'Dark' Season 3 Spoiler-free Review: All dots finally connect as genius time-traveling saga comes to a stop
Spoiler-free review for 'Dark' Season 3
It feels daunting to encapsulate the mammoth project that 'Dark' is without giving away spoilers. "Everything is connected" — tied together by a force that extends beyond time and space. The question is not where, but when. In Season 3, the question is what world.
In the third and final season, Netflix's first German original series 'Dark' reaches a mind-bending conclusion. Season 3 bends genres as it moves beyond the concept of space and time and focuses on themes of human existence and suffering, love and life, death and rebirth in a continuous cycle that is cursed on its characters. The quest to break the loop that ties Winden's residents together is now more urgent than ever. There are two worlds, two sides — light and dark. In between these dualities is a tragic love story. Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese have together created a masterpiece that spans across centuries, realities and worlds tying the people in Winden in a stubborn, seemingly indestructible knot.
'Dark' explores the themes of human nature and existence — of dreams, fantasies, hopes and promises. The show's beauty lies in the patience that you as a viewer give it. 'Dark' needs not only your rapt attention but also the willingness to linger around for the truth. Perhaps that is why the handful of critics rue about dubbing, having to read subtitles and the highly complex nature of the story. A devoted fan base will relentlessly recommend the show and rightly so, for beyond all the petty criticisms lies this microcosm of wonder, life and death, reality and fantasy and a place where time stands stagnant.
To simply say that 'Dark' is a great show just doesn't cut it. If the first two seasons aren't enough proof of the brilliance of this Netflix marvel, Season 3 takes it up a notch. The sheer magnificence of 'Dark' shows the hard work of creators Odar and Friese, an immensely talented cast and the entire crew. It is irrefutable that Odar and Friese's universe is crafted with a meticulousness that is rarely seen on television, which is exactly what makes 'Dark' a glorious saga.
Season 3 is also visually stunning as we travel across times, worlds and realities; especially in the latter half of the show when tensions are running high. Any amount of praise for cinematographer Nikolaus Summerer is not enough. Winden literally sucks you in its mess and the only way out is when the show says so. As the season progresses, 'Dark' becomes darker accompanied by haunting visuals captured with the terrifying stillness of the soundtrack.
Enough has been written about the precise casting by casting director Simone Bär. But in Season 3, these details are all the more striking as the story draws to a conclusion, and in doing so, it brings each character to confront themselves. 'Dark' also presents top-quality performances by an ensemble cast that is at its brilliant best. Battling inner demons and any number of external hurdles, Winden's residents are stopping at nothing to turn the tables of time. They promise themselves and each other that "this time" things will change.
After a tense three seasons, 'Dark' concludes with what could be the most satisfying finale we have ever seen, no exaggerating. Staying true to their narrative, every question you have ever had about the show — the characters, concept, story — is answered in the finale season. Walking away from the show's conclusion is difficult since it is impossible to shed the awe inspired by this magnificent genre-bending drama.
Do not miss 'Dark'. Throw all your whingeing about language barriers out of the window. This show deserves all your attention.
All 10 episodes of 'Dark' Season 3 will be available to stream on Netflix on June 27. It will be the final instalment of the sci-fi time-bending thriller.