Equinox is a Danish supernatural thriller that Netflix released in 2020, created by Tea Lindeburg. It follows Astrid, a young woman haunted by visions after her sister vanishes with her classmates 21 years earlier. The series is based on the Danish podcast Equinox 1985, and it premiered on 30 December 2020, airing six episodes across one season.
The show leans heavily on atmosphere. It is a slow-burn mystery built around Astrid’s nightmares and the sudden call from one of the survivors. The premise is simple: Astrid’s sister Ida disappeared with her entire graduating class in 1999, and now, decades later, Astrid has to dig into what happened. The result is a tense, occasionally frustrating watch that rewards patience.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Astrid and Her Visions
Danica Ćurčić plays Astrid, a woman still carrying the weight of her sister’s disappearance. She is the emotional center of the show, and her performance anchors the series. The visions are the engine of the plot, pushing Astrid forward into a truth she never expected.
Her nightmares are the hook. They drive the narrative forward, forcing Astrid to confront the past. The show spends its early episodes establishing the trauma, showing Astrid as a child, played by Viola Martinsen, dealing with the loss. That childhood version adds depth to the adult Astrid, making her search feel personal rather than academic.
The supporting cast fills out the world around her. Ask Truelsen plays Falke, Astrid’s love interest. Lars Brygmann plays Dennis, and Karoline Hamm plays Ida. Hanne Hedelund plays Lene. Fanny Leander Bornedal plays Amelia, August Carter plays Jakob, Alexandre Willaume plays Henrik, Peder Holm Johansen plays Torben, Rasmus Hammerich plays Mathias, and Zaki Nobel Mehabil plays David.
The Class Disappearance
The core mystery centers on the 1999 graduation day. Nine-year-old Astrid is traumatized by the disappearance of her sister Ida and her entire school class. The show sets up the event as a typical Danish celebration, but it quickly becomes something darker.
The show spends time with the survivors. One of them calls Astrid unexpectedly, triggering her investigation. This phone call is the catalyst for the whole story. Without it, Astrid might never have looked back at that day.
What Works Well
The pacing is deliberate. The show takes its time exploring Astrid’s memories and her current investigation. This allows the audience to get lost in the details, though it can also make the middle stretch feel padded.
The production design is strong. The Danish locations add a sense of place that grounds the supernatural elements. The show knows exactly when to pull back and let the quiet moments breathe.
What Falls Short
The middle episodes drag. There is a lot of setup, and some of it feels unnecessary. The show repeats itself a few times, which hurts the momentum.
The supernatural elements are underdeveloped. The show hints at something otherworldly but never fully commits to explaining it. This leaves the ending feeling unresolved rather than satisfying.
The Final Stretch
The series builds toward a reveal about the class disappearance. The truth ties Astrid directly to the events of 1999 in ways she never saw coming. It is a twist that reframes everything that came before it.
The finale brings the investigation full circle. Astrid confronts what happened that day, and the show answers some questions while raising others. It is a mixed bag of resolution, leaving viewers with both closure and lingering doubt.
Why It Matters
Equinox is a solid entry in the genre. It does not reinvent the wheel, but it executes its premise with care. The performances are strong, especially from Ćurčić, and the atmosphere is consistently unsettling.
The show is best enjoyed as a slow burn. It rewards patience, even when the middle sags. The payoff at the end justifies the wait, though not everyone will agree.
Ranking the Episodes
Here is how the six episodes stack up:
- Episode 1: Sets up the mystery with Astrid’s nightmares and the phone call from a survivor.
- Episode 2: Explores Astrid’s memories of the class disappearance, introducing the characters she knew as a child.
- Episode 3: Delivers the first major scare, establishing the supernatural elements that drive the rest of the series.
- Episode 4: Slowest episode, padding out Astrid’s investigation with repeated flashbacks.
- Episode 5: Picks up pace again, bringing the survivors back into focus and building toward the finale.
- Episode 6: The finale, resolving the mystery and tying Astrid to the events of 1999.
The Verdict
Equinox is a solid supernatural thriller that occasionally overreaches. The pacing issues in the middle episodes keep it from greatness, but the performances and the final twist earn a recommendation. It is worth watching for fans of the genre who are willing to sit through the slower stretches.
The show is available to stream on Netflix, and it runs six episodes. For those who enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a hint of the supernatural, it offers a rewarding experience.
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