Netflix's Dark is trending again - which time-travel series should I actually rewatch?
I keep seeing Dark pop up everywhere this week and I never finished it. I loved the first season's slow-burn weirdness but dropped off somewhere in season 2. Now I'm in the mood to start a time-travel series over properly - Dark vs 12 Monkeys vs Dark Matter vs something else? I want something that sticks the ending, because nothing hurts like a great setup with a bad finale. What's actually worth the hours?
2 answers
- 12 Monkeys, honestly
I've done both and 12 Monkeys hit me harder. Dark season 1 is gorgeous and the slow burn is unreal, but 12 Monkeys was planned as one complete story from the pilot and the finale pays off everything. If your number-one rule is 'sticks the ending,' start there and do Dark second.
- Dark, then 12 Monkeys - both stick the landing
Since you asked about endings, here's the honest ranking by finale quality: 1) Dark - three seasons, fully planned, the ending actually resolves the loops. It's dense but it pays off. 2) 12 Monkeys (Syfy series) - 4 seasons, criminally underrated, one of the tightest endings in sci-fi TV. 3) Dark Matter (Apple) - only 2 seasons and the second one rushed; good setup, shaky finish. Skip Travelers for now, it got cancelled mid-arc. If you only rewatch one: Dark. The rewatch actually improves it because the loops make more sense the second time.