Tabula Rasa

This nine part Belgian drama is centred on Annemie D'Haeze, a woman who is being held at a secure medical facility. The police believe that she holds the answers to what happened to Thomas De Geest, a man who has disappeared. Unfortunately she has no memory of him... in fact she has been unable to form new long term memories since she was involved in a car crash months earlier.

The story progresses in two time frames. In the present we see her interviewed by a policeman with a special interest in the case, talk to her psychiatrist and befriend a fellow inmate. In the months after her accident where we see her life with husband Benoit and young daughter Romy; how she comes to know the missing man and how she tries to cope with her memory loss. As the story progresses it becomes clear that many things she believed weren't true and many people are keeping secrets from her; for motives which may or may not be in her best interests.

I really enjoyed this series; the story was told in a way that drip fed us key facts before twisting many certainties... early on I wasn't even certain of its genre as well as a conventional central mystery there were even hints of supernatural elements. What happened to Thomas De Geest, suitably renamed 'Thomas Spectre' in the subtitles, was not obvious by any means and if something bad had happened to him there were plenty of suspects; these included Annemie, Benoit and a mysterious man lurking near their home amongst others. The final resolution was perhaps a little melodramatic but it was enjoyable. The cast did an impressive job; Veerle Baetens was great as Annemie; young Cécile Enthoven really impressed as Romy, especially during her character's more disturbing moments and Gene Bervoets was solid as Inspector Jacques Wolkers... to be honest I don't think there were any weak performances just some characters that stood out more than others. The way the story is told amplifies Annemie's self-doubt in a way that creates an oppressive atmosphere. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to anybody wanting a mystery that keeps one guessing right to the end.

These comments are based on watching the series in Dutch with English subtitles.

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.

I can easily say this series is one of the best I have seen. Initially you may find it little slow moving but last two or three episodes will shockingly surprise you. Have little bit patience and continue watching this. The series will end much better than your expectations.

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.