Archive 81

A remarkable slow burn horror series that begins with a cautious exploration of mysterious videotapes and subtle hints of some sort of cosmic evil finding its way into our dimension, and ends up as a rather sprawling sci-fi/fantasy horror with no supernatural elements spared. In any case, I liked the first half (or maybe the first two thirds) better, which in style and mood corresponds to the work of the indie directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who, by the way, are responsible for the third and fourth episodes. In the end, the supernatural elements are handled rather wildly (the silent, subtle horror is gone) and much of the scariness and especially the believability (even in terms of the characters' actions) is lost. (2022-01-17)

A desperately overly-elaborate mishmash that more or less promises an absurd denouement from the start, which it then delivers. Unfortunately, it lacks any charisma to play the game with the insane grace of a film such as A Cure for Wellness. The characters are anemic, the atmosphere gets diluted after a few promising episodes and the last two episodes belong in the "yawn with raised eyebrows" category. This was a missed opportunity, and I’d only suggest the second season purely out of boredom. (2022-01-20)

Archive 81 turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It's a mysterious show without any big-name actors or creators, though James Wan is attached as a producer, which doesn’t always guarantee quality. But somehow, the creators pulled it off. Based on a popular podcast in the U.S., the series feels like it draws a lot of inspiration from the world of H.P. Lovecraft, which is something I personally appreciate. However, the show can get pretty confusing over its eight episodes. While it delivers some solid scenes with great sound effects and a dense, occult atmosphere, the three intertwining timelines can make it hard to follow. I didn’t fully grasp what was happening until around the fourth episode, and then it all started to make more sense — though it still kept me on my toes. Despite the confusion, I’m definitely interested in seeing a second season. (2022-01-31)

A fairly unconventional and likeable series that tries to combine several horror genres (cults, demons, sci-fi aliens, time travel, horror tapes and parasites), but in the end I think it gets a bit lost in the mix. The first few episodes set up the denouement nicely, the second half of the series keeps asking more and more questions that we expect to be answered in the finale, but the last episode answers almost nothing, and it's as if the whole series fizzles out into the void without answers. Strange, unconventional, atmospherically dense at times, but overall very uncertain and vague... (2022-01-23)

Finally got around to watching a Netflix series that actually had some tension and atmosphere, instead of just checking off diversity boxes (looking at you, Geralt). Sure, they went for a multiracial cast, but it made sense in this context. Set in New York, it was a fitting mix (unlike a Slavic fantasy, eh Geralt?). I was particularly drawn to the main character, both in terms of looks and performance, so big props to the casting team. Throughout the series, I was hooked by the quality tension and fantastic atmosphere. Plus, the story was genuinely intriguing, keeping me entertained... until the final episode, which left me a tad disappointed. All in all, I'd say this is a solid win for Netflix. I definitely don't regret the time I invested in it. / Lesson learned: Craving mystery? This series has got you covered. (2022-04-09)