7.5 / 10. A cool Nordic noir take on a supernatural coming of age story

Netflix’s The Innocents is a young adult supernatural fantasy tale of love and peril, focusing on Harry and June, who run away from home together. On the run, June displays alarming abilities which lead them to uncover family secrets, putting them in grave danger…

Shape-shifters aren’t the most common supernatural beings on TV/film, what with all the vampires, zombies and werewolves. The Innocents is a cool, nordic noir take on a supernatural coming of age story.

Dark and ominous Nordic-esque settings and serious, competent acting add to the tension throughout. It comes across as a young adult drama, but older age groups could enjoy this show as well. Its well acted and Sorcha Groundsell is a likeable, interesting lead (although I must say that is the oddest accent and acting I’ve ever seen from Guy Pearce).

There are effective and well placed cinematic tricks used for the shape-shifting transformations, and new rules and history in shape-shifter folklore, which would be interesting to learn more about, if there is a second season. The ending was certainly left open for one…

The Innocents was created by Hania Elkington and Simon Duric, the locations used in the UK and Western Norway were eerie and beautiful and fit the tone of the series perfectly.