Every once in a while, Netflix subscription holders stumble upon a hidden gem and help catapult it to an unexpected popularity. This seems to be the case for Dear Child, which has been steadily in the Netflix Top 10 all week and stands at No. 3, as of this writing. The German crime series has captured the attention of audiences everywhere and despite the dark subject matter, it seems like everyone is hooked. Essentially, viewers seem to be sharing the same sentiments about it.
Based on a novel by Romy Hausmann, Dear Child is about a woman who escapes captivity after 13 years, and her harrowing journey helps investigators discover the truth of her mysterious disappearance. The show is suspenseful, focuses on character dynamics and seems to have all the elements of tension that crime fans love. One viewer on X (formally Twitter) compared the series to other well-produced crime favorites, conveying the appeal the show has. They said:
Guys, Watched #DearChild on Netflix last night—by far, one of the best binges I’ve had in years. True crime, psychological thriller, murder mystery all rolled up into 1 6-part miniseries. Very Josef Fritzl meets Room meets Gone Girl. Highly recommended it. Lmk what you think.
That's some serious praise. Another binger, who commented by way of X, called the show a must-watch for any fans of the genre:
Dear Child on Netflix is so intense! A must watch if you’re into psychological thrillers & murder mysteries🍿
One fan pointed out that while Dear Child -- a six-episode limited series -- was definitely disturbing, it still was captivating. They said on X:
Stumbled upon #DearChild on @netflix - just binged 2 episodes. It’s brilliant so far. Disturbing, but brilliant.
Another user on X echoed that statement, lending further credibility to the notion that this series is worth taking a look at. They specifically said:
Im watching Dear Child on Netflix...Im on episode 5 and I cannot stop watching it. It is so damn good.
Most devotees seem to agree that this production definitely isn’t for those with a weak stomach. Nevertheless, it would appear that many are braving through it. A viewer praised the show for its bingeability when taking to X, saying:
German psychological thriller, #DearChild, is not for the faint of heart! This is riveting, edge-of-ur-seat binge material. Prepare yourself, get all ur snacks ready, bcz u will not be able to stop watching! 😱 @netflix
Based on these audience reactions and the show's trailers, it seems like Dear Child is pretty grim and contains material that might keep audiences up at night. Yet it's amazing that people still haven’t shied away from the crime thriller and seem to be loving the surprise sensation. While true crime documentaries are still all the rage on Netflix, people also seem to gravitate toward fictional crime stories. Another example of that would be Hugh Jackman's underrated thriller, Prisoners seeing renewed interest on the streamer.
Disturbing and violent international series like Dark and Squid Game found passionate audiences, so this latest craze feels like par for the course. Viewers seem to have become more open to projects not produced by U.S. entities, and it's great that consumers are expanding their horizons in that way. Let's hope that this trend continues so that productions like this latest Germany-produced thriller can thrive.
If this audience praise is to be believed, Dear Child is in the running for one of the best shows on Netflix, so make sure to check it out. Fans of the genre should also read about other great crime shows that are streaming now, if you are looking for something to watch after binging the German series.
