ANTHRACITE, or Criminal Science Fiction. The internet, shameful secrets, killers, and their victims

It might seem like just another crime series about a maniacal killer, but the imagination of French creators went much further. “Anthracite” is, on one hand, a classically unfolding criminal thriller, and on the other, a modern story where technology mixes with legends and supernatural phenomena. All of this is sprinkled with a fight against a ruthless corporation conducting forbidden experiments. Where are the boundaries of science, beyond which stretches a dangerous world of human fantasies, or maybe very real facts, albeit from the esoteric realm? Netflix stumbled upon an interesting material – crime, consciousness experiments, and the mundane struggle for daily existence in a small mining town. This has created an intriguing atmosphere in the series, which cannot be replicated, and I’ll explain why.

But first, I must bow low to internet misogynists, who only managed to notice that the series is narrated by a female voice, not a male one. Using their above-average intelligence, they combined this discovery with their Netflix rating. Thus, in their minds was born the decision not to watch the series because it is narrated by a woman, all the fault of that awful platform with a red logo. As if that weren’t enough, this narrator reads the dialogue of two gay characters, although they are not the main characters of the series. And there you have their ready-made review. Do I need to write anything more?

Now, onto the unmistakable atmosphere. The main narrative line, involving the mysterious disappearances and murders of cult members, along with the intrigue unfolding in a small Alpine town, starts out multifaceted and then becomes progressively linear, leading us to the resolution of the case, sometimes twisting but not to the point of confusion for the viewer. It’s all quite classic. The characters search for the killer, a policewoman no one believes gets involved, along with cult members, until finally, another powerful player appears on the scene in a tent with dead sheep. Running parallel is the thread of a cult leader, confined to a psychiatric facility, around whom supernatural events occur. All this would be fairly standard if not for the add-ons. The main character, Ida (Noémie Schmidt), is quite the oddball, a socially awkward girl in the final stages of leukemia, fascinated by internet investigations. This is an activity she’s taken up to compensate for her isolation from society, brought on by her illness. Under mysterious circumstances, her father disappears. Ida follows in his footsteps, encountering along the way characters as peculiar as herself – an aspiring ophthalmologist hiding from drug dealers he betrayed in Paris and the brother of a policewoman involved in the investigation, nicknamed Romeo, who has a crush on a doctor from the local hospital. In the background, there are scientists, miners, and figures in goat skull masks, all to intensify the cult-like scientific atmosphere.

The editing is at times slow, at times quick. Scenes are filled with additional information, such as visualizations of the main character’s reactions, her internet searches, and supplementary explanations of the narrative, which is a really interesting technique that reflects the contemporary way young people think. And it doesn’t matter that older folks may pretend it’s outdated or foolish. In Ida’s presentation, nothing could be further from the truth. Ida is a genius, an introvert, maybe even a product of modern technology, which renders physical contact with another human unnecessary, yet she’s exceptionally capable, fighting for her fate and her father like the bravest soldier in a life-threatening battle. The bravest would envy her fortitude, and the average, her intelligence. All of this is complemented by a rich musical layer, featuring past hits from the 90s like Haddaway’s “What is Love,” alongside a classical, wide, orchestral tone. Add to this some captivating visuals, and you get an incredibly dynamic action, dramatized when needed and balanced with humor to prevent the series from becoming a dark, exploitative thriller dripping with brutality. Originally conceived as a crime drama with an extensive adventure layer, it’s set in the contemporary realities of a world where civilization has so dominated our social interactions that even the internet has become a real, alternative world with its legends, ghosts, murderers, and victims.

This analytical, reflective approach is the series’ greatest asset. It skillfully presents how information thrives online and how the need to obtain it has become essential for nearly everyone. I deliberately wrote “need” because often, the content of the sought information becomes secondary; the focus is solely on obtaining it. Hence, online headlines thrive, designed solely for clicks, as the actual information is nearly impossible to find within their content. It’s a bitter reflection, but there’s also a positive side. While technology may be causing us to lose the ability to connect with others in the real world, we still have people in the virtual realm, and they are still indispensable to us. Either way, we are social beings, and no progress will change that. We satisfy our need for companionship in various ways – either by holding someone’s real hand or sending emojis via Messenger.

“Anthracite” is not just a show about miners, ghosts, cults, dishonest businessmen, and the eternal struggle of good versus evil. It’s a production about the literal and metaphorical search for loved ones – a father, daughter, friends, and ultimately a chance to cleanse ourselves of past mistakes before the end, accepting that everything we experience is fleeting – even this internet. Although, as the series’ main character proved, the longer the internet reigns, the more certain we can be that information about us will endure for years, which may not be good for our privacy, but in critical moments, it helps uncover true murderers. Or maybe even our life’s purpose? I hope I’ve persuaded you to watch “Anthracite,” the Netflix series narrated by a female voice, which I emphasize, especially for those who can’t find in their remote control’s settings menu where to switch the audio track to the original version with subtitles. You don’t need to turn off the series. Just change the settings.