Summary
Black Space is unavoidably competing against a whole host of solid series, but this is undoubtedly a “hidden gem” that should not be so easily dismissed.
This review of Netflix’s Black Space season 1 contains no spoilers — the thriller was released on the streaming service on May 27, 2021.
Read the ending explained of season 1 of Black Space.
Netflix is not short of crime thrillers; on an international scale, the streaming service pumps them out regularly, with Lupin returning to our screens very soon. But for now, we have Israeli Black Space, an Israeli crime thriller that centers at a high school.
And yes, it’s easy to fear that thriller will consume itself in YA tropes, but it does marvelously well to remain away from the usual teen drama. After a tragic school shooting, investigator Davidi (played by Guri Alfi) becomes obsessed with who the shooters are; initially, the media and police chief boil it down as a political terrorist act, but our lead character has an attainable hunch that keeps him up all night. Black Space is a surprising, enthralling crime drama that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats and manages to drag out over eight chapters.
On the surface, Netflix’s Black Space plays with a critical theme — demons. While the investigation is ongoing, it’s clear that Davidi and other leading characters are battling with their truths. The high school is enriched with a dark history, and even Davidi has his grievances with the establishment — this is not a typical crime drama where the villains are abundantly obvious or unjustified — there’s plenty of moving parts as the series goes through the motions.
Keeping it low-key and manageable, the writers take a steady approach to the story — rather than complicating matters, Black Space takes its time and keeps the pace at a respectable level, allowing the characters to breathe and gives the audience the chance to read them. It could have easily rolled into the ridiculous nature a teen-centered drama becomes, but instead, the series remains grounded and uniquely engaging. It has a similar feeling to Grand Army, which is not celebrated enough, where a dark secret grows and becomes a sore thumb.
Black Space is unavoidably competing against a whole host of solid series, but this is undoubtedly a “hidden gem” that should not be so easily dismissed.
