[REVIEW] Netflix’s Archive 81 (2022)

Archive 81 is a new supernatural horror series currently streaming on Netflix. It is based off a found footage podcast of the same name. The show is only eight one-hour-long episodes. It is a relatively quick viewing; I binge-watched the entire first season in two days.

The series follows two different timelines and the mysteries that unfold during our two main characters’ investigations and how they intersect. In 1994, a young documentarian named Melody Pendras moves into an old apartment building with a bizarre history called the Visser. During her stay there, she meets and interviews some of the residents and notices that there is something just a little off that she cannot quite pinpoint at first. Her feelings drive her to dig deeper into the bizarre happenings that occur after hours and leads her to uncover something far more sinister than she could have ever anticipated.

The second storyline occurs in the present day and follows Dan Turner as he takes on a very lucrative job restoring damaged video tapes found among remains in a fire. The job is top secret, and he is forced to work isolated away from civilization. It is soon uncovered that the tapes he is restoring are that of Melody Pendras’s time at the Visser. He spends hours restoring her tapes and watching as she discovers the dark history and mystery of the ill-fated apartment building. The deeper he delves, the more connected he feels to Melody, and he becomes convinced that he just might be able to save her from her terrible demise in 1994.

The opening credits are reminiscent of something you would see before an episode of American Horror Story. The premise of the show is a slow burn and a dark ride filled with mystery and surprises. I appreciated the mystery aspect of it and how the viewers uncovered mostly everything in real-time with Melody and Dan. Each character had different components of the story, and I really enjoyed the dual narrative storytelling style.

Throughout the show, you get hints at different things that Dan finds out during his research that match up to Melody’s narrative. I enjoyed connecting the dots between the two timelines. The offbeat characters were intriguing, and trying to figure out how they all fit into the grand scheme of things was fun. I did find parts of the show predictable; it did not take me long to realize what all of the mysterious tenants were up to. Without trying to give too much away, the ending does have a nice twist that I was not expecting. The ending does leave a possible setup for a second season. Currently, there is no word if there is a second season of Archive 81 planned, but I will be watching if it happens. If you are looking for something more fast-paced, scary, and gory, then look elsewhere. If you are a fan of slow-burn mysteries that are more psychological and unsettling, then this is the show for you.