There’s something very appealing to the modern eye in the horror of outdated photography. Netflix’s new seriesArchive 81begins by exploring that unnerving phenomenon and evolves into a bizarre horror-thriller through some fantastically executed if a little unoriginal, ideas.
Archive 81is loosely adapted from a 2016 podcast of the same name and developed for television by Rebecca Sonnenshine, who previously wrote a fewepisodes ofThe BoysandVampire Diaries. Half of the episodes were directed by Rebecca Thomas, who previously directed an episode ofStranger Thingsand the filmElectrick Children, two were crafted by hugely important Saudi Arabian film director Haifaa al-Mansour, and two were directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, ofSynchronicandThe Endless. James Wan ofSawandConjuringfame holds anexecutive producer credit.
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The story ofArchive 81focuses on Dan Turner, a dedicated archivist who is gifted at restoring old and damaged videos. An enigmatic businessman entreats Dan to restore and digitize a mass of old fire-damaged tapes in exchange for a huge sum of money. The catch is that the tapes sit in an unoccupied compound in the Catskills and can’t be moved, which means Dan must live and work on-site. Dan’s past is grim, trauma haunts his psyche and as he delves into the tapes, he discovers a mystery that seems to involve his own late family. Dan forges an emotional connection with the videographer, Melody Pendras, a grad student who obsessively documented the strange goings-on at an unusual apartment building in 1994. Melody was killed in a blaze that destroyed the building, but as Dan learns more about her, he starts to see her around the compound.Timelines blend, dreams seem to inform the real world, and reality becomes impossible to distinguish as Dan must contend with his horrific discoveries.
This show isan extremely slow burn. With eight episodes, each one hour long, its runtime can be something of a commitment. There’s a fair amount of fat to trim here, and while none of it is outright bad, some aspects of the narrative are more interesting than others. The second half of the season is almost unrecognizable from the first episode or two, but it completely earns its wilder moments. All in all, it’s better when it gets where it’s going. Its mystery is jam-packed with interesting details; underground cults, conspiracy theories, parapsychology, conversations with the dead, 70s shock cinema, and much more. However, the first couple of episodes largely consists of Dan checking uneventful videos and running off to the woods after every new revelation.It’s definitely worth the wait, but viewers could be forgiven for checking out early on.
The performances are across the board excellent, pretty much everyone fits their role well. Mamoudou Athie stars as Dan and brings a very powerful pathos to the role. The audience knows almost nothing about Dan early on, but Athie’s ability to sell his wildly shifting emotions carries much of the show. Melody is portrayed by Dina Shihabi, perhaps best known as Annabel Lee in season 2 ofAltered Carbon, and she also excels.The supporting cast is fairlysmall, with only a few recurring roles, but each of those roles is well handled. Evan Jonigkeit brings a stellar performance in a role with tons of hidden depth. Matt McGorry, known forHow to Get Away With Murder, is great as Dan’s paranormal obsessed best friend. The whole cast brings the material to life with considerable talent, elevating the script to a higher station.
If there is one qualityArchive 81completely nails, it’s the atmosphere. The early episodes alone with Dan in the compound feel tense and anxious. Dan’s isolation is brought across through subtle details. The show is prettyselective with its soundtrack, relying largely on diegetic music, and often simple discordant tones to fill its silence. The apartment and its residents sell a faux courtesy while always hinting at its sordid underbelly. The visuals are inspired, if nothing else, this show looks fantastic, even when it deliberately looks terrible.Archive 81has a brilliant presentation on every front, but the show is far from perfect.
There is a ton to enjoy aboutArchive 81, but it clearly borrows a little bit from a lot of sources. Aspects of its eventual supernatural elements are reminiscent of 2012’sSinister, the obsession with video nasties harkens back tolast year’sCensorandthe main character’s backstories evoke dozens of horror films. It does all these concepts extremely well, occasionally better than the source, but there isn’t a ton of new material here. Someone could have made a fantastic horror-mystery film by taking the scalpel toArchive 81. Instead, they made a solid, but occasionally dull series that doesn’t get really good until it shows its hand. Without wishing to spoil, this season ends on a massive cliffhanger, suggesting the possibility of a wild ride next season. Until then,Archive 81is well worth a watch but could have clearly been much better.
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Archive 81
Archive 81 is a horror mystery series created for Netflix that follows archivist Dan Turner who has taken a job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from 1994. Reconstructing the work of a documentary filmmaker named Melody Pendras, he is drawn into her investigation of a dangerous cult at the Visser apartment building. This place had burned down years prior, leaving several mysteries in its wake.
