Benioff and Weiss, take note.
The story starts simply enough, but it spirals and develops like nothing else: in the small German town of Winden, the disappearance of a child rekindles memories of a similar incident 33 years before. Embroiled in this story are four main families, each with their own secrets to hide and motives to act. At the centre of it all is a mysterious cave, a nuclear power plant, and a time-traveller who brings more questions than answers. This, however, is not a sci-fi heavy, pothole-riddled story, but a genuinely brilliant drama about family ties, and their effect on the past and future.
Time travel is often overwrought in cinema, struggling with clashing alternative storylines and people's actions not making any sense. Dark is magical in that this isn't an issue, and altering the past isn't something the show leans on for shock factor. Instead, the real mysteries are all in the present, and people's backstories are crucial in understanding the overarching plot. No character is wasted, and no conversation or action is not carefully considered in the grand scheme of things.
The acting is phenomenal, and arguably the best I have ever seen in a large-scale production. This German cast should be internationally renowned, as every character (from the children to the elderly) is exceptionally cast and portrayed. My personal favourite would have to be Oliver Masucci (Ulrich), an unwavering but troubled policeman at the heart of the issue, but completely without answers. The resemblances between future and past selves is uncanny; the person responsible for casting each character should be given a knighthood, as this quality creates a cohesion between time periods that is so often unattainable.
One of the most underrated qualities of Dark (and an issue that American/British productions are routinely guilty of) is that the characters themselves are not annoying. Let me reiterate this: when one character has information that another would benefit from, or if there's a general consensus that for safety, people should know something, they tell one another. Mother knows something dark about their husband? They tell their kids. Police officer working outside the parameters of the job finds a lead? They let their partner know. This is what's necessary to elevate television from decent to truly believable - scriptwriting that makes sense.
The music, cinematography and period clothing is amazing, but almost goes without saying, given Dark's overflowing quality. No timeframe looks inconceivable, and the devoted set design means different iterations of buildings and characters look as you would expect. There are two integral pieces of music: one a piercing violin piece for the shock factor, and the other a Eurotrash record that becomes foreshadowing background noise. The production does use some CGI, but sparingly, a mercy that several other big-budget pieces could have learned from. By not overusing the effects, they are spectacular when you do finally see something revelatory.
Dark should be Netflix's giant killer show alongside Stranger Things, but the stubborn nature of the average audience member means this show has become under appreciated. Regardless, I defy anyone to not enjoy this programme for its brilliance; I am yet to see something alternative that would rival what I have just watched. The final season arrives in 2020, and I firmly believe it will be some of the best television ever broadcast. Personally, I cannot wait.
EDIT: Having now seen the final series, this is a 10. They did it justice. Benioff and Weiss, take note.
See also
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