Hello! Here we are again with another review. The name of this Netflix original is The OA. It is pronounced like an acronym not as a word. I saw a short trailer for this show and that was it. From that moment on I was sold. A blind girl disappears for seven years and shows back up with sight. Who doesn’t like a good mystery eh? So over the weekend, I watched all 8 episodes. It was the most original concept I’d ever seen.

The narrator and main protagonist, Prairie (played by Brit Marling) really pulls you into the story. I believed everything she said and thought she was a likable character. Brit Marling is also the co-creator of the show, which is probably why she was able to embody Prairie so well. All of the actors in this show are new to me except for a few. Therefore, I had no bias or expectations based on their preexisting bodies of work. The cinematography is stunning and the special effects shots will have your jaw dropping.

This is a refreshing show shrouded in suspense. The whole time I was watching it I was trying to predict what would happen. I failed miserably and that’s a good thing. At first you think it is a regular down to Earth show, but then the narrative slowly starts revealing these supernatural elements. It is done in a subtle way that doesn’t take the viewer out of the real world. Death and the afterlife are huge themes present throughout the series. It makes you question the secrets of the universe.

All of the characters are real people. Human beings you hear about or possibly know. There’s some solid dramatic performances as well. Relationships and bonds are the meat and gravy of this story. Interesting enough I saw parallels to The Breakfast Club (1985), one of my all-time favorite films. The OA is a roller coaster ride that will have you asking questions from beginning to end. Some of which are never answered. That is one of the biggest problems I had with the show. It lets you get so close to finding everything out then pulls the rug from under you. I have no doubt it was done to set up a second season. I take offense to writers who do that. With that said The OA gets an 8/10.