The OA (2016)

The OA is a genre-bending Netflix series from creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij that blends drama, mystery and surreal fantasy. It opens with Prairie Johnson — a young woman who vanished seven years earlier and was believed dead — suddenly reappearing as an adult with her sight restored and deep, unexplained scars. Her return raises questions: is she a miracle, a threat, or something more complicated? Watching The OA is a slow-burn, emotionally intense experience. The show alternates between intimate character moments and high-concept revelations, unfolding Prairie’s story in non‑linear layers and through multiple perspectives. You’ll meet a small group of ordinary people she draws into her confidence, and as she recounts what happened during her disappearance the series shifts between realistic drama, eerie mystery, and speculative, almost metaphysical sequences. Expect a mood that’s haunting and contemplative rather than action-driven: thematic concerns about memory, trauma, identity, belief, and connection propel the plot more than tidy answers. The series is visually distinctive and often surreal, with moments of hope, dread, and moral ambiguity. If you enjoy shows that reward patience, provoke questions instead of resolving them cleanly, and focus on character chemistry as much as plot puzzles, The OA will likely be compelling and unsettling in equal measure.

Actors: Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs, Scott Wilson

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

7.8 /10 7.8 /10