The first season of Dark was one of the single greatest slates of opening episodes I had ever seen in a TV show. Though I had little doubt that the show would continue to be good, I did wonder if this sophomore effort could possibly live up to the billing. Remarkably it did, proving to be every bit the equal of its predecessor.
To get into all the characters and plots of Dark S2 would require an essay-length document, so I won't take that route. It would also suppose that I have everything figure out myself, which is never a given in this complex series. What I will say, however, is that the best analogy I can draw for this season is to the similarly time-travel themed Back To The Future films. Much like BTTF2, Dark S2 doubles down on the complexity while still managing to keep it watchable (and enjoyable) for viewers at all levels. It would have been easy for this show to continue dancing around the peripheries of its fantastic mysteries, but instead it dives right in and that proves to be 100% the correct approach.
Whenever I have recommended Dark to family members or friends, I have always prefaced it with a statement that it takes incredible concentration (and maybe even outside research of family trees and names) to truly enjoy. I probably scared some people off of it in the process. One thing that S2 really hammered home for me, however, is that this is a show that can actually be enjoyed by many various interest levels. Basically, you can go as deep as you want to into it (and it holds up), or you can engage on a bit more of a surface level and still be satisfied, at the very least. You don't have to be a quantum physicist to enjoy Dark.
Another film property I liken Dark to is the film "Enemy". Both there and here, concrete answers do not abound, yet that doesn't spoil the fun in the slightest. In fact, in both cases, feeling as if you are slightly in the dark (pardon the pun) is all part of the fun. If this show wanted to truly explain everything, it would grind to a halt. Instead, it brings up incredibly interwoven time-travel plot lines and intersperses them with incredible cinematography and editing. The overall effect is an absolute sensory overload (eyes, ears, brain, etc.) with every episode.
Of course, no show is much of anything without interesting and relatable characters, and Dark has that front covered without a problem. One particular episode this season, "An Endless Cycle", is an absolute clinic in this area. Truly one of the greatest character-centric episodes of television I have ever witnessed. That episode alone somewhat elevates the entire show to an entirely new level of achievement.
Overall, Dark is now firmly entrenched on my short list of favorite television shows of all time. From music to visuals, plots to characters, Dark legitimately has it all. The confirmed third (and final) "cycle" cannot drop soon enough for this fan!
To get into all the characters and plots of Dark S2 would require an essay-length document, so I won't take that route. It would also suppose that I have everything figure out myself, which is never a given in this complex series. What I will say, however, is that the best analogy I can draw for this season is to the similarly time-travel themed Back To The Future films. Much like BTTF2, Dark S2 doubles down on the complexity while still managing to keep it watchable (and enjoyable) for viewers at all levels. It would have been easy for this show to continue dancing around the peripheries of its fantastic mysteries, but instead it dives right in and that proves to be 100% the correct approach.
Whenever I have recommended Dark to family members or friends, I have always prefaced it with a statement that it takes incredible concentration (and maybe even outside research of family trees and names) to truly enjoy. I probably scared some people off of it in the process. One thing that S2 really hammered home for me, however, is that this is a show that can actually be enjoyed by many various interest levels. Basically, you can go as deep as you want to into it (and it holds up), or you can engage on a bit more of a surface level and still be satisfied, at the very least. You don't have to be a quantum physicist to enjoy Dark.
Another film property I liken Dark to is the film "Enemy". Both there and here, concrete answers do not abound, yet that doesn't spoil the fun in the slightest. In fact, in both cases, feeling as if you are slightly in the dark (pardon the pun) is all part of the fun. If this show wanted to truly explain everything, it would grind to a halt. Instead, it brings up incredibly interwoven time-travel plot lines and intersperses them with incredible cinematography and editing. The overall effect is an absolute sensory overload (eyes, ears, brain, etc.) with every episode.
Of course, no show is much of anything without interesting and relatable characters, and Dark has that front covered without a problem. One particular episode this season, "An Endless Cycle", is an absolute clinic in this area. Truly one of the greatest character-centric episodes of television I have ever witnessed. That episode alone somewhat elevates the entire show to an entirely new level of achievement.
Overall, Dark is now firmly entrenched on my short list of favorite television shows of all time. From music to visuals, plots to characters, Dark legitimately has it all. The confirmed third (and final) "cycle" cannot drop soon enough for this fan!
