Do you feel like the films on Netflix these days take too long to set the stage? Like, I'm all for building suspense and tension, even throughout the pilot episode. But not if the hook lies just as far. No, thank you.
In just a few minutes of booting up whatever movie or series, I want to know, "Do I like you? Are we going to be friends? Lovers, maybe?" If you're looking to fall in love with a new series on Netflix, look no further than The Stranger.
Have I Been Living a Lie?
Imagine taking your child to sports day. Playing with the 10-year-old football team even. You know, showing other dads or moms out there how much they're slacking in that department. Then, as you head toward the bar or cafeteria, whatever tickles your fancy, a stranger walks up to you and tells you that you've been living a lie.
That, hey, (without giving too many spoilers), your wife or husband isn't who they say they are. That, did you have your kids tested for their DNA? Are they even yours? A silly question for men, of course.
You probably have a 10-year-old son or daughter and a teenage one you've been raising for nearly two decades, and here comes Mrs. Know It All, saying you've got it all wrong. You've been lied to.
No one likes to be lied to, no? Even when you know fully well that people lie, including your spouse. You just choose to trust them. What's the phrase? Whatever you don't know can't hurt you?
Get This Schmooney
You're a teenager runaway. It's just hit you really hard that life isn't as pleasurable as you thought. It's not all rainbows and roses. In fact, you'll have to pay for every little thing you want, even going to the washroom in the city center, because no service is free. You need money. You need money fast.
But you're good with computers. A savvy hacker at that. So, one night alone in your bedroom, you discover a dirty little secret. Should you reveal it to the world? Be an annoying little shit that can't keep your mouth shut. Or extort the keeper of the secret? How much should you even charge? Cheap for little ones? Expensive as shit for the dirty, dirty secrets?
It can be dangerous. Going out there to shatter someone's world. You need protection. Thankfully, you have your girlfriend for that. The Stranger's choice of protection who carries mace with her, always.
You can also pretend you don't know anything. Keep it to yourself, but that's boring.
Secrets Always Come Out
So, The Stranger, a pretty face you'll remember to your grave, goes out there with her girlfriend, telling the world what's hidden in their closet by their partners, their parents, and their close friends. There's so much people don't seem to know here. Heck, the real world is full of secrets too. They make really good money because when you push the right button, people always pay up for normalcy's sake.
But not every case is the same. Some choose to cover up their lies. By ultimately, choosing to kill. Others go on a mission to find out the truth for themselves. The soccer dad from the first episode is that kind of guy. He doesn't stop until he discovers what's true and what's not. Well, except for the DNA testing part. He couldn't bring himself to know for sure whether his kids were really his.
Nothing is as it Seems
I'll stop here because the rest of the series needs you to break it apart on your own. But before I leave, you'll want to know that nothing is as it seems in The Stranger. That's another thing I love about this series. You may think you've cracked a case. But a more convoluted mystery lies ahead, pouncing on your popcorn-littered couch when you least expect it.
The Stranger herself has a dirty little secret of her own! I wonder if she extorts you, why not find out her own secrets and use them against her? How do you even uncover dirty secrets out there? Watch it, will you? And let me know how it goes.
You can always check out our "The Good Society, from The 100’s Point of View" article, and always let us know of any questions or concerns!