I’ve always been a sucker for time travel – my favorite book is Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me, and one of my favorite movies is About Time. It follows, then, that my new favorite show would be Dark, the first German Netflix original series, in which three generations of the sleepy town of Winden tangle in time.
To say Dark is a spookier version of Stranger Things would be a disservice to both shows – they are simply trying to achieve different goals. They do, however, have basally similar plot lines: a missing kid, a nearby power plant, ‘80s nostalgia, the supernatural. Dark, though, is far more bleak and explicit – no Ghostbusters here.
The sci-fi show follows grieving teen Jonas in 2019, who, after his father’s suicide, learns his family’s past might also be its future. Soon after, a local boy’s disappearance shakes Winden, a town where nothing happens – except for 33 years before. The vanishing eerily resembles that of another child in 1986, and history seems to be repeating itself.
Just finished the mind-blowing experience that is DARK on Netflix. Has anyone else watched it? I haven't been so challenged mentally from a show since #LOST. #darknetflix
— Jen Johnston CHHC (@JenJohnstonCHHC) February 21, 2018
I love creepy stuff. I live for it, truly. Dark is a quintessential horror story, complete with strange caves, insidious strangers and an eerily pitch-perfect soundtrack. The desperation and fear of each character is palpable, and the first episode’s gray-toned landscape of semi-rural Germany sets the mood for the entire series. I felt almost trapped while watching, as I began to learn information beyond what the characters knew.
Dark is not only an exquisite mystery (I cannot stress how many times I literally shrieked in surprise during my binge), but an accurate portrayal of generational curses. The members of the show’s four main families are deeply flawed yet sympathetic (except for Jonas, who is a perfect angel, we stan). Most impressively, the show gives agency to the young adults and children in the show. I always appreciate when art reflects how brave and passionate kids are in real life, how fiercely they love their friends and family. Dark does this flawlessly.
Logistically speaking, the show is in German, so be prepared to turn on subtitles if you’re not a fan of terrible dubbing. At first I was worried I would be distracted by the words on the screen, but as the story developed, I was pulled into the world so entirely that I barely noticed I was reading at all.
My only regret in regard to Dark is not watching it sooner – in the weeks leading up to winter break, my younger sister begged me to watch it. For whatever reason, I didn’t think it would really be my thing, so I put off doing so for as long as possible. Now, obviously, it is my jam, and the promised second season is all I have to live for. Aside from the upcoming royal wedding, of course.Why Netflix drama “Dark”—the German “Stranger Things”—is a must-watch https://t.co/RKbkNP8p69 From @1843magpic.twitter.com/9dLI7brJzb
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) December 4, 2017