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Under a Dark Sun Season 1 Review – A twisty French thriller that can't outrun its flaws

Season 1 Episode Guide Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3/5 Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3/5 Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3/5 Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3/5 Episode 6 -| Review Score – 3/5 Under a Dark Sun is a fast-moving thriller that hooks you early but struggles to stick the landing. Despite an intriguing mystery and some tense moments, the story gets bogged down by contrivances and dated tropes that hold it back from greatness. As far as murder mysteries go though, Under a Dark Sun has a decent premise but it's also quite rough around the edges, in desperate need of some rewrites to sharpen how long-lasting its compelling central mystery cuts. The setting is certainly intriguing though and takes place in the idyllic flower fields of Provence. Alba Mazier is our protagonist, a young single mother with a criminal record. When she takes a job on a rural farm run by the wealthy Lasserre family, trouble ensues. When the patriarch, Arnaud Lasserre, is found murdered, Alba becomes the prime suspect. To make matters worse, it's then revealed that Arnaud secretly changed his will to include her. But why? As the investigation unfolds, shocking truths come to light as it becomes clear that the Lasserre family are anything but saints themselves. With this familial feud boiling over and a whodunit veil hanging over everything, the main bulk of the show centers on Alba investigating a series of clues while we learn more about the main Lasserre family members. The wild matriarch, Beatrice, has her own fair share of problems and she becomes entangled with her lawyer, Jacques. There's also the seemingly timid Lucie, the black cat of the family who wants out, while son Mathieu is next in line to inherit the estate but he's not exactly a capable leader. He clashes with one of the workers, Valentin, whose motives are also unclear until late in the game. On top of all this, there's also a strange assailant that seems to be stalking Alba, dramatic sequences that involve a character buried alive, car chases, escapes from police and stealthy hacking work, to name but a few. All the hallmarks of this genre are stuffed into these 6 episodes, and this French drama certainly can't be faulted for throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the wall. When the show clicks, it really clicks and there are some genuinely thrilling moments and great twist thrown in. For every hit, there's a miss. The show's enthusiasm for twists eventually becomes its downfall, introducing increasingly implausible turns that stretch believability and lead to frustrating plot holes. At one point, a character is rescued by someone who appears out of nowhere, offers a vague explanation and moves said player from point A to point B, and is never mentioned again. Who are they? What do they want? It's a jarring deus ex machina that underscores the show's tendency to bend logic for drama. The police, for example, are only as competent as the writers make them. At one point, they search the same house several times across 3 episodes, and each time they miss key pieces of evidence until the script tells them to look again when they miraculously find what they're looking for. These sort of moments, intermingled with the classic misunderstandings and 'withholding key information' tropes make this feel quite a dated mystery, even with its quirks. Where its writing falters though, the characters in Under a Dark Sun do make up for that somewhat. Alba is a decent protagonist and easy to root for, complete with a dark past that's slowly unveiled over time. Similarly, the Lasserre family members are interesting and their dynamics have enough spice to make for some heated exchanges and fiery encounters. Each episode zips along at a decent pace too so you never really dwell on one plot point for too long. The acting is solid across the board, which certainly helps, and the musical score is excellent. As far as technical aspects go, this one has a lot going for it. However, the amount of mileage you get out of Under a Dark Sun will rest solely on how much forgiveness you can give to its plot. There are undeniable contrivances and annoying plot holes ere that are hard to shake off, even when the characters try to hide those shortcomings or another twist is thrown into the fold. Despite its messy execution, Under a Dark Sun is an easy binge with strong performances, a compelling lead, and just enough intrigue to carry you through. If you can overlook its plot holes, there's fun to be had—just don't expect a flawless mystery here.