Netflix's 'My Sad Dead' Offers Uneasy Viewing Experience

The new Argentinian drama "My Sad Dead," now available on Netflix, presents an experience designed to make viewers uneasy, according to a review from Stream It Or Skip It.

The series, directed by Pablo Larraín and based on Mariana Enríquez’s novel, begins with a mostly silent scene depicting an elderly woman's death. The show's overall tone is characterized by muted colors, a pervasive sense of unease, and a soundtrack that can create an unsettling atmosphere within the viewer's own home. The narrative focuses on Emma, a recently retired doctor who moves into her late mother's house in a Buenos Aires neighborhood. Emma possesses the ability to see and communicate with the dead, a trait that often overwhelms her.

Complications arise with the arrival of Emma's estranged sister, Lidia, who travels from Oregon with her husband and daughter, Julie. Lidia and her husband plan to leave Julie in Buenos Aires for treatment for morbid obesity and mental illness. However, Emma observes that Julie shares her supernatural "gift," but with a more intense and unsettling manifestation, involving interactions with spirits on a sexual level.

The review suggests that the series may remind viewers of the Thai thriller "Delusion," which also premiered on Netflix. "My Sad Dead" deliberately uses a detached, washed-out style to enhance the melancholic feeling emanating from Emma, highlighting that the ability to communicate with the dead is not necessarily a desirable gift.

The plot is expected to unfold with a deliberate pace, depicting how characters gradually acquire abilities similar to those of Emma and Julie. This development is anticipated to become significant after the murder of three teenagers in the neighborhood of Piedrabuena, where the story is set.

Carolina Álvarez's performance as Julie is highlighted for its dignity, portraying a character grappling with extreme depression rather than the mental illness her parents perceive. The series includes nudity related to Julie's interactions with spirits and a scene in a locker room. The first episode concludes with Julie falling from a water tower.

Despite its unsettling nature, "My Sad Dead" is recommended for streaming, described as a raw and unsparing look at death and mental illness.