A Review: 'Dark' Season 1

Here's a bit of background. I had been putting off watching Dark for ages, because I didn't want to get tied down to another TV Show whilst Game of Thrones was still on (I love Game of Thrones). And even before GoT Season eight, I was putting off watching Dark, because it wasn't really that high of a match on Netflix. If you know me, you'll know that I'm all for watching foreign TV shows, because it's really interesting to see the storytelling involved. Now that I've watched Season one, I kind of regret putting it off for so long, because damn this show is addictive.

The Review

Dark is basically a show set in two time frames, one is a year after the Chernobyl disaster, the other is 34 years after the Chernobyl disaster. It doesn't switch back and forth from the time frames exactly, but I'm not going to tell you how it depicts that, because it is a vital part of the twist in the story.

I feel like nobody else watches this show apart from me, because whenever I talk about it, nobody else has even heard of it. It's a brilliant show, because, from when it begins (with that suicide scene), you can just tell that it's going to bring on some pretty big questions.

Every now and again in the show there is some ominous narrating that happens; some of this contains explanations of space and time, and how time can't just be linear. I think it is a great addition to the show, and makes everything a lot darker than it makes out to be.

The whole point is that there is someone searching for the answer to the secret contained within the caves near the nuclear plant. There's people who have maps, other people who remember birds dropping from the sky, and all these apocalyptic visions, which really help push the story along. I feel like there's so much more to tell in this story, because they've left lots of open ends.

The story follows a few different families, and their search to find their children, discover what the secret is, and fix things that, according to the ominous voice in between the story, cannot be undone. It's a brilliant storyline, and it has been very well scripted and thought out. I would definitely give it a go if you, like me, enjoyed the film Cloud Atlas (2012).

I feel like the next season is going to deal with the same family in a different situation to do with Mads' disappearance, and surrounding that. Or, it may be a different family in a different time frame; the latter would be really cool, because it would add a third time frame to the already expanding universe of Dark.

I just love the way it is filmed as well. My brother watched a little bit of the first episode, and compared it to Black Mirror (which I have never seen so I can't comment). But I'm sure you'll enjoy the style of filming, because it's quite different to your normal TV shows, and it definitely doesn't really tell the whole story in order. It flicks between characters and storylines, which means, there's a certain amount of keeping up to do. It also deals with every character's storyline, so there really aren't any "background characters." Every character has a story, and as new characters are introduced (like, for example: Yasin, who is the police chief's daughter's friend), they tend to get their own place in the storyline, and their own story to deal with.

You then start following this new character, whilst also being shown what the other characters are doing about the disappearance of Mikkel and Eric. I find that this is a brilliant way to tell the story, because it leaves room for a lot of cliffhangers in between storylines you've recently become invested in.

Another thing I love is the transition between episodes, because it begins exactly where the last episode left off—as if it were filmed as the same scene. This is a brilliant technique, and I also respect the hard work that went into choosing those particular places to finish and begin the episodes.

The final thing I want to say about the show is that there are a lot of shots above the woods, and around the caves that look amazing; these bird's eye view shots really colour the show, and instead of adding the awe-inspiring natural atmosphere to it like normal shows do—these shots add a kind of foreboding feeling to the scene. The score that plays in the background whilst these shots are being shown is incredible in providing this really creepy atmosphere. It's very mysterious, and I really enjoy it a lot.

Conclusion

I hope you get around to watching Dark, or at least give it a chance, because it is such a good show. If you've watched it as well, and would like to talk about the show then do not hesitate to contact me (social media handles are in my bio). I cannot wait to watch season two, because season one is just so good, and there's so much that can be done with it.

The show is a brilliant achievement of non-linear storytelling, mystery, and horror, and thankfully, horror that isn't just a couple of d-list jump scares. This show is creepy and fulfills the role of making a foreboding, apocalyptic atmosphere without having many typical haunting scenes, or jump scares that don't really have any effect. This film creates atmosphere purely through the story, and the way it is told. The acting is brilliant, the writing is amazing, and the director needs an award. This show is incredible.

I hope you plan to watch it too.