42 Days of Darkness

I found this show refreshing because it:

1. Was a Chilean production - I don't think I've seen one before.

2. Had beautiful scenery and so much water.

3. Felt like the conversations and situations were real.

4. Gave me a bit of a rest from tense psychological thrillers.

I didn't like:

1. The lack of suspects.

2. The abrupt and inconclusive ending.

3. Too much music,

7.5/10.

It is not a thriller. If you go with that perspective, you will find it very underwhelming. It is a brilliant drama, with so many layers in its characters, events and the conclusion that it is truly refreshing after all the overly dramatized clutter you have around murder mysteries. It is not much of a mystery either, or maybe it is. However, it does seem a fairly accurate representation of the deep frustrations that surround attaining justice and closure for such crimes given the incompetency of the very system itself.

All the actors were brilliant, the protagonist in particular was phenomenal. The characters seem to behave as close to real life as one would imagine in such a scenario, and that is exactly what hooks you to this series. You truly root for almost every character in this series except for the obvious few. I know it is almost blasphemy for some, but it somewhat reminds you of 'The Wire'.

As Episode 1 of "42 Days of Darkness" (2022 release from Chile; 6 episodes of 45 to 60 min each) opens, we fins ourselves somewhere in Chile and it is "June 29, 2010". We are introduced to a family of four. The husband is on his way to dropping off the two daughters at school, The wide, a woman named Veronica, hears a knock on the door, and she opens. It's not long before we realize she has disappeared, and feared kidnapped... At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments; let me just state the obvious upfront: I was not familiar with anyone on this production team or among the actors and actresses that are in this series. The plot is super heavy (and based on a true story), and my description of the initial 10 min does not give you a good sense of what all will take place (but neither am I going to spoil it here). Bottom line: it didn't take long for me to realize that this mini-series is right up my alley. The writing is strong, the characters are fleshed out. And the setting (in Chile) is an extra bonus.

All episodes of "42 Days In Darkness" started streaming on Netflix a few weeks ago, and I'm just now catching up on it. I've seen the first 2 episodes so far and it won't be long before I'll watch the remaining 4 episodes. If you dig true crime stories, and love an "exotic" setting like this one in Chile, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE* I've now seen all episodes, and have upgraded my overall rating from 7 to 8 stars. The last 2 episodes are absolutely outstanding, and my main reason for upgrading my rating.

At the beginning I was not sure if I am interested in this program but I started watching and.... Wow !!! This is so interesting, excellent sightseeings, actors.... It is so real, you feel that you are there, very common people and at the same time, terrifying. Anyway, I liked it very much, and recomend it for sure....

It's not a thriller, but an exceptional drama. It's a slow start but it does pick up. I put myself in the lawyer's position and had fun figuring out the what's, who's and how's. Acting was fine and I loved the scenery.