SERIES REVIEW – Netflix’s latest series isn’t just a bold reimagining of a cult graphic novel – it’s a slow-burning, suffocating apocalypse tale where the snow doesn’t just fall, it kills.

Post-apocalyptic stories have carved out a massive chunk of modern pop culture. While we haven’t quite reached oversaturation, major series like The Last of Us, Silo, and Fallout make it clear: the bleak side of sci-fi is in full swing. And it’s not just the studios and streaming giants who are jumping on board – audiences are hooked, and critics are more than happy to praise them.

It’s no surprise, then, that these grim tales often come from other media – novels, video games, and, in this case, comic books. Netflix’s latest sci-fi thriller, The Eternaut (El Eternauta), directed by Bruno Stagnaro and co-written by Ariel Staltari, is an adaptation of the 1957 cult comic created by writer Héctor G. Oesterheld and artist Francisco Solano López. Even if you’ve never heard of the source material, the show works on its own as a haunting, apocalyptic nightmare – and while it can be slow at times, it always knows when to drop a gut-punch twist to pull you right back in.

What Is The Eternaut About?

The story kicks off on what seems like an ordinary summer evening in Buenos Aires. A group of old friends – including Juan Salvo (Ricardo Darín) – get together to play cards and knock back a few drinks. Meanwhile, a group of young women heads off for a sailing trip, others go about their daily routines. It’s all calm and peaceful – until the power suddenly cuts out across the city. Then, it starts snowing. At first, it’s just strange. Then comes the terrifying truth: the snow is lethal. One touch against bare skin, and you’re dead.

Trapped in their homes, the survivors – including Salvo – are left without electricity, communication, or any modern tech. Phones, cars, everything is dead. Survival now means more than just staying indoors – they must find lost loved ones and forge uneasy alliances. But the deadly snow may not be the only thing to fear. The people around them, the ones closest, might be just as dangerous. DIY hazmat suits and desperate forays into the killer snowfall only underscore how helpless and exposed they really are.

Death in White – Netflix’s Icy New Nightmare

At first glance, The Eternaut feels oddly ordinary – and that’s exactly the point. While the original comic was set in the 1950s, Netflix brings the story into modern-day Buenos Aires. The updated setting doesn’t just refresh the visuals – it makes the core themes of isolation, alien invasion, and fear of the unknown hit even harder. The viewer is lulled into a false sense of security by the contemporary world, only for it to morph into a waking nightmare via toxic snowfall. Who hasn’t picked up a friend at the airport, never suspecting the world had changed while they were gone?

Once the deadly snow begins to fall, the series unleashes its full visual arsenal. Cinematographer Gastón Girod teams up with VFX supervisors Pablo Accame and Ignacio Pol to craft a haunting aesthetic. The snow-covered cityscape isn’t peaceful – it’s a death trap. A single snowflake on a coat or shoe is enough to make your pulse spike. The sight of bodies lying in the streets, slowly blanketed in white, while survivors wheeze through their masks – it’s chilling in every sense of the word. A once-bustling metropolis becomes a frozen coffin, and stepping outside means certain death.

Man Becomes Wolf – And Not Just Because of the Snow

There’s some action, sure, but The Eternaut isn’t your usual explosive, adrenaline-fueled end-times series. This is a character-driven narrative that focuses on survivor dynamics and moral breakdowns – all at a deliberately slow pace. Even seasoned fans of the genre might need some patience if they’re unfamiliar with the original comic. But just when you think it’s dragging, the show throws a curveball that changes the game and keeps you watching. The threats facing Salvo and his companions grow ever more complex – and the snowstorm is only the beginning. Trust fractures. Survival turns savage. The apocalypse hits home.

Netflix gave critics early access to all six episodes – but also issued a strict no-spoiler policy. And now we know why. A story of this scale demands an episodic format, just like the serialized nature of the original comic. The less you know going in, the better. Ricardo Darín is outstanding as Juan Salvo – exuding both strength and vulnerability. With a captivating atmosphere, compelling twists, and slick production design, this adaptation doesn’t just honor the original – it may even surpass it.

– “Gergely Herpai aka BadSector” –