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Dark season 3 study suggestion

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Posted on July 10, 2020 at 15:31:21
tunenut
Audiophile

Posts: 9161
Joined: July 18, 2000
A few weeks ago the third season of this netflix series showed up. Although it has not been that long since I watched the first 2 seasons, I realized quickly that I was lost and getting maybe 20% of what was happening.

In short, this is the most confusing TV show ever. It is based on time travel and the various characters are shown at various ages and various time periods, but all mixed together. Older Hannah shows up in 1986 for example, having come from 2019. The confusion continues as the various characters have multiple family and plot connections that given time travel, get quite weird.

I think it is quite brilliant. Unlike most time travel stories that either sidestep the paradoxes or ignore them, this show jumps fully into the idea past and future are connected in a knot that must recur, even if someone moves through time trying to change it.

But it does not make any sense unless the viewer is willing to put in the effort to know the people and how they relate.

So I had to step back and find a way to refresh my memory. I found the linked reference invaluable, particularly the family tree charts. They even include pictures of the characters at various ages. The guy put a lot of work into these, and I actually put some work into making sure who was who. While watching season 3, I referred back to the chart pretty regularly.

This may seem like way too much work, but in some strange way, having to work at understanding a show makes it quite rewarding. And while season 3 goes even farther out onto a limb with multiple worlds, it does actually find a way to finish the story in a way that feels right in the terms set by this fantasy world, and gets quite emotional as well.

It is a lot of work, but the 3 seasons as a whole are quite a remarkable achievement.

 

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I'm starting it again after this margarita (first things first), posted on July 10, 2020 at 15:54:42
Road Warrior
Audiophile

Posts: 21654
Location: Dallas
Joined: August 31, 2004
I'm one of those who just didn't get it (watched one whole season). My fault, I just didn't concentrate enough and with it being in German (w/English subtitles, he dubbing is godawful) you have to concentrate and not let the mind wander. I saw the season 3 finale got a 9.8 user rating over at IMDB. That's in Breaking Bad/Americans country
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"E Burres Stigano?"


 

Glad to know I'm not the only one., posted on July 10, 2020 at 20:09:18
R Browne
Audiophile

Posts: 1710
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: January 14, 2002
While viewing Season 3 I started to consider that I may have suffered a serious cognitive impairment. It was much more difficult to follow than Season 1 or 2. Good to know that there are aids available to keep track of the characters, plot and time lines. Highly recommendable series, but I will have to view to again to fully appreciate its complexities.

 

I gave up before the end of season two . . . , posted on July 12, 2020 at 23:46:38
Billy Wonka
Audiophile

Posts: 3765
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since:
October 15, 2013
I hate Nolanesque plots and dialog the serve to show the writer is smarter than me. I don't have the will to keep up with three sets of characters spread throughout time.

 

RE: Much Ado About Nothing, posted on July 13, 2020 at 09:53:25
House13
Audiophile

Posts: 337
Location: SE TN
Joined: February 17, 2008
I stupidly watched the 3rd season of "Dark." Excellent review on "Rotten Tomatoes" all unwarranted. Very complicated plot line with the characters going through 3 different time periods. This was very confusing trying to match their younger selves with their later adult appearance. Very wooden acting with brief one line conversations and stone cold looks with no emotion. Unappealing characters eliciting no sympathy. Dialog was unrealistic. Lines were too obviously off a script. Conversations were not how normal people talk.

The ending of the 3rd season was a very simple explanation of what all this was about. I thought "that's all it was!" This was way too much work for the payoff! It was writing that was self serving, just showing off trying to be clever. I wasted too much time on all this. Of course, critics love this kind of stuff.

This is intended to be entertainment. This cannot pretend to be Shakespearean tragedy requiring some kind of Monarch notes for research. A good film should not need an external instruction manual for satisfaction, understanding aand enjoyment. It should stand on its own as a completed work of art.

 

It hurts just to think about it! If ever there was a clusterf**k this is it., posted on July 20, 2020 at 16:32:12
PhilJ
Audiophile

Posts: 2826
Joined: January 20, 2002
I did however really like the very end where they created the void (or whatever it was) with some nice visuals and imagination. Most show would have skipped it.

I did enjoy the show but half as much stuff going on may have brought twice the satisfaction imo.

 

Reaction - Spoilers, posted on July 21, 2020 at 08:57:30
tunenut
Audiophile

Posts: 9161
Joined: July 18, 2000
Note this includes a massive spoiler that covers the whole series.

At the very end, the time travel paradox could not be sidestepped. Two people whose very existence was due to a car crash came back and stopped the car crash. Obviously then they would not exist and could not stop the crash. To its credit, the show tried to justify this with a reference to quantum mechanics and a many worlds interpretation, but none of that really makes sense in this context.

But as fantasy, that kind of stuff matters little, I thought this was audacious and imaginative and well planned out start to finish in a way that say Westworld was not - that seemed to be made up week to week. With my study, I think I got maybe 80% of season 3, but I will read some recaps and eventually revisit the whole series. I actually look forward to that. Really enjoy this kind of puzzle plot where people are more like cogs in a big plot machine, and puzzle plots don't get much more puzzling.

 

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