"What we know is a drop. What we do not know is an ocean": A deep dive into the DARK fandom
To the best of our knowledge, time is a straight line. An unstoppable force marching forward with little to no care for those caught in its wake. Countless pieces of media have attempted to tackle the topic of time, respective travel through it, both forwards and backwards, and sideways. Yet for all our theorizing and technological advancement, we remain shackled to a force we have no control over and very little understanding of. One day, perhaps, in the distant future, we will break those shackles. Shirk the bonds of fate, and prove without a doubt that we possess free will. It is these ideas, this sea of the unknown, that the Netflix original, DARK finds itself fully submerged in.
Set in 2019,
1986, and 1953, this mind-bending story of love, and loss, of life and death,
of fate and free will, chronicles the strange happenings in the small German
town of Winden, and the life changing effects it has upon its inhabitants.
After two children go missing near the strange cave that sits within the woods
on the outskirts of town, a teenage boy named Jonas sets out to discover the
truth.
DARK is admittedly, a dense show. One that viewers really must sit with, and parse through to understand the full scope of its story. This however seems to be the primary focus many fans align themselves under. The mystery of it all is certainly what pulled me in initially, however as things begin to develop plot wise, the incredible writing and character development kept me coming back for more, long after the lid had been blown open on the truth of what Winden was hiding
The fandom surrounding DARK was one that formed pretty fiercely, early on. As with many shows that fit a particular niche, it did not truly take off publicly until a little after its first season which released in early December of 2017. For many casual viewers, the fact that the show was filmed in German, and the respective Dubs were (and still are) not very good, acted as a bit of a barrier. Those that were able to stick with the show however, found that, even by the end of season 1, more questions had arisen than answers had been given. This spurred further interest and contributed, I believe, to the success of later seasons.
Entire websites have been dedicated to explaining the timeline of DARK, and yet still questions pertaining to all aspects of the story are being asked almost a year after the show has ended on platforms such as the r/DARK subreddit.
The Fandom (which has no official name for its members) is a very welcoming one, answering queries and quandaries related to the show and the complex structure that it has created over the course of three sizable seasons. There is a noticeable division, which is not negative in any way, between fans who are watching the show for the first time, and fans who have watched the show and may be re-watching. The most vocal group, in the sphere of analyzing and breaking down the show’s complex themes and plotlines, is the latter of these two.
Those within the former group almost always ask questions of simple clarification on character relationships and when in the timeline (that they are aware of) things are occurring. Though occasionally, it is nice to see someone on their first watch through guesses an events or connections correctly without knowing they have done so.
there does not seem to be scholarly work related to the actual show itself, however the theories of time and respective travel through it has been covered by countless individuals such as the late Professor Stephen Hawking in his book "A Brief History of Time".
Cosplay within the fandom is present, but does not appear to be a primary focus of its fans, as such it is nearly impossible to find outside of diving years back into the subreddit. However visiting locations where the show was filmed (or their respective real life counterparts) seems to be an activity that many find enjoyment in. many memes have arisen within the community as well, only a few of which do not contain spoilers, such as the two below.
There is an active community on Pinterest that mainly focus on creating fan edits containing collages of characters, fan art, and gif collections, though beyond this there is not much. The same can be said for Twitter, which in the time since the show’s final episode and now, has grown dormant in comparison to the energy and chaos it once carried during the days when new seasons were first airing. And by this of course, I mean when Netflix releases whole seasons at once, as they are known to do.
A fan art collage of the many characters in DARK
Music plays a crucial role in determining a show's overall impact and success, I believe, and it is here that DARK truly shines. The soundtrack for all three seasons was composed by artist Ben Frost and is broken down into albums called "cycles". This cohesion of sound, unique to Frost, can be felt throughout each moment of the show. Certain musical motifs relate to and or signify certain things, thus aiding the audience in making connections they may not have otherwise. This technique of blending story and sound, linking the two so that they are incomplete without one another is a method used to memorable effect by some of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time. Such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and many others.
For a show so heavily tangled in the strings of time, it is a wonder that such a compelling story could be conveyed in a way so easily and emotionally relatable to individuals from varied walks of life. All the while promoting independent research into complex themes, and motifs seldom seen in modern television. this idea of unity through shared interests is perhaps best summed up by a saying with multi layered meaning spoken often within the context of the show.
"Everything is connected."
"The beginning is the end."
"The end is the beginning"
"The Dark Timeline You Desperately Need for This Complicated Netflix Show." TVGuide.com. Web. 29 Mar. 2021.
"R/DarK." Reddit. Web. 29 Mar. 2021.
Ben Frost - D A R K (cycle 1). 28 June 2019. Web. 29 Mar. 2021.
"Twitter." Twitter. Web. 29 Mar. 2021.
Comments
Post a Comment