Raven

One of the best series i've ever seen. Combines elements of crime, corruption, mythology and psychology in an intelligent way. Beautiful pictures and music are producing a deep, melancholic atmosphere. Please release it in Germany with german synchronisation!

More and more series from Central and Eastern Europe reach our Western shores: most of the time it's either Cold War spy thrillers or gritty crime tales. Not all of it is very good or very original, but on the whole I've had a few good surprises. Kruk sets out to do the grimdark cop thriller à la True Detective but went far beyond my expectations. It is certainly dark: an exceptionally twisted plot, a brutal realism with loads of death and maiming, all against the background of child abuse in the Polish Wild-East. But it also builds its characters masterfully so that grit never feels gratuitous or out of place (special mention for Kaponow and the Babushka). To depict trauma, which is central to its central protagonist, it employs a very worn out trope (Slawek) but manages to walk the (very thin) line between grotesque and tragic, using this character to bring rhythm rather than explanatory dialogues. This remarkable characterization, subdued and original, poignant without being melodramatic, is achieved thanks to sparse and tight dialogues, but mostly thanks to an outstanding casts (all of them unknown to me) who have the perfect look and deliver memorable performances.

Unlike most of the standard crime fare offered on streaming channels, you know the ones that seem like they are all written by the same writer's using the same template i.e.divorced single parent detective with a petulant rebellious teenager usually female,and most likely will be snached in time for the shows climax. Raven is so much more in all regards,the writing is not bogged down by useless dialog some shows need to stretch out episodes. The translation subtitles are excellent and leave no question about what is being said. And the acting is superb every single character is totally believable. This is a dark story, but isn't presented cynically or angrily.

Only 7 reviews? Strange!

This series is great. I totally agree with what some of the critics say, Hollywood doesn't reach this level, simply because a lot of times they lack humanity, realism... and very importantly in America they often choose for beautiful people who seem perfect, which doesn't exist, perfection. Many of the American series are cold and not as realistic as this one. The first season seemed better to me than the second, and you are warned! It is very strong, the theme and the way of execution.

I am from Spain, and always see the original version with subtitles, absolutely a must!

The photography and landscapes are fantastic. Yes, dark and dramatic but beautiful. It accentuates the tension and the story even more.

Perfectly written and detailed. Good actors. Without a doubt, you cannot miss it if you like strong emotions, tension and themes that are necessary to deal with.

Great story, perfectly paced. Wonderful cinematography. One of the best series I've ever watched.