ARQ

Right now you can watch ARQ in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Robbie Amell anchors it with a performance that grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Available now on Netflix — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, ARQ is worth clearing space for. What makes ARQ work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Two old friends living in a dystopic future become trapped in a mysterious time loop — one that may have something to do with an ongoing battle between an omnipotent corporation and a ragtag band of rebels. Robbie Amell and Rachael Taylor lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. ARQ came out in 2016. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give ARQ a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Robbie Amell's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.