Non-Spoiler Review: 'Dark' isn't 'Stranger Things' or 'Lost,' it's better
(image via Netflix)
Two quick recommendations before we get into this: First, try your best to watch this in German. The English dubbing strays from the subtitles and it will drive you crazy after an episode or two. Second, break up your binging. I mainlined this in two sittings and now wish I'd taken more time to digest each episode before diving into the next.
OK, wow.
I can confidently say Dark will be a unique viewing experience. Dark is a very story-driven production which makes it tough to review, but here we go.
Dark is a very simple concept, told in an extraordinary way. It may flash some fancy devices but this is a very old story. It's about a small town and a smaller group of people. It measures how the choices we make affect the lives around us. Your friends, family, strangers. The flash comes in the major wrinkle; time travel.
Here's a quick plot rundown:
The disappearance of two young children in a German town brings light to the fractured relationships, double lives and past of four families living there, revealing a mystery that spans across three generations.
OK, so this story takes place over three time periods, but the class of the show is how it unfolds the larger picture. Dark perfectly balances mystery with rewarding reveals, rolling you into one after the other. The Lost comparisons are coming, but while Lost always felt like more of a rudderless soap scrabbling to stay one step ahead of its audience Dark has a very clear roadmap. This show doesn't ask you to wait long for meaningful payoffs.
You're also going to see some lazy tosses to Stranger Things. Both share some common elements like the retro tunes, kids riding bikes and a dark conspiracy, but that's where it ended for me. I love me some Stranger Things but this is a whole other beast. This is a much more heavy experience with major adult themes. There will be some major audience crossover between the shows but Dark's will be much smaller.
Netflix's first German-made original is a treasure and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.
Watch this. Like, right now.
