Open Your Eyes: Season 1 – Netflix Review

OPEN YOUR EYES on Netflix is a new Polish series (org. title Otwórz oczy) and season 1 has just 6 episodes, so it’s quick to watch this thriller series. The main character is a teenager and the story does revolve around teenagers mostly. The story itself is very universal. Read our Open Your Eyes season 1 review here!

OPEN YOUR EYES is a new Netflix series from Poland. This very dark story is told over just six episodes. You’ll probably guess elements of it, but I suspect it will also have a few surprises in store. Don’t let the title fool you. This series has absolutely nothing to do with the 1997 movie by Alejandro Amenábar (Snuff, The Others) which was later remade in the US as Vanilla Sky.

This is a very different story.

At first, I was reminded of The New Mutants (2020) but we’re not actually in that kind of universe. The setting just felt somewhat similar in a strange way. The main character is a teenager – as are most of the key characters. Well, except for the adults that are controlling them, who obviously are also very important to the story.

Continue reading our Open Your Eyes season 1 review below.

Watch it for the eerie vibe

While I did enjoy Open Your Eyes for its mystery, it was the eerie vibe that won me over first. Imagine waking up and having your alarm clock be a voice telling you what you’ve supposedly remembered the day before. Only, now you don’t remember any of it again. Every day a black slate. Your whole life is a blank slate.

You’re surrounded by people in the same situation, but most of them are a bit further along in their healing process.

Oh yeah, and then there are the strange adults and the medication you have to take. You don’t even know your own name, yet somehow you’re supposed to trust these people. Of course, our main character is very suspicious at first and the things she sees and hears don’t do much to ease this.

However, hang in there, because all will be revealed. You do have to watch teen romance along the way (which I could definitely have done without), but the ending worked really well overall.

Open Your Eyes season 1 ending and possible season 2

When you watch the final moments of Open Your Eyes season 1, you will undoubtedly ask yourself: “Will there be a season 2 of Open Your Eyes on Netflix?” Well, yes, quite possibly. Now, it’s important to note that we don’t know anything official yet, that final scene definitely makes it seem like Open Your Eyes season 2 is in the making. Or, at the very least, is ready to be made.

Overall, the final episode of season 1 (which would be episode 6, as this is a short season) does come with a lot of answers. However, the actual ending of season 1 also reveals some details that require a lot more storytelling.

While I could definitely do without the romance (which felt rather forced to me), I did enjoy the overall story as well as the characters. I just wish the focus had been even more on the individual characters rather than one romantic relationship. But hey, maybe that’s just me. I know some of you reading this will disagree with me, so hopefully, you’re happy with the romance.

I definitely did not like the new romance element of episode 6. A very grown man hitting on a 17-year-old girl is not romantic in my book. Predatory and grooming are the words that come to mind more.

Watch season 1 of Open Your Eyes on Netflix now!

The season 1 episodes of Open Your Eyes (org. title Otwórz oczy) are directed by Anna Jadowska and Adrian Panek, who both have lots of experience with TV series. Adrian Panek also wrote and directed the impressive war horror movie Werewolf (org. title Wilkolak) which also starred mostly kids and teenagers.

YOU MIGHT LIKE

Our review of the horror movie Werewolf set in post-WW2 Poland >

The actual series is based on the novel “Druga szansa” by Katarzyna Berenika Miszczuk who wrote on season 2 episodes of the Polish crime-thriller series Signs (org. title Znaki). The episodes in season 1 were written by Kasper Bajon, Igor Brejdygant, Milena Dutkowska, and Klara Kochanska. All of them are very active writers on Polish productions. Kasper Bajon also wrote on the Netflix series The Mire.

Admittedly, this series is aimed at young viewers, so I am trying to take this into consideration while also reviewing it from my own (adult) point of view. I will say this; The teen romance is probably (definitely!) more interesting for the younger viewers.

However, since it’s aimed at younger viewers, I do also find it even more problematic that an adult man is interested in a 17-year-old girl and clearly feels this is acceptable. She doesn’t even look like she’s that old. A very unfortunate detail! Still, this was a minor detail and not something that evolved into anything. In this season, anyway.

Now we’re just waiting to hear about season 2 and when this will be released.

Open Your Eyes season 1 is out on Netflix from August 25, 2021. 

Details

Directors: Anna Jadowska, Adrian Panek
Cast: Maria Wawreniuk, Ignacy Liss, Marcin Czarnik, Wojciech Dolatowski, Zuza Galewicz, Sara Celler-Jezierska, Klaudia Koścista, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Michał Sikorski