Archive 81
Archive 81
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Archive 81 is a supernatural horror series about a building that mysteriously burned down in 1994. The series derives suspense from strange activity and the threat of violence, rather than showing a lot of violence and gore on screen. The series works more like a puzzle box mystery, prompting viewers to try to guess the connections between characters and events. That said, people appear to have been abducted off-screen, and deaths by fire are discussed. The diverse group of characters shows bravery, curiosity, compassion, and reasoning, and there are messages about caring for others and healing from trauma. Expect regular use of strong language ("f--k," "s--t," "ass," etc.) plus drinking and cigarette smoking.
Community Reviews
Not for little kids
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What's the Story?
Archive 81 begins with Dan (Mahoumou Athie), an archivist and film restorer who gets hired to restore some old videotapes in an isolated building in the Catskills. The videos are shot by Melody (Dina Shihabi), a Ph.D. candidate investigating an old high rise in New York, the Visser Building, just before it burned down in 1994. As Dan starts to unfurl the mysteries of Melody and the Visser building for himself, he discovers he may have some personal connections with them himself.
Is It Any Good?
Though it's billed as horror, this found footage mystery series works more like a puzzle box, where viewers are invited to guess the connections between characters and mysterious events. Archive 81's thrills are more unsettling than scary. Though there are some clear limitations built into the production, like its minimal effort to distinguish between the two time periods the action takes place in, the mystery itself is intriguing. But, like other puzzle box shows, from Lost to Westworld, the pressure to have a unique twist makes the answers mostly convoluted and unsatisfying.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of "found footage" horror. What is interesting or scary about Dan restoring the videotapes from 1994? What does the found footage allow the story to do that it wouldn't be able to otherwise? What are some other examples of this mini-genre of horror? What aspects of it work or don't work?
What do you think is going on with the Visser building? What other mysteries does Archive 81 establish? How do you think it all might tie together?
How does the series set up expectations? How does it build suspense or thrills? Does it end up surprising you or do you get ahead of it? How does the series use your expectations to surprise you?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 14, 2022
- Cast: Mamoudou Athie, Dina Shihabi, Matt McGorry
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Science Fiction
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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