27 best horror shows to watch (and 14 shows you should skip)
By Mads Lennon
Horror shows: Archive 81
- Seasons: 1
- Created by: Rebecca Sonnenshine
- Starring: Mamoudou Athie, Dina Shihabi, Ariana Neal, Matt McGorry and Martin Donovan
- Streaming: Netflix
Loosely inspired by the fictional podcast of the same name, Archive 81 is a supernatural thriller on Netflix that follows a video archivist assigned to a strange case. A mysterious corporation enlists archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) to restore an old collection of videotapes found in the remnants of an old apartment building called the Visser. The fire and the tapes come from 1994 when graduate student Melody Pendras (Dina Shahibi) visited the Visser to investigate the weird complex and its many secrets.
Melody plans an oral history of the building by interviewing its various guests and uncovering a sinister cult centered in the Visser’s origins. In 2021, Dan follows the breadcrumbs as he slowly unravels Melody’s story and becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her and maybe saving her from an unpleasant fate. Archive 81 is the perfect show for genre fans, as it wears its many references proudly on its sleeve.
In particular, fans of Stranger Things, Fringe, Twin Peaks, The Shining, and Rosemary’s Baby will find plenty of fun easter eggs and references to enjoy while watching the series. As a mystery box series, it does present big questions, but Archive 81 is good about tying up loose ends yet still leaves a compelling hook for another season in the end.
Verdict: WATCH