The 6 Biggest Problems with Dark Season One

NOTE: Obviously, spoilers lurk ahead. If you keep reading and you haven’t watched the show, you’re kind of stupid. 

If you haven’t watched Dark on Netflix yet, you’re missing out. It’s like the grown-up version of Stranger Things, but with ten times the intrigue and mystery. Sure, you’ll often lose track of who is who and what is going on, but in the end, it’s all worth it. Everything from the cinematography to the acting to the soundtrack is just masterful.

That being said, there were a few parts of season one that struck a nerve with me. Here are the six biggest problems I found with Dark season one.

Seriously, this is your last warning. If you haven’t watched the show, don’t read any further unless you never plan on watching it or don’t care about plot twists.

Young Jonas Looks Totally Different Than Old Jonas

Another thing that the producers of Dark did wonderfully was cast believable versions of the characters at different ages. Sure, they don’t look exactly like the same person, but they bear enough of a similarity that it isn’t glaringly obvious. Except for Jonas.

The big reveal towards the end of the season is that the mysterious guy lurking around town is actually old Jonas. That would make sense, except he looks completely different.

Old Jonas has brown hair and brown eyes. Young Jonas has blonde hair and blue eyes. It boggles my mind that the producers would make such a glaring error here when they’ve achieved perfection everywhere else. Perhaps it’s all another twist to come later? I guess we’ll see.

No One Recognizes Older/Younger Versions of People

I get it – people’s memories aren’t great, especially when it comes to a one-time encounter with someone you don’t know. But how are this many people traveling back and forth in time and no one recognizing them?

This is especially weird when the people going back in time meet their parents, like Mikkel. Why don’t his mom and dad ever even have a sense of deja vu when it comes to their future son?

Or when Helga goes back in time to warn his younger self. Doesn’t he remember having that encounter in the future? Doesn’t he recognize himself? What about the car crash? If so, he must have known that it didn’t work.

And of course, circling back to Jonas… can he not recognize himself just 30 years older? Considering his eyes and hair changed color, this is actually pretty legit.

Where Did That Fancy Door Come From?

Ok, it’s pretty cool that the time travel portal is deep inside a cave. But just one question – who actually took the time to install that fancy Latin-inscribed gate?

That’s some serious handiwork. Did someone have it custom-made to fit the space? Who installed it? Why is it even there in the first place? And what does Latin have to do with a small German town? Honestly, it was one of the cheesier elements of Dark season one.

How Is Mikkel Sent Back in Time?

So, in the rest of the season, it seems like the only way to go back in time is to go through the door in the cave or use the time machine to open a portal.

However, Mikkel seems to be sent back in time when just randomly running in the woods. There’s no portal and no cave door. How does it work?

This might just be one of those things that happen simply because it needs to happen for the future to make sense. Who knows?

Only Teenage Boys Go Missing

Not to pull the sexism card, but why are only teenage boys going missing every 33 years? Does time travel have something against women?

Even black holes are vying for the patriarchy. Or, just maybe, they’re ridding the world of men one at a time so women can finally dominate.

But all sexism joking aside – I’m not understanding the importance of only boys going missing. It wasn’t made so clear in Dark season one. Maybe this is something season two will address.

No One Has Used Time Travel to Get Rich

Ok, maybe this is more of me being silly. But… everyone who goes back in time is so shocked and somber and confused that they fail to use their knowledge of the future to make a few bucks.

You’re telling me that neither Mikkel or Jonas or Ulrich or anyone else who goes back in time never thought to invest in stock or play winning lottery numbers? Amateurs.

I spent a few minutes brainstorming, and these were the biggest faults I could find with Dark season one. Otherwise, it’s really worth a watch. Did you notice any issues I missed?