The series is a genuine contender forNetflix’s best horror shows, alongsideThe Haunting of Hill House,The Fall of the House Of Usher, and other American releases. BecauseMarianneis a French production, however, the series hasn’t received the same level of exposure as these shows, despite also being dubbed in English and other languages.
It hasn’t helped that Netflix canceled it in January 2020, just four months after its initial release. In truth,Marianneworks just as well as a one-off miniseries, with its eight episodes making a perfectly self-contained horror story about demonic possession and deadly witchcraft. But news of its cancellation wouldn’t have encouragedpeople to watch this underrated horror show.
Marianne Is Currently One Of The Best Horror Shows Streaming On Netflix
Regardless of how many people have seen it, though,Marianneis still one of thebest horror series currently streaming on Netflix. The show is beautifully shot and superbly acted, with a visual aesthetic that effortlessly blends gothic horror with the realism of a modern-day thriller.
But the most impressive thing aboutMarianneis its masterful command of a plot filled with spine-tingling suspense and supernatural shocks. Few horror series can rival the terrifying tension elicited by the apparent presence of the show’s demonic title character in a scene, while its execution of jump-scares and petrifying plot twists is unmatched anywhere else on Netflix.
Mariannefollows the story of a horror writer who returns to the village where she grew up after she witnesses the suicide of her childhood friend. What she finds there is far more traumatic than she could possibly have imagined, although the stories in her horror novels go some way to prepare her for the reality she encounters.
The series unfolds this intricate tale of witches and demons with careful precision, maximizing the terror and dread it inflicts on an audience kept in the dark for as long as possible.Marianneis expertly paced and meticulously rendered on the small screen, making it one of the most effective episodic horror stories available to watch anywhere.
It Feels Like No One Is Watching Marianne, And That’s A Shame
In spite of its brilliance as a work of horror,Mariannedoesn’t seem to have attracted the viewership it deserves. The show has never really been promoted as a top recommendation by Netflix since its cancellation at the start of 2020, and appears to have been relegated to the recesses of the platform’s back catalog.
There’s no question that it’s aTV show more people should be watching, but it just isn’t a priority for streaming giants to promote a small French-language series from six years ago that was cancelled after its first season. Netflix has bigger fish to fry, both in the horror genre and elsewhere on its platform.
Nevertheless, it’s a crying shame that even most horror fans don’t seem to be aware thatMarianneexists. The series betters almost all releases in the genre on the big and small screen in the past decade, and is essential viewing for those in need of a good scare.
Why Marianne Is Underappreciated Despite Earning Its 100% RT Score
Even if the show doesn’t get the attention it merits on streaming,Marianneis still one of the most acclaimed horror series of all time, with a perfect 100% score on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. The critical reception it received back in 2019 ought to have attracted a wider viewership.
But the show has faded into obscurity since then, and rarely shows up on any critics’ lists these days.Mariannebeing a French release on Netflixmight have made it harder for the show to attract horror fans from around the world.
French series on the platform tend to be the preserve of native French speakers, while the horror genre is massively skewed towards American productions.Mariannewas dubbed in English and other languages with this concern in mind, yet this step to make the series more accessible to international audiences doesn’t appear to have made much difference to its viewing figures.
One person who knows a thing or two about what makes a good horror story is novelist Stephen King. A recommendation from the literary great should be a badge of honor for any horror show that receives it.King has recommendedMarianneto followers of hisXaccount, telling them it’s ideal for anyone who enjoys being scared.
Such high praise from a giant of the horror genre will hopefully lead to the show acquiring many thousands of new viewers on Netflix.Marianneneeds to be mentioned far more in the conversation about the best horror series in the business.
