Last weekend I published a post about my attempts to catch up with all of the shows that I’ve got on my Netflix list, highlighting The Rain as the first choice to work my way through – and what a great choice it was. This week/weekend I’ve been at it again, this time with Dark – Netflix’s German sci-fi thriller.

For those unfamiliar with Dark, the series focuses on a small German town where children disappear without a trace. As the series progresses, Dark introduces wormholes and time travel and it quickly becomes apparent there’s a lot more going on than you might expect.

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The best way to describe Dark is to suggest it is a mix of Donnie Darko (2001), Stranger Things and Channel Zero: Candle Cove, with a dash of the visual aesthetics of Hannibal thrown in for good measure. The series is as mind-bending as it is visually appealing and is probably best aimed at those who want a show that they can really get their teeth into.

Image: ©Netflix

I’m currently eight episodes into Dark‘s ten-episode run and while I think it’s a very good show, I’ll be honest, I’m not loving it in the way that I’d hoped – and that’s a shame. While last Sunday I ploughed through The Rain in one sitting, it’s taken me a week to get through (most of) Dark and that’s involved a number of stops and starts.

I’m not sure what it is about the show that’s not grabbing my attention; perhaps it’s the slightly more complex plot that’s requiring a bit more of me than other shows do. But then, Stranger Things and Channel Zero were the same and I zipped through those without any problems.

It’s not the language barrier either – I’ve got no issue with watching subtitled shows. If anything, watching a show with subtitles makes me pay attention that little bit more, which is important in this day and age where distractions are constant and I often multitask while watching TV.

So, what has caused the disconnect?

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To be honest, I don’t know; perhaps it’s the fact that I’ve simply not bonded with any of the characters. Not a single one.

I figured I’d connect with Louis Hofmann who plays Jonas Kahnwald, because he’s the only actor I know from anything prior to Dark – the excellent, Die Mitte der Welt (Centre of My World). But no, I’m not invested in him or anyone else.

Whereas with a show like Stranger Things – the series closest in tone & content to Dark – there are a bunch of characters I quite like, I’ve really found it difficult to care about any of Dark‘s cast. So, while I recognise that Dark is a good series and I enjoy it while I’m watching it, I don’t really feel compelled to dive back in for the next episode.

I don’t care what happens to anyone in the series. Does this make me dead inside?

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Ugh… I fell a bit torn over this series. I really want to like it. I really want to be itching for Season Two. But at the moment, I think I’m just ready to finish it off and move onto my next big catch-up – Lost in Space.

I’m interested in other peoples’ opinions of Dark – what do you like/dislike about it? What am I missing? Why should other people watch this show?

Sound off in the comments section below. All thoughts and opinions welcome.

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