1983

Those who say "unwatchable" have probably never experienced the life unter the iron curtain, or do simply lack the imagination on how such life would be.

From my POV, it's a mostly consistent vision of how the alternative history might look like. Somewhere between USSR and GDR realities plus how the eastern contries aligned with technological progress in the 90ies.

Not giving all starts, though, because the movie set looked too clean compared to how real Poland looked in the 90ies, and subtle plot holes here and there and sometimes too naive side plots.

Very good acting and uncanny atmosphere. It may not be big-budget, but the mix of contemporary architectural details and somber exteriors will seduce you if you like this type of subdued, yet, misteriously absorbing political thriller. Never mind the dialogue, which I don't find necessary to enjoy the plot.

For me, it is the first series to watch dealing with events springing from the preservation of the Soviet bloc - I know some series-films dealing with the fictional results of WWII... And as a contemporary and still remembering how-what was it living under a so-called socialism, I could follow the events in "1983" with seemingly bigger understanding and those always living in a democratic country.

Yet, it is intriguing to combine oppression and spying with smartphones widespread among the population, and some other things related to technology, that is why the script includes some odd shifts and solutions. But as the performances are good (particularly the main male ones), the general story adds up, the mood is well captured and the country of origin is Poland (not some wealthy and known film-industy country), I can easily rate it with 8 points and recommend to all them fond of related topic.

I have watched 4 episodes and so far I find it a good grim show. It's dark, disturbing and unpredictable. Worth giving a shot at least;)

This is a confounding series, sometimes puzzling, other times enthralling, but with tight pacing that makes the show rarely boring. I will admit to being lost at different times - the going and forth between modern times with the 80's can get one confused about where you're at. But you learn to just go with the flow. Most of the credit goes to Robert Wieckiewicz, whose tough exterior and tougher interior are wonderfully conveyed and keep you watching him. It's an extraordinary performance. The rest of the cast is top notch, too. There are also nice touches in the dialog, some unexpected twists and turns, and moment or two of levity to keep you off balance before the next grungy bit of ultraviolence gets your heart beating again. Of special note is the obvious tip of the hat to Blade Runner, especially in the rainy, neon-lit Asian alley way with bike riders where the lead character is interrupted from eating his noodles while two cops stand on either side of him. Sound familiar? Yeah, I loved it and I like this series quite a bit. It's inscrutable at times, silly at others but always fascinating.