This episode is one that solidifies many of the themes of the show, such as casual determinism, free will or the lack thereof, wormholes, duality being incorrect, the triquetta, and probably more. Though the symbol of the triquetta was shown much earlier (episode 2 or 3 iirc), this is the first time we learn about it. It's also an important set-up for events that are yet to happen, and it's a very cool experience to view this again after watching all 3 seasons, and knowing why certain characters are doing certain things. There's a couple scenes that wouldn't even have meaning the first time you watch this. Oh yeah and there's the dark scene that was quite shocking and demonstrates that Dark doesn't hold back, while also perfectly feeding into many of its themes. I also have to mention the music montage scene is great in this episode just as every episode. Slow character-focused scenes without any dialogue and with perfect accompanying music is powerful and masterful storytelling and is one of the main reasons I regard the show so highly. This is a great episode of Dark that has a little something for everyone.
12 Reviews
Mesmerizing. Best episode till now.
junejoabdulsalam29 April 2019
Very good
Martyperry542 January 2021
Intense, complicated and atmospheric
TheDonaldofDoom1 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Dark just continues to get better. What started off as an interesting take on time travel has morphed into a tense, unpredictable ride.
The big moment the episode builds up to is set up perfectly. The episode begins with Helge in 1953, although we don't necessarily know who he is at this point. We know he's important though, as the episode centres around him. At the same time, we see Ulrich make his way to the past and meet some of his relatives. All this build-up is intercut with the Stranger and Taunhaus discussing the nature of time. Their discussion mostly serves to establish some of the central themes of Dark: time loops, and determinism vs free will. The actual scientific accuracy of 'chicken and egg' reference is obviously not important, rather it is used to explain the concept of time loops. And that theme is highly relevant to the main event of the episode. All this creates a sense of foreboding as we know something big is going to happen.
Sure enough, it does. Ulrich's murder of young Helge is stunning in the way that it does the thing time travel films seldom dare to do: it dives headfirst into the grandfather paradox. If Ulrich kills Helge, then he will never be alive in 2019 in order for Ulrich to suspect him and kill him. What makes this moment so shocking is not just that it is the brutal murder of a child; it is that this is uncharted territory with seemingly no possible solution. How will the writers get out of this one?
9.5/10
The big moment the episode builds up to is set up perfectly. The episode begins with Helge in 1953, although we don't necessarily know who he is at this point. We know he's important though, as the episode centres around him. At the same time, we see Ulrich make his way to the past and meet some of his relatives. All this build-up is intercut with the Stranger and Taunhaus discussing the nature of time. Their discussion mostly serves to establish some of the central themes of Dark: time loops, and determinism vs free will. The actual scientific accuracy of 'chicken and egg' reference is obviously not important, rather it is used to explain the concept of time loops. And that theme is highly relevant to the main event of the episode. All this creates a sense of foreboding as we know something big is going to happen.
Sure enough, it does. Ulrich's murder of young Helge is stunning in the way that it does the thing time travel films seldom dare to do: it dives headfirst into the grandfather paradox. If Ulrich kills Helge, then he will never be alive in 2019 in order for Ulrich to suspect him and kill him. What makes this moment so shocking is not just that it is the brutal murder of a child; it is that this is uncharted territory with seemingly no possible solution. How will the writers get out of this one?
9.5/10
Dark gets dark!
and_mikkelsen4 June 2023
That one scene was quite dark and brutal even for this show or any show! If you have watched the episode, you know what I am talking about!
This episode was overall phenomenal and added a much deeper understanding of the premise! There is a lot of scientific information that helps understand why some of the events are happening and how!
Once again we are reminded that everything is connected and with that information we can only imagine the consequences of some of the actions!
The intensity of the episodes also never stops as you are sometimes left breathless!
Also incredible and convincing 1953 setting!
This episode was overall phenomenal and added a much deeper understanding of the premise! There is a lot of scientific information that helps understand why some of the events are happening and how!
Once again we are reminded that everything is connected and with that information we can only imagine the consequences of some of the actions!
The intensity of the episodes also never stops as you are sometimes left breathless!
Also incredible and convincing 1953 setting!
Great streak
Leofwine_draca25 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Another great episode in an unbroken run. It's fantastic to see Ulrich sent to a 'new' time period and trying to figure things out. A dark and shocking twist I didn't see coming, and more exposition which is much-needed rather than extraneous.
Getting better
TheFirst0125 June 2020
Nothing gripped me and sucked me in like Dark
Neptune1656 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The words Ulrich spoke to young Helge this episode are the exact words old Helge spoke to Ulrich when he was questioning old Helge in the care home. Was it any wonder old Helge was so upset there? He was being manhandled by the same man who bashed his head in 66 years ago. A memory that surely must stand out in the haze of his dementia. Old Helge in the care home nearly got a heart attack when he woke up to Ulrich leaning in on him, and if you watch that moment again he pretty much says "I know who you are." at that moment while his heart starts to race in panic. Dementia or not, he would remember being a kid and almost beaten to death by that face. Dates on the wall in episode 7th most likely is like a log of time travels/body dumps. Similarly to the book that Peter and Tronte (Ulrich's father) had in the bunker, when Jonas traveled to or from 1986 and when lights start to flicker. I really like how in this (8th) episode Ulrich sees Helge being bullied by other kids, and Ulrich suggests Helge to bite them. And at the end of the episode, when Ulrich grabs Helge, he bites him. I also like how Ulrich follows old Helge in episode 7th to the caves, and in episode 8th he tries to murder young Helge. In other words, old Helge accidentally lead Ulrich to find young Helge and make him the way he has become. In episode 2 or 3 you can see Helge drag Erik's body through the forest. At the time we were led believe that this was in 2019 or 1986 but it was in 1953. Both episodes depict November 5th. In episode 7 you can see Helge drag Yasin's body from the bunker while Noah cleans the floor. That is November 9th. And when you say accidentally you probably meant inevitably...
Past and present
AvionPrince168 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Events of this episode:
In 1953, birds begin to die, and the unidentified bodies of Erik and Yasin are discovered. Police chief Daniel Kahnwald (Ines' father) and officer Egon Tiedemann are puzzled by the boys' odd outfits. Ulrich arrives from 2019 and meets several locals, including newcomer Agnes Nielsen and her son Tronte, who are about to rent a room in the Tiedemann house, and a watchmaker named H. G. Tannhaus, who disclaims knowledge of the book found in Helge's 2019 home. Through the young Ines and Jana, Ulrich learns of the two bodies, and when introduced to the 9-year-old Helge, he believes killing him will save the lives of the boys. He bludgeons Helge and leaves him for dead in the bunker. Later, Tannhaus finds Ulrich's smartphone.
In 1986, the Stranger meets with an elderly Tannhaus, who shares his theory of time travel through wormholes. The Stranger confirms his theories and states that such a wormhole, allowing people to travel 33 years into the past or future, exists in Winden. He asks Tannhaus to fix a broken brass device of his, so he can destroy the wormhole. Tannhaus later brings out the original version of the device, studying them side by side.
Review of episode:
Some interesting questions about time andj, we still wondering some stuff and mysteries keep growing in the past and in the present. The tv show can confused us sometimes because they have a lot links that we need to do between past and present and we can feel lost sometimes. But the searching about the missivg kids keep the TV show to be interesting and quiet intriguing to follow. The consequences of the present characters and their changes they made: we wondering what consequences will come with new causes.
In 1953, birds begin to die, and the unidentified bodies of Erik and Yasin are discovered. Police chief Daniel Kahnwald (Ines' father) and officer Egon Tiedemann are puzzled by the boys' odd outfits. Ulrich arrives from 2019 and meets several locals, including newcomer Agnes Nielsen and her son Tronte, who are about to rent a room in the Tiedemann house, and a watchmaker named H. G. Tannhaus, who disclaims knowledge of the book found in Helge's 2019 home. Through the young Ines and Jana, Ulrich learns of the two bodies, and when introduced to the 9-year-old Helge, he believes killing him will save the lives of the boys. He bludgeons Helge and leaves him for dead in the bunker. Later, Tannhaus finds Ulrich's smartphone.
In 1986, the Stranger meets with an elderly Tannhaus, who shares his theory of time travel through wormholes. The Stranger confirms his theories and states that such a wormhole, allowing people to travel 33 years into the past or future, exists in Winden. He asks Tannhaus to fix a broken brass device of his, so he can destroy the wormhole. Tannhaus later brings out the original version of the device, studying them side by side.
Review of episode:
Some interesting questions about time andj, we still wondering some stuff and mysteries keep growing in the past and in the present. The tv show can confused us sometimes because they have a lot links that we need to do between past and present and we can feel lost sometimes. But the searching about the missivg kids keep the TV show to be interesting and quiet intriguing to follow. The consequences of the present characters and their changes they made: we wondering what consequences will come with new causes.
Very good one but
nicofreezer18 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
How Can the kid survive 10 shot to the head with a rock, any adult would be dead After the second hit. I Hope they will come out with an explanation.
But the episode was maybe the best from Season 1 , to see the third time Line was awesome.
But the episode was maybe the best from Season 1 , to see the third time Line was awesome.
Meet the Future Team
Hitchcoc29 November 2023
Ulrich goes back in time to 1953 and is immersed in his own prebirth history, including meeting his father. Other significant events involve the finding of two young boys at a construction site and the presentation of nuclear energy to a skeptical public. We think Ulrich brutally murders Helge, but... The whole time thing gets rather academic when the stranger meets the creator of the time machine. He is looking for a way to disable the thing and eliminate a wormhole which can only bring destruction. We meet the Nazi-like guy who is proposing the power plant, a humorless, ugly man who doesn't bat an eye when the two boys are found.
Very good for an exposition episode
snoozejonc21 April 2024
Ulrich time travels to 1953 and the stranger has a revealing conversation.
The plot covers a lot of ground as usual. The setting and characters of 1953 are introduced very well. We are shown plenty of interesting moments of characters portrayed younger and some we have not seen before. Some aspects are very interesting and prompt more questions. As to be expected the period detail is excellent.
Ulrich continues his search for the guilty party, which includes several quite compelling and ironic interactions with various characters that you feel might have implications on events already portrayed in later times periods. One scene is particularly disturbing and pushes his character arc to a very dark place.
There is a big scene of exposition that is done as well as possible for this type of detail. I like that the filmmakers break it up into segments and include more than just two people talking. Some dialogue sensibly includes cutaway shots for it to become narration. Plus when we see the characters talking the visuals are very atmospheric.
The plot covers a lot of ground as usual. The setting and characters of 1953 are introduced very well. We are shown plenty of interesting moments of characters portrayed younger and some we have not seen before. Some aspects are very interesting and prompt more questions. As to be expected the period detail is excellent.
Ulrich continues his search for the guilty party, which includes several quite compelling and ironic interactions with various characters that you feel might have implications on events already portrayed in later times periods. One scene is particularly disturbing and pushes his character arc to a very dark place.
There is a big scene of exposition that is done as well as possible for this type of detail. I like that the filmmakers break it up into segments and include more than just two people talking. Some dialogue sensibly includes cutaway shots for it to become narration. Plus when we see the characters talking the visuals are very atmospheric.
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