Fans of TV shows that make your brain hurt will be very pleased to learn that Netflix's epic time-travel mystery series, Dark, is set to renew for another mind-bending season.
Credit: Netflix
The German show, which is riding high on the current wave of mystery/thriller/horror/sci-fi crossovers, such as Stranger Things, has become the most-watched non-English language series ever to air on the streaming service. And for good reason, too.
The locally-commissioned Netflix original centres on several families in the small German town of Winden, following the mysterious disappearance of a young boy. As their lives become ever more interlinked, disturbing truths are exposed, and it becomes evident that this seemingly innocuous town is at the centre of something very strange indeed.
Despite obvious comparisons to its older Netflix sibling, Stranger Things, and even older shows such as Twin Peaks, the service's vice president for international originals, Kelly Luegenbiehl, said that Dark really stood out on its own merit. We'd be inclined to agree.
Credit: Netflix
"When we first heard about Dark, we realised very early on that we hadn't seen anything like this show before - in Germany or anywhere else in the world," she said.
"Dark is a testament that great storytelling transcends geography."
At the root of the show's success are writer Jantje Friese and director Baran bo Odar, the two creative engines, driving one of the most universally acclaimed international series ever to grace Netflix.
Outstanding writing is at the core of Dark's brilliance, and in a recent interview with IndieWire, Friese revealed a few of his techniques.
Credit: Netflix
"It was all mapped out, but in the process we also allowed ourselves to be surprised by whatever shows up while we were writing," she said.
"Sometimes, when you are too structured and you are in this thing, you can't really see what is left and right anymore and that closes the creative process down a little.
"We really came from the characters first, and then we mapped out every episode. Just having the floor plan we needed and knowing the connections: What are the relationships? Where is the trouble? Where is the drama?"
The two also revealed some of their plans for the next season, but if you're going to read on then you might want to proceed with caution, for there are season one spoilers ahead.
That's 'SEASON ONE SPOILERS AHEAD'. So if you've not watched the show yet but still plan to get round to it... well, you've been warned.
"We will definitely, for example, follow Jonas. He is one of the main characters where most of the stuff actually happens," bo Odar said. "So we will truly stay close to him, but shift some of the storylines to other characters.
Credit: Netflix
"It's just like creating this world with all these different children. You like some of them more, some less."
Friese added that she doesn't like sticking to rigid plans when it comes to writing and that in the next season, she will continue to follow this method.
"You have to be open to just say, 'Nah, OK. That might have been a good idea two weeks ago, but you know what? This is even more interesting,' and then just change it," Friese said.
Credit: Netflix
"What was really interesting in the writers' room was actually to keep knowing the changes you did. For every draft you do, obviously you change stuff. So you kind of have to look at everything again: Do I need to plant this differently? And where is this leading now?
"And at some point, I didn't even know anymore what draft version I was in. So you have to take a step back, read it all over again, map it out again, write new Post-Its."
If you haven't sat, covered in Doritos, surrounded by beer bottles and binge-watched the entirety of the first season in a single weekend, then what are you waiting for? And if you have, at least you know there's more in the works now. Very, very good to know.
Featured Image Credit: NetflixTopics: TV and Film, Stranger Things, Netflix