TO THE LAKE: Twists, Tension, and Darkness

In the post-COVID era and with a raging war in Ukraine, I was not convinced that I would be able to like a production about a murderous virus attacking Russia. I was also not convinced whether the adventures of Seryozha – who has to deal with two women, a drunkard father, a foster son with Asperger’s, and an idiot neighbor – would appeal to me in these very difficult times. It turns out, however, that To The Lake the adaptation of Yana Vagner’s novel is an interesting proposition, which, although at times tiring due to the increasingly stupid decisions of the characters, in the overall picture is a solid series filled to the brim with human dramas during a raging plague.

In Russia, an unknown pandemic breaks out. The virus spreads in every possible way. People who become infected develop a fever, cough blood, and their eyeballs turn transparent. Later, these people die. No one knows where the virus came from or how to treat it. Moscow is completely cut off from the rest of the world. In all this, Sergius – together with his father, partner Anna, ex-wife Ira, sons: foster son Misha and biological son Antosha, as well as neighbor Leon, his wife and daughter – tries to escape to a safe place. The only question is whether such a place actually exists.

Right from the start, it must be emphasized that this is probably one of the better productions I have recently watched on Netflix. After seeing the trailer, I was convinced I would get cheap science fiction from across the eastern border, where children with strange eyes murder their comrades. I did not expect the story presented to be so close to the current situation, and many times I asked my better half whom he would go for first to save if it turned out that the epidemic was out of control, and the government decided that villages had to be burned and citizens killed.

It must be remembered, however, that the series does not dabble in politics or nationalism. Nor does it refer to future or past events, although I am ready to bet all the money in the world that the Russians in such a situation would act this way and not otherwise. After all, no one really knows what was happening with them during an epidemic.

You won’t find familiar faces in the cast.

Although I must admit that each character, despite seeming stereotypical, can surprise. And so, Seryozha, although torn between two women, ultimately proves to be a true leader who leads the whole group to a safe place. Ira, his ex-wife, who from the very beginning is painted as despotic and evil, in the end turns out to be the most rational of the whole team. Anna, who appears as the embodiment of all goodness, is a manipulator who stops at nothing.

We are dealing with a whole human menagerie, where everyone makes mistakes, because each of us is only human.

The series, however, shows that despite flaws the group can come together and fight for their own, even though at one point the disease infiltrates their ranks. Despite so many characters, we constantly keep up with their motivations, personalities, and relationships, which only seem confusing at first glance. At first it looks like total chaos, which from episode to episode turns out to be increasingly organized.

And on this level the series does phenomenally well. It is quite skillful at building tension and emotion. When necessary, we get ruthless violence and blood, and when the situation requires focus, we learn more about the fate of our heroes. It must be remembered, however, that the stakes are always high, since they concern the life and survival of our group. One false step and everyone can die. But let’s talk about the elephant in the room, that is, the romance between the young characters Polina and Misha.

She is the rebellious daughter of a wealthy father who has a child with a stripper, he has Asperger’s, and Polina is his first love, and he has huge difficulties talking about feelings.

Their interactions are excellent to watch. At first it’s innocent flirting, and later real dramas, including life-saving. This is probably the only couple where the chemistry between the characters is genuine and does not irritate like in the case of other women. And it’s not the fault of the script. Quite the opposite. Such is real life.

To the Lake is a well-made adaptation of the novel, full of twists, stories taken from life, and at times the stupidity of the characters almost begs to be scolded by the viewer.

It is one of the few examples showing how people would actually behave in times of plague, where everyone fights for survival and there is no room for sentiment. Although sometimes it is still worth remaining human. Nevertheless, the series gives hope that even in extreme circumstances we will not lose the remnants of our humanity and will behave responsibly. The series also gives one piece of advice – when in such a situation you see someone from the uniformed services, you should run away as quickly as possible.