This 100%-Rated Icelandic Sci-Fi Show Is Netflix's Biggest Hidden Gem With Dark Vibes

Eight years ago, German show Dark was released on Netflix – the story of a small town's inhabitants traveling through time and trying to fight destiny.

Since then, almost every new European project from Netflix with an intricate sci-fi plot and philosophical topics has been compared to it.

Katla Is the Icelandic Sister of Dark

But in reality, such analogies can only be drawn with Katla, which was released in 2021. And this is despite the fact that the Icelandic series deals with a completely different subject. The show is not about predestination, but about attempts to correct past mistakes.

But it is characterized by a melancholic atmosphere of a small European town, similar to Dark. And at the same time, there is an almost post-apocalyptic setting, which made Hideo Kojima compare the project to his game Death Stranding.

What Is Katla About?

Not far from the Icelandic town of Vik, the Katla volcano begins to erupt. Most of the inhabitants have been evacuated, only a few families and specialists are working in the area.

Suddenly a naked woman appears near the volcano, completely covered in ash. It turns out that she is acquainted with one of the inhabitants of Vik. Only they met 20 years ago, and the woman has not changed at all. After that, deceased and missing relatives of the townspeople start coming to the settlement.

Katla and Dark Have Similar Premises, but Explore Different Themes

The plot of the series really makes you compare it to Dark: the authors hint at games with time, and the reason for the anomalies is clear – a volcanic eruption. But very soon it becomes clear that Katla is about something completely different.

First of all, this series is much simpler. There are only about a dozen characters, and there is no puzzling non-linear structure that forced fans of Dark to create entire graphs and tables.

And second, the Icelandic project is more emotional than philosophical. Katla takes a more obvious idea: almost every person who has lost a loved one has at least once dreamed of getting them back.

And if Dark claimed that it is impossible to rewrite fate, the Icelandic series makes you think: is it even worth trying?

Katla Is an Exciting Mix of Genres in the Best Tradition of Nordic Projects

Although Katla is not just drama and reflection. There is a sci-fi component and mysticism. And the story of the volcanologist and his wife resembles a traditional horror. It is the combination of different styles and genres that makes for a slow but exciting plot.

Katla is a great introduction to Iceland's lesser-known cinema. The show has all the hallmarks of traditional Nordic stories: the colorful landscapes in all their splendor, the leisurely noir-style storytelling, and the atmosphere of isolation from the rest of the world.