Don't Watch This

Don't Watch This is a unique turn in the realm of anthology series, taking its viewers on a bizarre, shiver-inducing roller coaster ride of nightmare-fuelled narratives. Released in 2018, the Netflix series consists of a total of five short horror films, each dealing with distinct concepts and digging into a pile of intriguing and gruesome plots that transcends boundaries and ventures into the realm of the terrifyingly abnormal.

Don’t Watch This is an audacious compilation of stories designed to disturb, disorient, and even disgust viewers while simultaneously gaining their reluctant admiration with its out-of-the-box content. This limited series thrives in an unfettered expanse of horror that isn't confined to standard jump scares and stereotypical monsters hiding in closets or under the bed. Instead, it delves deep into the domain of psychological horror, leaving audiences questioning reality and wondering which nightmare will befall them in the next episode.

Each episode in the series is a stand-alone horror short depicted in a startlingly eerie manner, which gives the series its unique aura of creepiness. Ranging from dysfunctional teenagers, demented killers, frightful VR experiences, and featuring an assortment of terrifying amalgams of psychological darkness and abstruse characters, Don’t Watch This proves to be a gratifying deviation from the normative genre boilerplates.

The first episode of the series, entitled, "Friendship Bracelet," revolves around a young high schooler with an unsettling hobby and aspirations to be a surgeon, leading to a series of strange, gruesome events. The second episode, "CTRL+ALT+DEL," merges the shots of mundane life with that of weird, disturbing virtual reality, underlining the horror that technology can turn into.

The third episode, "Incommodum," is a kaleidoscope of bizarre imagery and body horror that explores what it truly means to be a monster. This episode is nothing but a series of nightmarish images devoid of substantial dialogue or a linear storyline, focusing instead on the visual impact and will surely leave viewers wincing and shifting in their seats. The fourth episode, "Keep out of the Dirt," plunges viewers into the world of a sociopath who finds gruesome joy in the dirt.

Finally, the fifth and last episode, "Antoni Psycho," features Antoni Porowski, well-known for his role in Netflix’s Queer Eye. Instead of his usual charming persona, Antoni exposes viewers to a different side of his personality, oscillating between his fascination with personal grooming, healthy eating, and exercising to a more sinister obsession.

While each episode has an independent theme and storyline, the common thread that binds them together is the ubiquitous ambiance of disconcertion and terror. The innovative storytelling coupled with clever filmmaking techniques, carefully chosen soundtracks, and impressive performances from the cast makes Don't Watch This a perfect pick for fans of horror who are looking for something unconventional.

Don’t Watch This proves that horror extends into many territories – it is not just about the fear elicited by paranormal activities or grotesque creatures. It can also be the fear of the mind, of different realities, and of our very selves.

This groundbreaking series takes you on a fascinating dive into a macabre dimension where the lines blur between rationale and oddity, normalcy and abnormalcy, ultimately pushing the envelope of horror anthologies. Don't Watch This is a series of imaginative but sinister analogue and throwbacks that immerse you in a fugue of psychological suspense, visceral horror, and dark humor, creating a deeply unsettling, unique viewing experience. Delve in if you dare, but be warned, this series is not for the faint-hearted.