Three Netflix Series from Overseas Worth Checking Out
Sometimes the best stuff on Netflix has Subtitles: To the Lake, La Révolution, and Into the Night.
We’ve all done it…Skipped around Netflix for something to watch — with the search sometimes being longer than whatever it was we ended up watching. When you have so much to choose from (especially with so many shows and movies you’ve never heard of), it can take a while to finally decide. For a long time, if the preview started playing and it was clear that the show had been dubbed into English, or had subtitles — I wouldn’t give it a second thought, and just kept on moving.
One evening, with my thumb growing weary of clicking buttons, I took a flier and decided to watch a show made in Belgium (though the language spoken throughout is French). The description said it had won a lot of awards, and was voted the best series at some festival I had never heard of. It was a crime show called, The Break. I checked on IMDB to read what others thought, and saw that most everyone enjoyed it. Somewhat convinced it might be worth it — I clicked “OK” and thought I’d give it a few minutes. I decided I didn’t want to watch it with the English dubbing and turned on the subtitles, and started episode one. Simply put — it was fantastic. Not only was the writing, acting, and story strong — I found myself enjoying listening to the language and immersing myself into Belgian / French culture (or at least what the show portrayed as Belgian / French Culture). It was interesting to see the different communities, homes, lives, and styles of a people across the world. I compared and contrasted the show and the “police procedures” with those of American shows. It was different to be sure — but new, and again, it was really good. With my “discovery,” I began watching shows from all over. Israel, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, South Korea, Brazil, Russia and more. The series I watched were highly produced, and had stories that I thoroughly enjoyed sinking into. Perhaps someday, I’ll go back and find all of those shows, and list them out here — but for now, I want to concentrate on the three most recent shows I’ve taken in: To the Lake (Russia), La Révolution (France), and Into the Night (Belgian) — all of them a lot of fun in their own right, and each dealing with apocalyptic themes (some of which will feel familiar to our lives at the moment with Covid-19).
Let’s kick things off with To the Lake from Russia. The story centers on a group of people fleeing Moscow, which has been quarantined due to an extremely contagious virus (coronavirus anyone?). Not much is known about the contagion, other than it manifests itself with the coughing up of blood, a high fever, gray eyes, a zombie-like appetite, and eventually a painful death. As you begin to delve into this show, you might think it is loosely based on our current situation, however — it was produced long before “quarantine” and “mask mandates” were part of our everyday vernacular. Still, it doesn’t diminish that some of what is seen in the show eerily shadows our reality at the moment. The series, though different than The Walking Dead, feels similar to that show’s first season. By focusing on a small group — who deal with not only the virus, but also a corrupt military and scavenger-like gangs, the viewer doesn’t have to try to keep track of multiple story lines or face whole segments of the show where the main characters aren’t in focus. This serves To the Lake well, keeping it fast moving, and giving you the opportunity to ask yourself, “What would I do in this situation?” As you might have guessed, the group’s mission is to get as far away from civilization as possible, as they head for a lake where an old boat (large enough to house them all) rests on the shore, to try to hunker down until everything gets back to normal. With the extreme cold, and the enemies they face down — along with interesting relationship dynamics — the odds are certainly stacked against them, and it is hard to not press “next episode” each time a chapter concludes. If you have a chance, take this one in. As I mentioned a couple of times — the connections to current day events and the show make it fun and introspective.
Next up is La Révolution, or The Revolution. If you’re a history buff, this is a fun, fictional twist on the actual origins of the French Revolution, when the lower class rose up against the ruling class to rearrange the political landscape and future of the country. You’re welcomed to the story by a narrator explaining to you that history is written, taught, and accepted— but isn’t always true to the real story for various reasons. As we listen to the narrator, a young horse rider is seen chasing down what appears to be a well-to-do young man (think tights, funny pants and shirt, and a white wig). The scene looks like a war zone, with the rider eventually catching up to the prey and beheading him in one fell swoop. It is obvious at this point the viewer is seeing something that happens after the story we are about to hear. While “accepted” history tells us the revolution began with the citizens of the country striking out because they were fed up with the monarchy and feudal system — La Révolution, lets the viewer in on a deeper secret. What is not known to the rest of the world, is the real truth which prompted those without power to begin their fight. This dark secret hidden from history is that the ruling class had found the key to immortality, which essentially turned them into nearly invincible zombies, who killed and feasted on those they saw as less than them. In other words, if you weren’t rich — you were food. As more and more people begin to disappear, and with police doing nothing in trying to find them, those who are not in a position of power begin to grow restless as fear spreads across the country. The beginnings of the revolution begin with a group of rebels known as The Brotherhood, and as more and more allies join them, the group discovers the grim truth as to why people are missing and where exactly they are going. With their backs against the wall, the small band of men and women start to fight for their lives. This series, like To the Lake certainly looks like it is headed for a second season (hopefully), as the first season ends on a cliffhanger. Once again, the story, the acting, and the production values for La Révolution, are all magnificent. This show, too, focuses only the main characters and the storyline doesn’t ever really veer far from them, other than the occasional flashback to fill in some backstory. While the show builds nicely, it is in the final episode that things come to a head, and you truly are left with wanting more. One cool tidbit to be on the lookout for in the season finale is how the French flag as it is known today is created. Bring on Season 2.
Finally, we come to Into the Night. Like the two aforementioned shows, this series concentrates on a smaller cast. While the storyline involves all of Earth’s population — the viewer only sees things from the handful of characters the story centers on. As you might have guessed, I really prefer this when watching a show. It seems to keep the story moving, and I believe creates a more intense attachment to the characters. But I digress…Into the Night starts with what appears to be a desperate soldier trying to board a plane and get in the air as quickly as possible. He’s so convinced he needs to do so, he steals a weapon, bulls his way onto a plane, and essentially hijacks the aircraft by forcing the pilot to take off. After they are in the air, we learn he is from NATO, and while there, overheard a conversation from the top brass that stated wherever the sun rises — people die. He tells a disbelieving pilot that they must head West and continue heading West as quickly as possible — always staying ahead of the sunrise. Of course, the people on board are terrified that the man is a crazed terrorist, but once the internet connection to the plane is turned on and everyone begins to search on their phones, they all believe. From here, the pilot and a former helicopter pilot from the army, along with the rest on board are constantly trying to find ways to outrace the sun until they can come to a safe solution — as they learn that no matter where you are — if the sun comes up, that’s the end. Conflicts and struggles for power, gas, food, water, and safe routes all ensue. Within the first couple of episodes I started to think that Into the Night was a reboot, or creative re-telling of Stephen King’s book and mini-series called The Langoliers. Many of the same plot elements are there, and even some of the characters resemble closely what King had created. Eventually, however, the story begins to separate itself and stand on its own. Each episode takes some time to delve into different character’s backstories with flashbacks, so you understand why they are on the plane, and see why no one is ever a clear cut “good guy” or “bad guy.” Again, because of the size of the story —the show and its characters are enhanced and more real. There aren’t any rabbit holes to chase, creating entire episodes that don’t really have anything to do with why you tuned in. And when you first start watching the show, you are greeted with a little blurb letting you know the show has already been approved for a second season. Though shorter in episode numbers compared to the other shows I’ve mentioned (6, compared to 8 each for To the Lake and La Révolution), it doesn’t hurt the show in any way. Actually, it’s quite the opposite, as rather than create a few throw away entries, things stay compact and fast paced. And once again, you’re left wanting more.
So what’s the lesson here? Well, if you’re like me, and you’ve been skipping shows because they’re not in your native language or from your home country — you’re simply missing out. Watch them with the English dubbed over if you have to, but I highly recommend turning on the original languages, enabling the English subtitles, and immersing yourself into the great shows and talent coming from lands far and not so far away. First, the shows are usually pretty good, and second, it really is interesting to see countries, cities, and cultures that are different from our own. Of course, technology such as the internet makes the world a smaller place — but actually seeing it and sort of living alongside the characters from these shows makes it more real. You’ll learn a lot, and I think, you’ll open up a whole new world (pardon the pun) of possibilities for entertainment.
To the Lake is rated TV-MA, or rated R, and has violence, gore, language, adult themes, and nudity.
La Révolution is rated TV-MA, or rated R, and has violence, gore, language, adult themes, and nudity.
Into the Night is rated TV-MA, or rated R, and has violence, language, and adult themes.
