1983

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.

Strong good sides:

• scenography and pictures. Nicely done. Fictional communistic Poland in 2003 looks great. Grey and gloomy remains of old times with monumental new sceneties, that look like from the Blade Runner. I like that.

Bad sides:

• plot - some storylines are... dispensable, just making unnecessary mess,
• dialogues - full of pathos, not natural, idiotic sometimes. It is visible that even actors have problems with playing that, and some of then sound like a speech synthetiser,
• bonds between particular characters is not understandable. It is not sketched properly, so it is hard to 'feel' them, and immerse in the world.

Still, it is really interesting and one of the best Netflix production this year. I hope for more in the next season.

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.

My review is based on just the first episode of this series which I felt totally immersed in from the very start. Do not follow others opinions, not even myself. But surely don't take that review (from the guy who found it unbearable") too serius. Series has a great photography and dinamism. I found it quite entertaining and beautiful. Also very much Orwelian, and there are a few hints to the work too, not only from the title but also in some scenes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The story is set in alternative universe where Iron curtain did not fall. Without explaining plot, the story shows a conspiracy within the government that used mass attacks in 1983 to reshape the country's political and civic destiny.

The story has many personal elements. The plot is pretty complex and you never know who is on what side and why. I def had some questions or some things were unanswered, so hopefully series 2 will come, but so far, it was very refreshing.

Dubbing wasn't great; subtitles were horrible. Otherwise, it's was very good overall.