Hard-to-understand shows are less common nowadays since they need a certain degree of patience and observation to follow their complex plots. Perhaps the pioneer in this “category” is Stanley Kubrick, who left everyone baffled in 1968 when he showed the world the grandeur of 2001: A space odyssey.
Only some people were prepared to follow the story of the mysterious Monolith. Not only did 2001 cause this feeling of awe, but many other tv shows that came after gave us that uncomfortable feeling. This list will explore some of the best mind-bending shows on Netflix.
Altered Carbon
The series takes place 500 years in the future, in a world where human consciousness can be archived and later transferred to another body, making it “disposable.” Takeshi Kovacs is an ex-soldier who is brought back to life to solve the murder of the very man who hired him, millionaire Laurens Bancroft.
Black Mirror
Created by Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror is a series that, from dark and often satirical themes, examines contemporary society. Each episode features a different cast, set, and story. In all of them, the plot traces an anthology that shows the dark side of life linked to technology.
The Sinner
Although some will not consider this one science fiction, I had to include it on the list due to its suspenseful and dark atmosphere. This crime thriller is sure to have your eyes glued to the screen. The series follows a detective trying to find out what led a young mother (Jessica Biel) to stab someone to death for no apparent reason. The – disturbing – explanation for this crime lies behind the missing memories of the murderer herself.
Dark
This one is the definition of a mind-bending plot. Netflix’s first original German series chronicles the events of a small town in the countryside and follows the disappearance of a child in 2019. Four families start a desperate search to find him but discover a complex mystery that connects the case to another child’s disappearance – in 1986. This supernatural trajectory mixes drama, suspense, and science fiction.
Glitch
An Australian television series that follows the story of a small-town police officer, James Hayes, who discovers that several local residents have risen from the dead. As he investigates the bizarre phenomenon, he discovers that the “resurrected” individuals are not only alive but also have no memory of their past lives.
Sense8
A Netflix series that follows the story of eight strangers from different parts of the world who suddenly become mentally and emotionally linked. They can sense, see, hear, and talk to each other as if they were in the same place, regardless of their physical location. As they learn to control and use their new abilities, they must confront the mysterious organization that seeks to hunt them down and the individuals who want to use their powers for their own gain.
Lost
The 6-season series shows the lives of survivors of an air crash on a mysterious deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Because of this disaster, people of all stripes must struggle to adapt to their new home and face the island’s mysterious forces. A classic is a classic, right?
Russian doll
A Netflix series that follows the story of Nadia, a woman stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day repeatedly. As she tries to figure out how to break the loop, she meets Alan, a man who is also stuck in the same time loop. Together, they try to unravel the mystery of why they are trapped and how to escape.
The OA
Prairie Johnson is a little blind girl who disappears. Seven years later, she returns with perfect eyesight. The young woman (Brit Marling) tries to explain to her parents what happened during her absence. To everyone’s surprise, she says she was never gone but was on another plane of existence… In an unseen place.
Orphan Black
After witnessing the suicide of a woman (who looks exactly like her) at a train station, Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) does what anyone would do: assumes the identity of the suicide to try to solve her own financial problems. But soon, she discovers that she is at the center of a mystery that will change her life when she finds herself face-to-face with three more women who look exactly like her. All are clones and must save their own skins while trying to determine who is responsible for the genetic experiments.