Dead Mountain: The Dyatlov Pass Incident

The Russians went all out and prepared a very pleasant surprise for me. They perfectly captured the atmosphere of the late 1950s (except for the overly empathetic KGB officers) and set about wondering what could have caused the tragic fate of the tourist expedition. They certainly didn't take a direct route to the ending and zigzagged like a rabbit on speed, making the story more interesting than I expected. Don’t watch this if you’re a fan of happy endings. As for me, I had a blast. (07/11/2021)

The first episode caught me completely off guard and pleasantly surprised me with its quality. The creators nailed it, excelling in every aspect. The visuals, sound, and editing thoroughly entertained me; the episode had an excellent atmosphere, and I'm eagerly anticipating the continuation. The only aspect that didn't quite convince me was the uncompromising yet fair and empathetic KGB major. It's not Piotr Fyodorov's acting (which was great), but more the character of Kostin felt a bit implausible to me. However, that's just a minor detail. Overall, I'm very satisfied with what I've seen so far. (28/10/2021)

The second episode took a notably different turn from the previous one, and it wasn't just a shift in the colors. The plot centered solely on Igor and his crew, and it didn't engage me as much as previous events. I simply felt that not much transpired, aside from the expedition's first encounter with the snow. However, I understand—it was likely just setting the stage before the shit really hits the fan. At least, I hope so. (29/10/2021)

I found the third episode more enjoyable than the previous one, although I still consider the pilot episode to be the best so far. Major Kostin is currently leading 2:1 against Igor Dyatlov in terms of participation in individual episodes, so there isn't much material for comparison yet, but I'm already leaning towards the major's side. I'm hopeful that the expedition won't just slowly trudge through deep snow during its designated time and that the episodes will pick up more momentum. Overall, after three episodes, I'm more than satisfied, and the creators have pleasantly surprised me.) (30/10/2021)

The creators improved the unconvincing impression they left on me last time. The episode had a fantastic atmosphere, and the music perfectly evoked memories of the archival short documentary films about the construction of socialism in the Soviet Union. The creators really nailed it, so now I don't have to look forward only to Major Kostin. 4*+ (31/10/2021)

The episodes featuring Major Kostin have not disappointed me yet. Well, almost... It's a bit distracting that the MG 42 weapon looked a lot like a Bren with its unmistakable magazine. But that's a minor detail. The atmosphere was top-notch once again, and I appreciated the shift away from impending science fiction towards a more rational direction. This pleasantly surprised me, as I didn't expect such a well-crafted series from creators. Nothing against them, but I've seen Epidemija, which set the bar so low it practically touched the ground. (01/11/2021)

I'm pleasantly surprised that the creators didn't confine themselves to just long treks in deep snow but managed to breathe life into the story. The encounter with the search party vividly depicted the conditions of that era; you could truly sense the consequences if the commanders weren't pleased. This episode delivered a fantastic atmosphere and execution. 4*+ (03/11/2021)

Russian creators never cease to surprise me. Just when I manage to tune into one of the possible explanations of the tragedy, they effortlessly abandon it and shift the story in a completely different direction. I really appreciate that; this is how a successful series should unfold. The flashbacks, which often annoy me in other shows for artificially prolonging the plot, work as an added value here. Well, I'm curious about the finale; my guess is that no one will survive. (05/11/2021)

Although the outcome of the tourist expedition was clear from the first episode, the Russian creators managed to hold my attention until the final credits. While I am not a fan of expeditions to either pole, mountain climbing in the Himalayas, or similar suicidal endeavors, I must admit that the finale of the series was really well done. However, one problem did arise here. The cold of the Urals was so realistic that I'm still getting the shivers. (07/11/2021)