Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is an excellent psychological thriller. The acting is top-knotch, particularly from the three lead actors: Veerle Baetens, Stijn Van Opstal, and Jeroen Perceval.

This is a show that will keep you guessing, with so many twists, layers, and hidden connections. There's a fantastic air of creepiness and menace. The imagery is stunning and the cinematography is great. My jaw dropped in shock more than once.

Aside from the intricate and compelling central mystery, the relationship drama is also great. There's nuance in the performances and the show really displays the complexity of family life. As an American, I found it fascinating to see what life in Flanders is like.

There are just so many fantastic elements to this show. It's the perfect show to bingewatch. Tabula Rasa, along with Dark, prove that some of Netflix's best content is the foreign language shows. I can't recommend Tabula Rasa enough. It's such a smart show.

Have never written a review before but this show deserves to be watched! It's a slow burner yes, but what a pay off in the end. Worth the viewing time. If you have watched a lot of horror/thriller/mystery you will appreciate it. The pyro guy is fun to watch along with the other 'nuts' of the asylum ward. Everyone plays their part well.

To be fair, movies which incorporate (seemingly endless) time jumps could sometimes not only be hard to follow but structurally deficient as well. Thankfully, "Tabula Rasa" ("Blind Slate") had all their ducks in a row. Obviously, a ton of plotting went into making this mystery series, As Nordic Noir goes (if it truly fits into that category), "Tabula Rasa" sits head and shoulders above similar titles, fitting right up there with other excellent series like"Bordertown," "Depart Q", etc. Cinematography was to die for as was the general acting. Some reviewers complained about pacing issues. I didn't mind the long drags, though. That seems to be part and parcel of Nordic Noir anyway, you know, allowing the viewer enough time to absorb the lush scenery, as it were.

I loved it, I have gone almost exclusively to the international movies and series on Netflix, they are such a breath of fresh air after the trash of Hollywood. There are several moments in Tabula Rasa where you will stop breathing, it's that good. If you find it "slow" or "boring" as somebody is saying, you might have that "instant gratification" problem, too much American film long on non-stop action and short on meaning. (I am American but no lover of the film industry - either glorifying sex and violence or both together or preaching politics, I am done with them.) These foreign projects have opened new horizons for me, too - how many more times do I need to see NYC and LA, anyway. Keep it coming, I'm hooked.

Several episodes seem to lack luster at the beginning. I began with an expectation of supernatural involvement, and was constantly irritated at the slow development.

But, the relationships between husband and wife, the mysteries, and the emotional turmoil kept me in it. I am not easily surprised, yet this did exactly that. The end is well worth the wait. You can argue that it's unbelievable, but I don't think that comes into it. It's explanatory and dramatic. You will be hard-paced to find any single season drama that resolves so well.

The key to any resolution is that it meets some criteria: 1) It is not fantastical. It could happen without violating physical laws. 2) It has a certain bitter-sweetness. Not a requirement, but definitely helps. 3) It resolves the crisis of the main character. 4) It lets us love the character, after having had her character impuned upon throughout. It redeems her believably.

Give it a try. Relax.