Let's begin this review with the fact that I am a sucker for anything Netflix produces. You know that it’s either going to be an epic failure you love to watch, or a really good show that you can't wait to finish. So when I saw this new thriller/horror/supernatural Netflix series, I just knew I had to watch it, and I'm glad I did. As with all of my reviews, there will be major plot points discussed, so reader beware. Buckle up and get ready to examine "Archive 81."
Synopsis
A man living through a terrible tragedy has a specialized skill set to restore old VHS and cassette tapes. This talent leads him down a rabbit hole of the past, with mysteries to be discovered. With evil forces all around him, will he be able to reveal the truth?
What I loved
The characters were dynamic throughout the entire series, as each character gives something different to the show. I absolutely loved the main characters, simply due to the fact that they were given a lot of backstory to reel us right into their narrative.
I love the amount of information we get on the characters, as I previously stated. Having backstories for a lot of the characters makes the series feel full. It makes me more intrigued in a series when there's a lot of information about our characters and I feel submerged in their world. There is a balance between having too much information and not enough though, and I think this series balanced it well.
Now I don't want to spoil the entire series in my review, but simply put, everything connects. It is so crazy when you finally realize it, and previous episodes rush into your head to tie everything together. I truly just want to watch the series again to see all the clues and connections I missed. When you get that “Aha!" moment, you know it's a good show.
What I didn't love
When I said this show was ominous, I was not lying. It gave me the creepy crawlies the entire time. I watched this series with the lights on, and the pause button close at hand. If you love the feeling of crawling in your skin 24/7, then this series is for you. But personally, I wish the creep factor would've been dialed down to at least a five.
Like stated previously, I loved how much information we got about characters in this show, but there was a lot of story information that was off-putting. There were a lot of side stories throughout the episodes that I found myself too lost in at times. While everything sort of wraps up at the end, other things are still unclear, and you never want to feel confused when watching something like this.
Verdict
As confusing as the summary of this Netflix show is, "Archive 81” is a sci-fi, horror, thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I hope Netflix continues this series (because it is really good). Even though I legit could never watch this show with the lights off, I did enjoy watching it.
I give "Archive 81" a 4 out of 5.
