Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
One of the reasons I decided to stream “The Signal” (Original title: Das Signal) on Netflix was its limited runtime – only four episode. But once you begin watching this sci-fi show, even those 4 episodes begin to feel never-ending.
Directed by Sebastian Hilger and Philipp Leinemann, “The Signal” follows the mysterious vanishing of astronaut Paula (Peri Baumeister). Her husband Sven (Florian David Fitz) begins to investigate her disappearance while taking care of their little daughter Charlie (Yuna Bennett). As Sven gathers more clues, startling facts begin to emerge about Paula’s work in space, which put his and Charlie’s life in danger.
Florian David Fitz and Yuna Bennett make an endearing father-daughter duo on the show. Yuna’s portrayal of Charlie, a smart, inquisitive girl filled with questions and a fascination for science, is perhaps the best aspect of “The Signal.” All of Charlie’s emotions are infectious, from her excitement at seeing her mother in space to her anger when her father tries to “protect” her from the truth by withholding what happened to Paula—something she quickly discovers on television.
Peri Baumeister as Paula, however, has the worst character arc. She is portrayed as an ambitious, idealistic astronaut with serious issues that make her unfit for the space program, yet she manages to hoodwink the system. Paula’s mental health is a significant part of the story; however, it also drags down the pace of the show, and her character unfortunately is not very likable. Once a pivotal character is hard to care about, it becomes challenging to enjoy the story too, and that’s what happens with “The Signal”. Sheeba Chaddha plays Benisha Mudhi, the Indian-origin billionaire funding Paula’s space program. Sheeba’s portrayal of the calculative Mudhi is perfect, but the character is caricatured towards the end, which might seem racist to some.
The climactic conflict delivers a surprisingly powerful message for humanity, but the subsequent events fail to align effectively with the conclusion. Overall, “The Signal” is a forgettable show, which drags itself out despite it’s limited runtime. Minor tweaks in the story could’ve made it a lot more entertaining.
Rating: 5 on 10. You can stream “The Signal” on Netflix.
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