BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS. A Dark, Gritty Portrait of Warsaw

The series by Krzysztof Skonieczny (creator of Hardkor Disko), based on Jakub Żulczyk’s novel, presents a vision of Warsaw previously known only from the book—a city afflicted by an incurable disease, full of rot and decay, collapsing under its own weight. Beneath its foundations run sewage pipes filled with toxins and bile, functioning like veins and arteries of the metropolis. This is how Warsaw appears through the windshield of Kuba’s black car, the story’s protagonist. And though, like Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver, he longs to purge the city, to rid it of vermin, to bring down a rain of black tar—he knows that he himself fuels its corruption.

Kuba is an unshaken, emotionless cocaine dealer who begins his night shift when the city’s surface freezes and falls into lethargy while the urban catacombs—nightclubs—come to life. To him, cocaine is a crucial asset, something real and tangible. He takes his work extremely seriously, as it earns him the wealth necessary for his ultimate escape. Sitting in the back seat of his black BMW, the viewer embarks on a nocturnal odyssey through the city, accompanying Kuba in his daily business. Together, they visit neon-lit dance floors of overcrowded clubs, the lavish apartments of celebrities overlooking Warsaw, and the homes of wealthy yet lonely wives, weary of their nouveau riche existence.

However, Blinded by the Lights is, above all, a heavy, intense crime drama packed with extreme violence—sometimes exaggerated, sometimes so brutal it becomes difficult to stomach. Though Kuba initially seems to maintain control over his discreet life, at some point, he loses his grip, plunging into the whirlwind of dirty gang rivalries. Meanwhile, the city appears to be tightening a noose around his neck, watching with perverse pleasure as he loses his footing.

Jakub Żulczyk, the author of the source novel, played an active role in the creation of the script, which is evident in every episode. The series is not a loose interpretation but a faithful adaptation of the book, with only minor deviations typical of any screen adaptation. This fidelity is emphasized through a recurring visual motif—the novel itself appears in several scenes, including on top of a book stack in the room of Pazina, one of the main supporting characters.

The creators have masterfully translated the novel’s dark and alluring portrait of a fallen capital onto the screen. With each episode, the viewer delves deeper into the unsettling atmosphere of the show, which intensely stimulates the senses. While the story in both the book and the series is far from light or pleasant, the showrunners inject humor and levity into the narrative, primarily through its ambiguous stylistic approach. The director skillfully juggles genres, playing with eclecticism, including elements of kitsch, making the series visually inconsistent yet strangely captivating.

As the audience frequently glimpses into Kuba’s fractured psyche, the journey through nocturnal Warsaw occasionally takes on a dreamlike quality, achieved through daring illusions, lighting, and color manipulation, as well as enigmatic, stylized sequences. Though each episode follows a different rhythm, the series maintains a tight, dynamic pace, perfectly complemented by an expertly curated soundtrack. The show features Polish cult classics from Maanam and Siekiera, alongside modern hits from PRO8L3M, further amplifying the atmosphere. Noteworthy is the hauntingly reimagined opening sequence featuring Scott Walker’s It’s Raining Today, which takes on an entirely new, eerie tone.

The greatest strength of Blinded by the Lights lies in its full-fledged, vivid characters. Right alongside Warsaw—the gasping metropolis itself as a central character—stands an ensemble of charismatic and unforgettable figures, brilliantly portrayed by some of Poland’s top actors.

The casting choices included some bold decisions. The lead role was given to a newcomer, Kamil Nożyński, in his first-ever on-screen appearance as Kuba—a risky and daring move, considering the actor had to perform not only multiple intimate scenes but also an aggressive sex scene alongside another first-time actress, Marzena Pokrzywińska, in the role of Paulina. Nożyński’s cold, intriguing, and cynical presence perfectly matches the character of the aloof drug dealer. However, his inexperience sometimes shows—his performance is stiff and detached, and his voice carries a certain artificiality and hesitation. Paradoxically, this works in the character’s favor, emphasizing his alienation and emotional distance. His mysterious, taciturn demeanor benefits the portrayal, as the literary counterpart’s constant self-indulgent monologues often detracted from the novel’s impact.

Still, compared to Poland’s elite actors, Nożyński’s performance remains moderate at best. Meanwhile, the supporting cast delivers outstanding, expressive performances, with Robert Więckiewicz and Jan Frycz leading the charge. Więckiewicz’s character, Jacek, is a volatile and impulsive gangster, whose outbursts and sharp tongue provide much of the show’s dark humor. But it is Frycz’s portrayal of Dario that steals the spotlight—his character emerges as the most enigmatic and chilling figure in the series. His cold, composed demeanor barely conceals a deep, simmering madness, making Dario an instant icon of villainy in Polish cinema.

It should come as no surprise that Blinded by the Lights is one of the most visually compelling and well-crafted Polish series in recent years. Polish series delivers a gripping and immersive tale of decline and corruption, seamlessly adapted to the screen, bolstered by outstanding performances, and enhanced by a strikingly unique visual style. With this series, Skonieczny and Żulczyk prove that Polish television can indeed reach the highest international standards.