Netflix’s Archive 81 Season One Early Review

Old school media has been making a comeback within storytelling as of late. How the world views physical media in a modern world where almost everything is being digitized or streamed has changed. That being said, there will always be those who prefer physical media over digital. Regardless of the format, old media will forever live in our hearts. Archive 81, produced by James Wan, dives into this old school media with a sinister twist. The story follows Dan Turner (Athie), a man who was hired to restore a collection of tapes by a mysterious company with unknown intentions. As his journey progresses, he makes several new discoveries met with a multitude of twists and turns that will surely leave audiences in awe and on the edge of their seats. The series not only takes viewers on a ride but it also delivers some of the best storytelling in recent memory.

From the very first episode, Archive 81 hooks viewers in. From there, it pulls them further in with subsequent cliffhangers, making it that much more conducive for bingeing. A slow burn, one can’t help but to continue to the next episode just to figure out the mystery. In the end, the series is made for those who love film as they will absolutely love the references sprinkled throughout. It is clear to see that the showrunners have such a love for old school media. There is so much nostalgia to be had. The series starts off very strong and continues to swing for the fences until the very end. It will blow viewers’ minds as it will really mess with their heads in a great way. The way it explores many horror subgenres and even noir gives viewers a little bit of everything, enticing fans while appealing to a wider audience.

Archive 81 carries many strong elements such as its amazing score which set the tone perfectly and fit with the general storytelling. The sound design is top tier, creating some great ambience. The entire cast deserves major props, delivering great performances full of authenticity and realism. Every character was so meticulously explored. Viewers are shown differing perspectives of multiple characters on how their stories are structured. This choice never felt jarring, allowing to connect with the main characters. That strong connection only added to the tension once things ramped up.

Archive 81 is mind boggling, adapted from a podcast of the same name. There are so many deep layers here that it never felt too overwhelming to follow. However, the series does take some wild swings that some will either love or feel off put about. It literally has everything a horror fan would enjoy while there is also a psychological thriller element that will leave viewers guessing. Meanwhile, paranormal elements add tension and scares. Everything is intertwined perfectly and presented in a great way. These different perspectives allow the mystery to be explored by different angles, resulting in a satisfying conclusion.

At the end of the day, Archive 81 absolutely blew this reviewer’s expectations. While not perfect, the series hits more often than not. There is so much to like here that hopefully viewers will give it a chance and an open ending leaves the door wide open for a potential second season where it could explore this impressive world even further.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Frederick Nuti