Archive 81 - General Discussion

[AnimeMania]

Archive 81 is an 8 one-hour episode supernatural horror series filmed in Pittsburgh.

All 8 episodes will be released on the same day on Netflix on January 14. 

This is an original story that is loosely inspired by a popular podcast of the same name.

Mamoudou Athie as Dan Turner

Archive 81 follows archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie), who takes a  mysterious job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from 1994. 

Dina Shihabi as Melody Pendras

Reconstructing the work of a documentary filmmaker named Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi), he is drawn into her investigation of a dangerous cult at the Visser apartment building. 

As the season unfolds across these two timelines, Dan slowly finds himself obsessed with uncovering what happened to Melody. When the two characters form a mysterious connection, Dan becomes convinced he can save her from the terrifying end she met 25 years ago.

(L to R) Gameela Wright as Erica Lewis, Ariana Neal as Jess, Martin Sola as Father Russo, Dina Shihabi as Melody Pendras  

Ariana Neal as Jess, a smart, independent, entrepreneurial ninth grader who strikes up a friendship with Melody. Stricken with a mysterious ailment, she asks Melody for help — a request that ultimately puts them both in danger.

Mark is an eccentric trust-fund kid obsessed with his Mystery Signals podcast, Mark is Dan’s best friend. Outgoing, larger than life, self-absorbed yet kind, he encourages Dan to take the job that will give him an exclusive story for his podcast. But when their investigation gets them in over their heads, Mark steps up and shows his true loyalty.

Matt Mcgorry as Mark Higgins, Mamoudou Athie as Dan Turner 

Martin Donovan as Virgil Davenport, a secretive billionaire who recruits Dan for a mysterious restoration project. He presents himself as forthright, friendly and plain-spoken - but he’s clearly hiding a darker agenda.

Martin Donovan as Virgil Davenport

Evan Jonigkeit as Samuel, a charming, enigmatic professor who cultivates a friendship with Melody — but his strange influence over the other residents in the building soon leads her to question his motives.

Julia Chan as Anabelle, a struggling artist and party girl who burns hot and bright. Loud, outrageous, and adventurous, she’s Melody’s best friend and fiercest protector — even if that sometimes runs counter to what Melody wants.

The rest of Archive 81 cast:
Trayce Malachi as Young Dan
Kate Eastman as Tamara Stefano
Kristin Griffith as Cassandra Wall
Charlie Hudson III as Steven Turner
Jaxon Rose Moore as Emily Turner
Eden Marryshow as  John Smith
Daniel Johnson as Visser Tenant
Johnna Leary as Visser Tenant

[AnimeMania]

‘Archive 81’ Trailer: Mamoudou Athie & Dina Shihabi Uncover Sinister Secrets In Netflix’s Podcast-Inspired Horror Series

The original Archive 81 podcast launched in 2018 and ran for three seasons. It describes itself as a fiction podcast about horror, cities, and the subconscious. Co-creators Marc Sollinger and Daniel Powell will serve as co-producers on the Netflix series.

[AnimeMania]

It is best not to read any reviews until after you watch the show.

Variety Review

Spoiler

‘Archive 81’ Is a Goofy, Inconsistent Horror Drama: TV Review

 

[AnimeMania]

Archive 81  Episode Titles and Descriptions all episodes released on January 14, 2022 on Netflix

Spoiler

 

S01.E01: Mystery Signals
Haunted by a family tragedy, Dan begins to restore videotapes for a cryptic firm. Then he's startled to learn of his connection to their missing creator.

S01.E02: Wellspring
Messages from the dead arrive while Dan follows Melody on her investigation into the Visser. But who's watching the watcher — and what lies below?

S01.E03: Terror in the Aisles
The past loops back around as Melody returns to Steven with Jess. Mark checks out a find. Dan tries to map his situation, but he may be losing his way.

S01.E04: Spirit Receivers
In the woods, Dan encounters the unexpected. In the tapes, Melody learns about the cult and makes contact during a shocking séance.

S01.E05: Through the Looking Glass
The past blurs into the present when Melody visits a forbidden floor in search of an inspired Anabelle. Music leads to lost souls — and revelations.

S01.E06: The Circle
A circle tightens, panic grows: Dan learns about his predecessor, and Melody tries to track the source of the Visser's dangers. Yet the evil spreads.

S01.E07: The Ferryman
The veil drops from a cursed film's origins. At the Vos Mansion in 1924, Iris recruits Rose for a blood ritual. Dan knows he must find Anabelle.

S01.E08: What Lies Beneath
The Otherworld beckons. Melody circles back to the Visser, where a new device captures a sacrifice. So much depends on Dan's journey into the unknown.

 

From Podcast to Small Screen, Meet the Mysterious Cast of ‘Archive 81’

The First Creepy Footage from ‘Archive 81’ Is Here

From Audio Tapes to VHS: The History Behind ‘Archive 81’

[krankydoodle]

I've finished the first 2 episodes and am really enjoying it so far. When shows (or books) are split into 2 timelines, I often find one less compelling than the other so I'm happy that's not the case here.

I listened to the podcast when it first started a few years ago. Season 2 took a really strange turn and I only made it a few episodes in. It wasn't bad, but it pivoted so much that it essentially became a different series IIRC. I'll be interested to see if the Netflix show goes the same way.

[non sequitur]

3 hours ago, krankydoodle said:

I've finished the first 2 episodes and am really enjoying it so far. When shows (or books) are split into 2 timelines, I often find one less compelling than the other so I'm happy that's not the case here.

I finished episode 3, and I'm finding Melody's timeline starting to drag. I'm not really interested in all of the apartment tenants either.

[Mr. R0b0t]

Three eps in and I'm very interested to see where this is going and would like to dish with others...however this is a mega-thread and that means spoilers will inevitably show up.  If a show is worth cataloguing I wish they would go ahead and split it into episode forums or let the posters do it.

[TipseyGirl]

8 hours ago, Mr. R0b0t said:

Three eps in and I'm very interested to see where this is going and would like to dish with others...however this is a mega-thread and that means spoilers will inevitably show up.  If a show is worth cataloguing I wish they would go ahead and split it into episode forums or let the posters do it.

Same. I'm also three episodes in and really liking the story so far. I'll probably not read here again until I have finished the series. I'm afraid I'll be spoiled since this forum is an all-in-one. 

[Meredith Quill]

Binged it. I dislike shows that leave a lot of unanswered questions at the end. I always feel cheated somehow. Is this a one and done?

[AnimeMania]

13 minutes ago, SilverStormm said:

Binged it. I dislike shows that leave a lot of unanswered questions at the end. I always feel cheated somehow. Is this a one and done?

So far it is one season, although they say they left room for another season and are in the process of fleshing it out in case the show gets renewed.

[AnimeMania]

‘Archive 81’ Showrunner Unravels Finale’s Supernatural Switch-Up, Season 2 Plans for Melody and Dan

 

‘Archive 81’ Review: Netflix’s Time-Hopping Mystery Is Loaded with Unnecessary Obstacles

Edited January 16, 2022 by AnimeMania

[Paloma]

Just finished this series and overall liked it, though I'm not normally a big fan of the "found footage" structure. Also, I understand that having an "out-there" plot means there are things that won't make sense, but it's still frustrating. I'll have more to say after others comment, but for now I have these questions, which I'll put in spoiler tags:

Spoiler

 

In 1924 when Lukas left the comet party and was confronted by Iris, he told her he couldn't be a part of this anymore. I don't remember the exact words, but it sounded like the plan was for everybody at the party to die (not just one human sacrifice) in order to fulfill her dream. Did anyone else get that impression? It's unclear how they were all supposed to die, when just a few people went to the basement for the ritual and the rest of the guests seemed to stay upstairs and party. It's also unclear if the fire that destroyed the mansion happened that night or at a later date, and if it was that night, if it was intentional or a side effect of the ritual. A final question about this is what happened to Lukas after he left. Maybe he set the fire to stop the destruction that Iris and the other brother planned? Or did he just walk away and live out his life anonymously, without revealing what he knew to anyone? If there is a season 2, I would like to see that addressed.

How did Cassandra (the older red-haired woman in 1994) end up with the kharonite necklace that Iris had in 1924 and that Iris put on Rose before sacrificing her? Before the sacrifice, I wondered if Cassandra was Rose because they both had red hair (though Cassandra's was from a bottle and she really didn't seem old enough to have been about 20 in 1924), but that can't be true if Rose died. Related to this question, Cassandra had a nude painting of her "sister" Eleanor (really her lover, according to Annabelle) wearing the necklace--presumably Cassandra got the necklace from her sister/lover, but where did Eleanor get it? I guess we have to assume it survived the fire in the mansion and was auctioned or turned up in an antiques store.

 

 

[non sequitur]

I was really disappointed with episode 7, since the film was already revealed and shown twice, and we know what happens.

I wish the focus of the show was kept on Dan.

[AnimeMania]

Archive 81 showrunner answers our burning questions about that shocking finale and the show's future

[Mabinogia]

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

I just finished and yeah, that was the impression I had too. He said something about how they were all there just to be human batteries to power her dream or something like that. But he gave the distinct impression, if not outright said they were all going to die. Which made me first think that the place burning to the group was expected but I don't think it was, since the ritual didn't go right. 

 

 

I just finished a two day marathon of the show and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure, as I usually hate found footage stuff, but it wasn't typically like that, it had some moments of found footage, but luckily we got to see more than just found footage. 

I was getting nervous as the last ep started running out of time that we'd get a cliffhanger, and while it does leave a kind of hanger, it also works as an ending for me if we don't get another season. Though I do hope we do. I enjoyed all the characters. 

Though it was driving me crazy the whole show because I thought Samuel was played by the guy who was in Pretty little Liars and was impressed that he'd finally learned to act (I always found him VERY wooden in PLL) but it's not him so I guess they just found a look alike who could act. LOL

[AnimeMania]

Archive 81 is #1 on Monday's Netflix Top 10.

[HerkyJerky]

Matt McGorry has really gained a lot of weight since he was on "How To Get Away With Murder", hasn't he?

[Straycat80]

Binged it in two days. I liked it. I am confused about some things but will continue to check in as others may comment on what they think happened to Dan at the end. 
That black pendant necklace sure got around, so that’s a mystery too. 
I think in 1924 Lucas just left and that was it, maybe started the fire, but I think they would have shown that, IDK. 

[libgirl2]

On 1/15/2022 at 11:19 AM, krankydoodle said:

I've finished the first 2 episodes and am really enjoying it so far. When shows (or books) are split into 2 timelines, I often find one less compelling than the other so I'm happy that's not the case here.

I listened to the podcast when it first started a few years ago. Season 2 took a really strange turn and I only made it a few episodes in. It wasn't bad, but it pivoted so much that it essentially became a different series IIRC. I'll be interested to see if the Netflix show goes the same way.

I also like both timelines. They are keeping me interested. One more episode to go. Really enjoying the creep factor. 

[AnimeMania]

How Archive 81 Uses Found Footage To Create Immersive Horror

[libgirl2]

Just finished it. It was left open ended but, damn, I enjoyed it. 

[raeb23]

On 1/17/2022 at 11:13 AM, Paloma said:

I don't remember the exact words, but it sounded like the plan was for everybody at the party to die (not just one human sacrifice) in order to fulfill her dream. Did anyone else get that impression?

Yes, i did too. Lukas said they would be 'batteries.' It's possible that if the ritual was done correctly, the demon would have killed them when it was released. The Baldung also warned of destruction if things went as planned. I don't think the fire had anything to do with Lukas, since it happened again when the ritual was done incorrectly in 1994.

I wish we got a bit more background on the witches. How did they trap a powerful demon? Is there a whole coven or is it just Melody's direct ancestors? What are they doing to help clean up the mess they created in the first place? Where was Melody's mother in 1994? Have the Baldung tried to recover/ destroy the artefacts needed for the ritual at any point?

I'm not familiar with the podcast but binged this in a couple of days. I'd like to see where things go if there's another season.

Edited January 19, 2022 by raeb23

[tennisgurl]

I watched the first episode so I am not reading the rest of this thread yet, but I really liked the episode. Both timelines are interesting and I like both main characters so far. Plus, I am a big fan of film archiving so I enjoyed seeing the process more and some clips of old half destroyed films, both really old footage and the 90s VHS tape. Its quite creepy so far, the soundtrack does a lot to add to the suspense, it almost sounds like its panting behind you, it really ramps up the tension. I wish this had episode threads so I could talk about it more without seeing spoilers. It feels like the kind of show you want to discuss with people. 

With the possible evil hotel with evil spirits menacing residents, I half expect to find out that the creature haunting the place is Gozer. 

[non sequitur]

If there is a season 2, I don't think there will be emphasis on Lukas or the Vos family.  It was weird with Lukas though. If he went off and had his own family, his children would have that lineage. 

Samuel will be back in one of the timelines because his arms were around Melody.  

[Mabinogia]

3 hours ago, non sequitur said:

I don't think there will be emphasis on Lukas or the Vos family.  It was weird with Lukas though. If he went off and had his own family, his children would have that lineage. 

I wouldn't mind if Lukas' descendants appeared, if he had any. Hey, maybe Samuel and his brother business man whose name I forgot, are his descendants. Would explain why they knew about all this and why both are pursuing it. Or Redhead or her late girlfriend. It would be how they got the necklace. Though I think that was probably an auction. I just feel like Lukas should be there for more than just his battery comment, especially since that seems to have amounted to nothing. 

I do agree Samuel will be back. I thought he grabbed Melody and both of them went through the "doorway" together. It happened so fast maybe I missed something. I expected him to "appear" with Melody rather than 

Spoiler

Daniel ending up in the past or the other world or wherever he ended up.

 

[bilgistic]

@AnimeMania, will you or a moderator please tag this forum with "spoilers"?

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm very surprised that most of the critic reviews are middling at best.  I'm not a horror fan but I found this very enjoyable, intelligent and engrossing, creepy without being gory.  I didn't care for the Melody storyline at first, but I got into it as it progressed. There were a good many unanswered questions at the end, but I didn't think it ended up on a huge cliffhanger.  Dan ends up in 1994, Melody is reunited with her mother in the current day.  It's the kind of ending you'd expect from the Twilight Zone. 

I thought the acting was very good, and I quickly became a fan of Mamoudou Athie (Dan), especially his voice. 

One question I would like the answer to: Did they ever explain where the title Archive 81 came from?  It doesn't seem to relate to anything in the story. 

 

[AnimeMania]

5 hours ago, bilgistic said:

@AnimeMania, will you or a moderator please tag this forum with "spoilers"?

I do not have the ability to do that and I do not believe that there is a moderator. You should assume that all single thread TV Show forums will be loaded with spoilers and you should be completely caught up before engaging. It is hard to predict how popular a show will be, so most TV shows, unless they are on a network or have a great deal of buzz, will not get a multi thread TV Show forum. Single thread TV Show forums can be created by anyone, you have the ability to create them for as many TV Shows as you like or request a multi thread TV Show forum for any show (as long as it is upcoming or currently running). I tend to create quite a few single thread TV Show threads for the type of shows I think are under represented in the forum. It is a hit or miss type of process, but I like to wait until about a week before the show is about to air, to make sure a multi thread TV Show thread isn't created and fill it with as much information as I can find out about the show so that a person can make an informed decision about whether they would like to view and as long as they are following they shouldn't miss the show because I like to keep them updated and post an episode list "in spoilers in all the episodes drop at once" as soon as the show comes out to remind people it is available.

[AnimeMania]

Normally I do this as soon as the show is released but I forgot.

Episode Titles and Descriptions  all episodes released on Netflix on January 14

Spoiler

S01.E01: Mystery Signals
Haunted by a family tragedy, Dan begins to restore videotapes for a cryptic firm. Then he's startled to learn of his connection to their missing creator.

S01.E02: Wellspring
Messages from the dead arrive while Dan follows Melody on her investigation into the Visser. But who's watching the watcher — and what lies below?

S01.E03: Terror in the Aisles
The past loops back around as Melody returns to Steven with Jess. Mark checks out a find. Dan tries to map his situation, but he may be losing his way.

S01.E04: Spirit Receivers
In the woods, Dan encounters the unexpected. In the tapes, Melody learns about the cult and makes contact during a shocking séance.

S01.E05: Through the Looking Glass
The past blurs into the present when Melody visits a forbidden floor in search of an inspired Anabelle. Music leads to lost souls — and revelations.

S01.E06: The Circle
A circle tightens, panic grows: Dan learns about his predecessor, and Melody tries to track the source of the Visser's dangers. Yet the evil spreads.

S01.E07: The Ferryman
The veil drops from a cursed film's origins. At the Vos Mansion in 1924, Iris recruits Rose for a blood ritual. Dan knows he must find Anabelle.

S01.E08: What Lies Beneath
The Otherworld beckons. Melody circles back to the Visser, where a new device captures a sacrifice. So much depends on Dan's journey into the unknown.

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by AnimeMania

[HerkyJerky]

On 1/11/2022 at 1:51 PM, AnimeMania said:

It is best not to read any reviews until after you watch the show.

Animemania, you posted this on Jan 11th which was very helpful because I stopped reading this thread right away and didn't engage until after watching the whole show.  Btw, you DID post all the episode descriptions in a spoiler tag on Jan 14.  Thanks for all you do!!

[Mabinogia]

15 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I thought the acting was very good, and I quickly became a fan of Mamoudou Athie (Dan), especially his voice. 

This was the first I've seen of him but I quickly became a fan. And yes, that voice is magnificent. 

I too wonder about the title. Are their other Archives out there? Will we ever see them or will they be referenced? Did they just pick a number out of thin air? So many questions. 

I really hope this gets a second season. I'd like to see where they take it from here.

[SlovakPrincess]

About halfway through, not sure if I love where this is going, and it's kind of a lot of tropes stacked onto each other (demon worship?  ghosts?  people being naturally "chosen" for a sinister place or event?  found footage creepiness?  maybe he's dreaming most of this?  90s nostalgia?  this show has it all!!).    Also, found footage is always tricky, because the plot contrivances required for the characters to Always Be Recording become silly.  

However, Mamadou Athie is pretty great and sells this for me.  Dina Shahibi is great, too, but she's of course trapped in the role of breathlessly gasping into the camera much of the time (which she handles with as much gravitas as possible, to her credit).  I also enjoyed the acting between Matt McGorry and Martin Donovan in the scene where Virgil was trying to get info out of Dan's friend.  

Edited January 21, 2022 by SlovakPrincess

[AnimeMania]

Archive 81 star Mamoudou Athie on why his character's fate is so fitting: 'He's a man stuck in time'

[krankydoodle]

I really liked it. I was a little frustrated when Melody stayed behind after rescuing Jess and have a few other nitpicks, but this is the first show in a long while that I've found compelling enough to watch all the way through so eh.

I was happy that Mark really was a loyal and loving friend to Dan. Their hug in the last episode was sweet and I hope we get another season if only so we can see them reunited.

[AnimeMania]

‘Archive 81’ Star Dina Shihabi on That Family Secret, How Melody and Dan Could Connect in a Season 2

[Lady Calypso]

So, I watched it over the course of three nights and I actually really enjoyed it. Usually, cult stories turn me off, but this one really kept me on my toes. I think that it helps that the cult stuff wasn't entirely religious and it had other aspects to it. I find a lot of cult storylines involve a lot of religion to it and very little of anything else. I think this show did a good job at balancing that aspect to keep the audience engaged. 

Super engaging story all the way through. They really did set up a lot for a potential second season, which I think the show will get, judging from how quickly it hit the top 10. I don't think it needs to be a super long series, and I think it would be fine if it was two-three seasons tops, but I think they have a lot of material to work with. 

Mamoudou Athie did a really amazing job as Dan. He really sold the character being driven slowly mad by Kaelego as he watched more of the tapes, and obviously what really helped was his friendship with Mark, who never wavered from his best friend and was supportive of him, even when he was uncertain of what was going on. I thought there'd be a moment at some point where Mark wouldn't have believed Dan and thought he was crazy, but besides some genuine concern over Dan's mental health, he really believed everything he was being told. Seriously, Dan and Mark's unwavering friendship was such a highlight. You really don't see a lot of friendships on television that are this loyal. Their moment at the end before they go down to the sacrificial room was such a poignant moment. 

Now, I wasn't loving the whole mental health aspect being twisted and manipulated by Virgil toward Dan. His whole "we have mental health professionals ready to check you out" wasn't great BUT I do like that the show did genuinely portray it as something that wasn't SUPPOSED to be praised. Virgil was supposed to look bad in those instances where he'd be bringing up Dan's past or Dan's medical records. He didn't use it as concern for Dan, after all.

Dina Shihiabi really carried the 1994 storyline. Now, I know there had to be some handwaving with her recording everything, as I have to assume that someone would have told her to shut off the camera or she might have missed some moments for filming or she would have lost charge on her battery. But they did try to explain it with some comments here and there, and I guess I could buy that they didn't think her tapes would ever be made public anyway. 

With the whole Vos story, I do wonder who we've seen that could be the ancestor of Lukas, because no way they leave one Vos alive to not see a future generation pop up. Is it Samuel/Virgil? Is it someone else entirely?

The ending does pose a lot of questions, but I really want to watch a second season to get those answers. 

[Mabinogia]

13 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Seriously, Dan and Mark's unwavering friendship was such a highlight. You really don't see a lot of friendships on television that are this loyal. Their moment at the end before they go down to the sacrificial room was such a poignant moment. 

Their friendship was certainly one of the highlights for me. Mark had a great balance of worrying about his friend's mental health (given Dan had some history of mental issues) but never once just dismissing Dan as crazy. Even if he didn't 100% believe Dan, he still stood by him and helped him. 

I LOVED their moment at the end. I am not ashamed to admit I cried. I'm far more a sucker for a true friendship than romance. On that front, I am hoping that the bond between Dan and Melody is more of a kindred spirit kind of thing rather than romance (something both actors have mentioned themselves, it not being just a romance). 

13 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Now, I know there had to be some handwaving with her recording everything

One thing they did which I thought was pretty clever was have the young girl, Jess, get into it and have her own camera, so they could show us things where Melody either wasn't around, or was focused elsewhere. The funny thing is, as odd as it might have seemed in the 90s to be filming every moment of your life, that's exactly what a lot of people do now. Melody was just way ahead of her time. haha I also like how they had Dan notice Jess' camera in Melody's films then realize the cassette tapes where from her camera. (I'm going to go look that up, is that a real thing? A kids camcorder that played cassettes?)

[vavera4ka]

Just finished it

Spoiler

So Dan woke up in 1994. 10 days after the fire  how long after the Visser fire was his family home fire? Will he be able to try and save his family? Also… there is a kid Dan in 1994 too… that’s not weird at all lol

1994 isn’t the worst year to go back to. At least in America  play the market  right, get yourself a nice sum of money, and watch the world turn… lol

Im thinking Samuel went back to 1924.  A modern man thrown 100 years back before all the “fun” of the mid 20th century  well at least the Spanish flu is done…

 

 

why couldn’t Melody escape through the window with Jess?

 

[Accidental Martyr]

On 1/23/2022 at 12:46 PM, Mabinogia said:

 

One thing they did which I thought was pretty clever was have the young girl, Jess, get into it and have her own camera, so they could show us things where Melody either wasn't around, or was focused elsewhere. The funny thing is, as odd as it might have seemed in the 90s to be filming every moment of your life, that's exactly what a lot of people do now. Melody was just way ahead of her time. haha I also like how they had Dan notice Jess' camera in Melody's films then realize the cassette tapes where from her camera. (I'm going to go look that up, is that a real thing? A kids camcorder that played cassettes?)

The Wikipedia article mentions its use in Archive 81.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PXL2000

[Paloma]

On 1/24/2022 at 8:54 PM, vavera4ka said:

Just finished it

In answer to your last question about why Melody couldn't escape through the window with Jess, I think she could have but chose to stay behind either to give Jess more time to get away or to find out more about what was going on. I was yelling at Melody to go with Jess, but she didn't listen to me, LOL.

[HelloooKitty]

On 1/17/2022 at 9:13 AM, Paloma said:

Just finished this series and overall liked it, though I'm not normally a big fan of the "found footage" structure. Also, I understand that having an "out-there" plot means there are things that won't make sense, but it's still frustrating. I'll have more to say after others comment, but for now I have these questions, which I'll put in spoiler tags:

  Hide contents

 

In 1924 when Lukas left the comet party and was confronted by Iris, he told her he couldn't be a part of this anymore. I don't remember the exact words, but it sounded like the plan was for everybody at the party to die (not just one human sacrifice) in order to fulfill her dream. Did anyone else get that impression? It's unclear how they were all supposed to die, when just a few people went to the basement for the ritual and the rest of the guests seemed to stay upstairs and party. It's also unclear if the fire that destroyed the mansion happened that night or at a later date, and if it was that night, if it was intentional or a side effect of the ritual. A final question about this is what happened to Lukas after he left. Maybe he set the fire to stop the destruction that Iris and the other brother planned? Or did he just walk away and live out his life anonymously, without revealing what he knew to anyone? If there is a season 2, I would like to see that addressed.

How did Cassandra (the older red-haired woman in 1994) end up with the kharonite necklace that Iris had in 1924 and that Iris put on Rose before sacrificing her? Before the sacrifice, I wondered if Cassandra was Rose because they both had red hair (though Cassandra's was from a bottle and she really didn't seem old enough to have been about 20 in 1924), but that can't be true if Rose died. Related to this question, Cassandra had a nude painting of her "sister" Eleanor (really her lover, according to Annabelle) wearing the necklace--presumably Cassandra got the necklace from her sister/lover, but where did Eleanor get it? I guess we have to assume it survived the fire in the mansion and was auctioned or turned up in an antiques store.

 

 

The painting was of Cassandra, done by Elenor. Not that that answers your question, but it takes someone out of the equation. 

[Chaos Theory]

This was actually more enjoyable then I thought it would be.  Figured it would be a cheap Netflix product but it actually turned out to be a fairly well made atmospheric supernatural  thriller.   My one gripe is that it had a cliffhanger.  Would have enjoyed it alot more if it had been a one and done story or even the first of a possible anthology series.  I am just not sure it is good enough for a multi season series. Plus I just don’t trust Netflix when it comes to multiple season shows.  

Edited January 28, 2022 by Chaos Theory

[tennisgurl]

I am really hoping for a season two, I really liked this show. Its one of the creepiest shows I have seen in awhile, very atmospheric and spooky, relying on mood instead of gore or jump scares, although both of those things did show up. I had to watch an episode per day over the course of the week, that was how much it creeped me out. I was wary of the found footage and cult aspects, but they worked really well, probably because the found footage was a major plot point and the cult plot was more of a dark form of spiritualism, not a conspiracy with religious trappings like in a lot of shows. 

The story was really engaging, I was into both timelines and Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shahibi really carried their stories well, especially as both of them spent a lot of time just reacting to the weird stuff they were seeing. I am also really interested in film restoration and lost films, so that aspect was a lot of fun for me, of course I am all about a demon trying to get into this plane through old film footage and VHS tapes. I wanted to see more of the creepy Circle show that the actresses father made, the glimpses we got looked promisingly weird.

I was so worried we would get a stupid twist where Mark was part of the cult or sold Dan out for his podcast, so I was relieved when he stayed a loyal friend the whole time. Dan and Mark's very strong friendship was a real highlight, Mark was clearly worried about Marks' mental health but he took everything Dan said seriously and tried to support him as much as he could. Their hug at the end was a really lovely moment.  

If this is all we get, this isn't a bad ending, with Dan and Melody switching time periods, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions and a lot they could do with the two of them in different times. Now that Dan is in the 90s, can he save his family? I really want to know more about whatever faction is trying to stop the cult, the ones who its implied set the fire that killed Dan's family, and there is still one Vos sibling who survived the fire, I am already waiting for him to have a descendent show up, possibly now with the people trying to stop the cult. Samuel will certainly be back, it looks like he ended up in the same portal as Melody and he had to have some plan as to why he shoved Melody into the future. 

[CooperTV]

The entire thing should be a two-hour movie. Otherwise there's so much padding and stupid brain-dead characters making stupid, brain-dead decisions, at the end it's hard to take seriously.
 

Spoiler

 

The first couple episodes were genuinely creepy and unsettling, with an incredible atmosphere and insidious undertones. But the middle 4 episodes were constant drag, completely devoid of anything remotely scary or even little bit menacing. The writing of the show relied heavily on the mystery aspect of it, which made the beginning of the show so compelling to watch. But it showed its hand way too early. First with the creepy cult stuff in 1994 and then with mentioning and describing the 1921 snuff movie, and then spending an entire episode of the show recreating events we'd already seen four episodes ago and understood three episodes ago. And after that it just didn't stop with explaining every single detail at least several time across last three episodes. And then the show randomly decided to break every single rule of how of this works because "Baldung is special" or whatever.

The main characters that were sympathetic at first turned into morons pretty quickly. Melody is the worst offender here, as she routinely makes decisions that go not only against her best interest but also against her own self-preservation. Her confronting Evil Hot Dude and acting like a complete nutjob is a prime example of that. Also, in the last episode, when Melody tries to save Jess, she doesn't leave herself, spending precious seconds to say irrelevant stuff to her instead. (Just to for Jess to come back after she ran away, to conveniently film the ritual for the future. That last one was so dumb I started yelling at the screen). To he honest, after all Melody's histrionics I wanted for cult to succeed since I would have better watch inter-dimensional bridge working than see Melody acting like a loon the whole show.

The Dan timeline turned out to be underwritten as well. So here's this mildly evil dude, and Dan starts working for him at the remote location without Internet, cellphones and any human contact. Yet he's always on a phone with his best friend, going for coffee with him and researching. And all the access codes to this weird-ass place are conveniently on the same location, as the underground bunker with all the archive and the creepy stuff, and also Melody's mother also works there. Also, Dan and his Pikachu face got really annoying after the second time The Other World's Demon wanted to hug him. (BTW, that special effect of the alien demon looked very silly, that cheapened suspense in already struggling show).

The trip to the Other Side was anti-climactic and not scary at all. I also didn't get the ending in the Other World, where Sam came out of the exit door, grabbed Melody and then she appeared in the real world, while Dan got confused and got stuck.

 

 

[Quilt Fairy]

4 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I am also really interested in film restoration and lost films, so that aspect was a lot of fun for me,

They did a lot of hand-waving about the restoration, though.  In the beginning you see Dan applying chemicals and stuff to restore old and damaged films, but for Melody's tapes, which were supposedly in a fire, all we see time and again is Dan removing the (extremely damaged) case and putting the (miraculously undamaged) tape onto a new reel.  That bugged me. 

[Enero]

Well I just finished the first episode and found it to be very good.  I’m with Dan what [the hell] is happening? Lol. I can’t wait to find out. Where have I seen the actor who plays Dan? I’ve seen him in something else, but can’t remember what. 

I hope the best friend is truly a friend and not working for LMG.

[Enero]

On 1/28/2022 at 11:59 AM, tennisgurl said:

I was so worried we would get a stupid twist where Mark was part of the cult or sold Dan out for his podcast, so I was relieved when he stayed a loyal friend the whole time. Dan and Mark's very strong friendship was a real highlight, Mark was clearly worried about Marks' mental health but he took everything Dan said seriously and tried to support him as much as he could. Their hug at the end was a really lovely moment. 

This so much! I too was fearful that Mark was going end up being a Judas and was so relieved when he turned out to be a true friend. Their bromance is one of the things I enjoyed most about this series. 

 

On 1/28/2022 at 11:59 AM, tennisgurl said:

If this is all we get, this isn't a bad ending, with Dan and Melody switching time periods, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions and a lot they could do with the two of them in different times. Now that Dan is in the 90s, can he save his family? I really want to know more about whatever faction is trying to stop the cult, the ones who its implied set the fire that killed Dan's family, and there is still one Vos sibling who survived the fire, I am already waiting for him to have a descendent show up, possibly now with the people trying to stop the cult. Samuel will certainly be back, it looks like he ended up in the same portal as Melody and he had to have some plan as to why he shoved Melody into the future. 

The ending definitely left a lot on the table. So fingers crossed the show will get renewed for a second season. That said, I’m confused as to why Samuel didn’t cross to 2021/2022 like Melody being that it appears he pulled her through the portal and back to the compound in present day? And if Dan was in the Other World, how did he end up in 1994? Shouldn’t he have just been stuck in the Other World like Melody had been all those years?  Also, how did Jess manage to escape the Visser without being eviscerated by fire like everyone else?She was right where the fire started and deep underground, seems like that would’ve been pretty unrealistic that she would’ve escaped. 

I still don’t understand what Virgil’s ultimate goal was. Just to know what happened? It didn’t seem like he was advocating to open the portal or necessarily fighting tooth and nail to keep it closed either. Speaking of Virgil, I found it strange that he didn’t age in nearly 30 years and looked old enough to be his brother’s father, even in 1994. I thought the writers were going to put some type of supernatural spin on that but they didn’t. 
 

Quote

there is still one Vos sibling who survived the fire, I am already waiting for him to have a descendent show up

Great point. I’d forgotten about the Vos sibling who abandoned the ritual because he no longer wanted to be apart of it. Like you I’m thinking he could be behind the group who’ll do anything to keep the portal closed, because it doesn’t look like there are enough witches left to run that type of operation. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Extremely engaging and creepy material, even though the creep factor kind of disappeared by episode 6/7. The acting was very good. I enjoyed both timelines and thought  Mamoudou Athie was especially good being that most of his scenes entailed him acting without a scene partner.  I will say Dan’s plan to save Melody was half cocked at best. He had no idea what to expect in the Other World, where he’d be when crossing the portal and even how he’d find Melody once he got there. It was pure luck, and plot that the corridors of that world practically led him straight to her. That process should’ve been very difficult and took a lot longer than it did.

Another thing that bugged, Melody continuing to stay at the Visser after things got really weird. I didn’t understand why she didn’t just go back to her Brooklyn apartment and stayed there, then arranged to pick up her things later or have them picked up for her.

Something else that didn’t make sense was the thinning of the veil between the two worlds. In 1994 and 1924, the comet was one of the main catalysts for opening the door, but when Dan went after Melody, her mother said that playing her video documentary of what happened thinned the veil between the worlds and made it possible for her to open the portal. To me that made absolutely no sense. I need more details on this for it to gel.

Anyway, great series. I really do hope they’ll do 2nd season. There’s still more story than can be told.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by Enero

[shrewd.buddha]

The first couple of episodes had a nice, creepy slow burn feel. It felt as if the show could be a mash-up of Rosemary’s Baby and The Shining.
But it started losing its way as it went along and unraveling into too many directions.
A limited series would have been more satisfying. 

The last couple of episodes did not give me confidence that the writers were interested in coming to any conclusions - or even attempting to be coherent. Not sure how they can continue with the found footage format, either.

Spoiler

There are cults, comets, covens, spiritual receivers, seances, human sacrifices, sinister mold, spirit photography, cursed statues, sacrilegious sacred books, snuff films, gods and demons. The buildings have forbidden floors, creepy basements, sub-basements and even more secretive sub-sub-basements. 

By episode four or five, it started to drag and feel repetitive. I started fast-forwarding through the slow exploration scenes of even more dark hallways and basements.
There was no reason Dan needed to stay at the ‘compound’ to restore the tapes.
If Dan had spent more time restoring instead of exploring, he would have been done in a couple of weeks. He could have had a car.
Same with Melody: she stayed in the creepy building when she could have left and gotten more help.

Melody's mother was trying to keep her safe by abandoning her as a baby -- why leave her with a ring indicating she is part of the Baldung witch coven?  How is Melody's mother not 70 years old? 

Episode 7 was a disappointment: what was the need for a historical recreation of the events in 1924 that led to the snuff film? Why add new characters? It was a repeat of information we already knew.

And now time-travel? Too much.  The time periods should have been: 1924, 1994 and 2064, if it were aligned with the fictional comet.
Dan should have been trapped in the spirit world, not 1994.  Will he warn everyone about the 9-11 terrorist attack? Will he buy stock in Apple and Amazon? 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by shrewd.buddha

[hurrrz]

I got some serious Adam Driver vibes from Mamoudou Athie (Dan). His voice, the way he speaks, some of the physicality.

 

Besides that little tidbit. Interesting show that really fizzles out at the end I think. I like the narrative idea of going through old video tapes and learning more bit by bit that way. Visually it had some interest, but story-wise it jumped the share in the last 3rd I thought.

[AnimeMania]

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