30 Days of Night: Dark Days

30 Days of Night: Dark Days is currently streaming in Australia on Netflix, and in the UK on Netflix, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 5/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch Kiele Sanchez work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

There is a reason 30 Days of Night: Dark Days keeps coming up in conversation. At its heart, 30 Days of Night: Dark Days understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. After surviving the incidents in Barrow, Alaska, Stella Olemaun relocates to Los Angeles, where she intentionally attracts the attention of the local vampire population in order to avenge the death of her husband, Eben. Kiele Sanchez and Mia Kirshner lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2010. The plot mechanics of 30 Days of Night: Dark Days never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, 30 Days of Night: Dark Days delivers. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Kiele Sanchez carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.