Netflix’s 8-Hour Supernatural Thriller That’s Dark Meets Mike Flanagan Is One Of Its Best To Binge

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Although Netflix’s Dark is considered one of their top sci-fi shows, their most overlooked horror series expertly combines the complex storytelling of Dark with the talented horror writing of Mike Flanagan. From 2018 to 2023, Flanagan consistently delivered outstanding, self-contained horror series to Netflix, becoming a standout creator in the genre. His works, including the 2018 hit The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), The Midnight Club (2022), and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), all received critical acclaim and were popular with viewers.

Despite Netflix releasing a lot of horror content, some great shows didn’t get the attention they deserved. For example, the 2019 series Marianne was just as well-made as anything by Mike Flanagan, but it didn’t reach as wide an audience. Similarly, the German sci-fi show Dark, which received excellent reviews for its three seasons, never became as popular as Stranger Things, even though they shared some similar themes of mystery and the supernatural.

Despite critical acclaim, the complex time travel series Dark didn’t reach as wide an audience as the more popular Stranger Things. The 2022 horror series Archive 81, known for its thoughtful characters and blend of horror and science fiction, faced a similar fate, remaining a cult favorite rather than achieving the mainstream success of The Haunting of Hill House.

Archive 81 Blends Dark’s Time-Twisting Story With Mike Flanagan’s Horror

Starring Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi, Archive 81 is a series based on the popular 2016 podcast of the same name. The story centers on Dan (played by Athie) as he examines old videotapes recorded by Melody (played by Shihabi). He’s hired to restore footage from her documentary about a fire in an apartment building, but Dan quickly discovers there’s a hidden and unsettling mystery behind the recordings.

As the story unfolds in Archive 81, it jumps back to Melody’s investigation in 1994. Her search for answers about a mysterious fire keeps revealing secrets that someone clearly wants to keep hidden. While the show eventually introduces supernatural elements like demons and cults, it’s most reminiscent of Dark. Initially, the combination of different genres and the show’s focus on developing its characters makes this connection particularly clear.

Netflix’s Swift Cancellation Of Archive 81 Cut The Show’s Potential Short

As Archive 81‘s first season unfolds, it shares some striking similarities with the plot of Dark. Revealing more would spoil the story, but fans of Dark‘s intricate mystery will likely enjoy Archive 81‘s supernatural take on a similar core idea. Unfortunately, Archive 81 was cancelled after one season, so its unique horror story wasn’t able to fully develop.

The first season of Archive 81 ended on a shocking cliffhanger that promised a great second season, but unfortunately, Netflix canceled the show before that could happen. This was surprising, considering the show received strong reviews – 87% from critics and 75% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite successfully blending elements of Dark and Mike Flanagan’s other Netflix series into a unique and captivating story, Archive 81 was ultimately limited to just one season after Netflix decided not to renew it.

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2026-04-22 00:53