By Maya Deane

DarkÔÇÖs final season was released around a month ago, and I can safely say that it qualifies as one of the most complex Netflix Original series that I have ever seen. Dubbed by some as the ÔÇÿStranger Things for AdultsÔÇÖ, Dark takes your expectations for a show about time travel and throws them out the window, taking an almost sick pleasure in pulling the rug out from under you again and againÔǪin the best way possible. I am not kidding when I say this show is the definition of binge-worthy, with regular plot twists and reveals that leave you with no choice but to watch the next episode.

From episode one, it becomes evident that the show was named Dark for a reason. We are introduced to Jonas, whose father, Michael, had recently committed suicide, leading to Jonas spending the summer in a psychiatric hospital. Upon his return to the monotonous German town of Winden, he finds that life has moved on without him, and he struggles to settle back down into normality. However, below the immaculate, cosy exterior of Winden, everyone has their secrets, and no one is as content with their lives as they first appear to be. Jonas, alongside the audience, gradually discovers that Winden has a terrible secret, and worst of all, it all connects back to his father. By the end of the first episode, Jonas has suffered yet another traumatic event and, like the audience, has absolutely no clue as to what is going on.

To be completely honest, the plot will leave you feeling confused for a good portion of all three seasons, however I wholeheartedly believe this is why  I enjoyed it so much. There are some questions raised in the first season that do not get answered until the final few episodes of the series, and that makes each and every reveal even sweeter. The writers deliberately leave no stone in Winden unturned, interweaving multiple plotlines to form one big mystery. At first, every character has their own set of issues and dilemmas, working alone to keep their secrets under wraps, yet as time goes on we are shown that they are unknowingly working toward similar goals. The final season answers every question, even ones you did not know you had, and leaves no plot holes in its wake. Fans that powered through their feelings of bewilderment and disorientation got the conclusion they deserved with the final episode tying everything together. It really is worth sticking with just to get to that final season where everything suddenly falls into place. 

I believe Dark managed to tie up all loose ends so well, as the series reads as though they wrote all three seasons off the back of one another, rather than writing each season one at a time. Even small plot devices from the first series come to play a huge part in the final one, taking you by surprise. Despite time travel being a major component within the plot, the writers did a phenomenal job of ensuring that the sci-fi elements of the series did not take away from the family drama at the heart of the show. Even though the world is falling apart around them, the true core of the series is the relationship between the families in Winden, and how they cope with their shared trauma. The audience shares the frustration and pain of the characters, and I often caught myself shedding a tear as the show gradually ramped up its emotional torture of the luckless Winden residents (especially Jonas, that poor boy goes through stuff!).  

I went into the show completely blind, so I would be doing you a disservice by giving anything else away, however IÔÇÖll leave you with a few final points. Firstly, find someone to watch the show with you. My favourite part of watching Dark for the first time was discussing theories as my housemate and┬áI trekked through the whole series in less than a week. Some things we predicted, other things had us screaming as we finally realised what the show was telling us. I am sure the show will have the same emotional impact if you watch it alone, but sitting down with someone for eight hours at a time just hits differently. Secondly, I feel the need to praise the soundtrack. Right off the bat, the opening credits has one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard, played over a series of psychedelic images taken directly from the show and mirrored in a kaleidoscopic fashion ÔÇô you won’t be pressing ÔÇÿskipÔÇÖ anytime soon, trust me. The rest of the series continually hits the target in terms of music choice. Each episode includes a different haunting piece of music, usually relating to the events of the episode and reflecting each characterÔÇÖs psyche.

‘My Spotify is currently filled with music I found through the show, which is currently the soundtrack to my life, making me feel very much like the main character.’

Lastly, the show can get very (you guessed it) dark, so take breaks and make sure you donÔÇÖt get overwhelmed by the sensitive topics covered in the show.

So, there it is, an extremely brief look into one of the best shows I have ever watched. I hope this review encourages you to give Dark a crack and upon finishing will leave you with the bittersweet feeling of wishing to be able to watch it all again for the very first time.