Small town mysteries. Complex plots. Sci-fi thrillers. Atmospheric horror. Does any of this appeal to you? If so, you might like the Netflix show Dark, the first German language TV show to be produced by Netflix, created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese.
Released in 2017 to almost universally rave reviews, Dark follows the lives of several characters in the small, fictional town of Winden in 2019 after the mysterious disappearances of two young boys. The town is known for its use of nuclear energy at the Winden Power Plant, which is a driving force of the twisted investigation that follows after the boys seem to vanish into thin air.
Most notably, Dark explores and exposes the complex connections between four families—the Kahnwalds, the Tiedemanns, the Dopplers, and the Nielsens—across various times. The writing of these connections is nothing short of genius, with each plot twist leading into another, until the viewer is left mind-boggled and mesmerized by the endless loop that the story has wound itself into. No stone is left unturned, no string is left untied, and no plot hole is left unfilled. As the show itself says many times throughout its three season run— “everything is connected.”
Everything outside of the show is connected to its brilliance as well—from the cast that looks truly related to one other, to the writing choices, to the mise-en-scene. Dark’s cast is stacked with performers able to portray the quiet, emotional moments that the show insists upon. This is an impressive feat, considering that the cast is massive and requires different performers to portray young, adult, and old counterparts.
Dark’s gorgeous cinematography adds to the atmosphere that the show tries to create. Extreme long shots and wide shots are used to show the full layout of the town of Winden—especially the notorious nuclear power plant, whose influence upon the town has become a hegemony of sorts.
For the most part, the show appears gloomy and grey, overshadowed by the power plant and the constant rain that the town gets, but this only adds to the eerie atmosphere and feelings evoked in the viewer. Some of the best scenes in Dark are those that take place in silence: The only sound filling the screen being the falling rain and the tread of bike wheels against muddy ground.
Dark’s soundtrack also shines throughout the show. Its original score combines haunting synth tracks with low bass vocals that are able to give the viewer the same sense of deep unsettlement that the characters would feel at the moment. In addition to this, however, the soundtrack includes hits from the German artist Apparat, including its haunting opening song “Goodbye” which plays several times throughout the show (and, fun fact, also played in season four of the hit series Breaking Bad). The soundtrack also includes songs from Soap&Skin, Tears for Fears, Dead or Alive, Hozier, and Cher.
In an age of television that is only declining in quality, with cheaply made, 1-season-8-episode shows dominating streaming services, Dark shines as a contemporary testament to what television can be: intricate, thoughtful, and beautiful both in message and physical look. If you haven’t already, I would recommend giving it a watch.
