Netflix fans urged to watch ‘brutal’ hidden gem post-apocalyptic thriller

Fans of Netflix have shared a ‘hidden gem’ on Netflix, rediscovering a 2019 post-apocalyptic thriller from Russia. Based on a Russian novel by author Yana Vagner, To The Lake follows the aftermath of a deadly pandemic as it claims Moscow, turning the capital into a city of the dead.

With the city overrun with sickness and marauding gangs, desperate Sergey (Kirill Käro) seeks refuge in an isolated hunting lodge on a deserted island along with his fractured family and another small group of survivors. Featuring gritty family drama amid a bleak fight for survival, the series – which ran for eight episodes in its first series – has attracted comparison to the likes of The Walking Dead and 28 Days Later.

Originally released on the Russian TV channel Premier in 2019, the series was subsequently picked up by Netflix the following year, and released in October 2020. However, fans are still discovering this underrated thriller, describing it as a ‘brutal’ watch. Be warned.

Writing on a Reddit thread, TV and movie fans shared their recommendations for ‘best kept secrets’ on the platform – and To The Lake soon emerged as a frontrunner. ‘It’s a Russian thriller and only ran 2 seasons but it is a very gritty and interesting story of society during a pandemic – however, I think it so underwatched that there is very little discussion posts about it which is sad!’ wrote original poster Specialist_Giraffe84.

‘To The Lake is one of the bleakest most depressing shows I’ve ever seen. It was good but…man,’ agreed yourlittlebirdie. ‘To the Lake was awesome,’ concurred AggravatingQuiet797. In another thread, viewers described it as a ‘good but brutal watch.’.

‘Without giving away the storyline it’s safe to say that it’s is quite fitting during this covid outbreak and the both the script and realities of a pandemic on human behaviour is quite sobering. I also enjoy the camera work, and the setting is excellent,’ said mitchanium.

‘Such an amazing show! I binged it all in a couple days. I thought the show’s pacing and suspense were top notch. The characters were very diverse, but I ended up hating many of them, even the protagonist,’ said zooweather. ‘Yeah man this was enjoyable! Hope it gets lot of views so Netflix can order S2! Spread the word. That ending.. Oh man!’ said Overcome449.

The series currently boasts a rare 100% ‘fresh’ score on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics responsible hailing it as ‘one of the TV events of the year.’. Audiences responded with similar praise, giving the show its 81% fresh Popcornmeter rating from over 100 reviews.

Master of horror Stephen King gave his own seal of approval on X in 2020,describing it as ‘a pretty darn good Russian series on Netflix.’ And he should know, having written The Stand, and all. Titled Epidemic in its native Russian, To The Lake is based on the novel Vongozero – which takes its name from the lake where the survivors attempt to settle.

While the author wrote a sequel book to Vongozero, the TV series departed from the course for its second series – which follows a separate group of survivors and is not based on Yana Vagner’s second novel. This follow-up tracks the survival attempts of four young people as they attempt to navigate life in a perilous wilderness.

Furthermore, while the show’s second series aired in 2022 on the Russian platform Premier, it has yet to make its way to Netflix or Amazon Prime in the UK. You can rent an entire private English island for just £40 a night. This £235,000 home squeezed into an alleyway is just 91cm wide.

'Hipster' neighbourhood in divisive UK city named one of the coolest places to live. The 'bustling' suburb Londoners are flocking to — while it's still affordable. What I Own: I purchased my £267,000 London flat for £33,000 under the asking price. To The Lake is streaming on Netflix UK now.

Got a story?. If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you. Arrow MORE: Piers Morgan reveals ordeal after being ‘hounded by Baby Reindeer-style stalker’.