Looking for a gritty crime drama to quench your thirst for mystery? Settle in for The Drought, a twisting thriller centered around a parched Spanish reservoir with decades-old secrets.
As severe drought plagues the Iberian Peninsula, the dried-out basin of the Campomediano dam eerily reveals the ruins of a flooded village – and decades-old human remains. Brooding Spanish inspector Dani Yanes and her Portuguese counterpart Hélder Gomes dig into the muddy history, unearthing tales of missing activists, protesting villagers, a callous elite family who control the region’s scare water supply, and a complex web of lies and power struggles just waiting to see light.
With its mixture of present-day forensic drama and flashbacks to the late 1980s, The Drought emulates popular Nordic noirs with its bleak landscapes and happier-looking sunlight that belie complex (and messy) underpinnings. While some characters initially seem to enter and leave haphazardly, give it some time and you’ll soon be swept up in this slow-boiling,ratcheting thriller. Stick around as the intricate plot thickens across the Portuguese border, secret debts are owed, and long-buried family secrets rise from flooded homes back into the arid air. Will the drought dry up the dam’s deadly history – or bring a deluge of trouble for all involved?
Water Runs Dry, Secrets Emerge
When drought drains a reservoir on the Spanish-Portuguese border, the receding waters unveil more than sunken homes – they reveal decades-buried human remains. Spanish inspector Dani Yanes takes charge of investigating this muddy discovery that soon embroils her in a twisting mystery steeped in the dam’s shadowy history.
Yanes quickly suspects a connection between the skeletal findings and protests decades ago from villagers and activists fiercely opposed the reservoir’s construction. Powerful, ruthless —and regionally controlling— billionaire Barbosa helms the very reservoir company tied to these crimes, wielding power over dam operations, village infrastructure, the local police, and even news editors who might investigate too freely.
As the ambitious inspector chips away at the TRUTH, she’s persistently stonewalled by her retiring superior, somehow intimately tied to Barbosa’s illegal dealings. When a Portuguese officer named Hélder offers assistance with finding the victims’ identities, Yanes realizes she not only has an ally—but that the tangled web crosses borders and reaches far beyond just this parched reservoir bed.
Hélder and Yanes start unraveling clues surrounding prominent activists gone missing during those fiery protests years ago. So may a connection with the current landowner family. Meanwhile, Barbosa’s daughter and grandson clash over control of the billion-dollar reservoir business he lords over with unchecked power. The officers chase leads through the close-knit rural towns scattered on either side of the border, increasingly alarmed to learn Barbosa’s family will stop or silence anyone—whether villagers, journalists, police or family members—who threaten their empire.
As these divided inspectors dig for parched proof from all sides, they discover shady backstories and buried connections pulling in influential players throughout this secret-filled region. The 8-part series ratchets up the tension as the final floods of truth pour through, culminating in a stark realization: in this drought-ravaged land controlled by a family empire willing to wreak violence for power, perhaps the only way for real change is if everything…changes.
Echoes of Nordic Noir in Iberian Lands
With its washed-out hues and ever-encroaching sunlight that seemingly mocks the dark deeds done underneath, The Drought channels Nordic noir vibes through the blistering Iberian setting. Murky moral compasses, messy pasts and complex character dynamics feel reminiscent of The Bridge, those beloved Scandinavian thrillers.
Yet The Drought stands on its own dry ground by spotlighting conflicts unique to the nearby nations of Spain and Portugal – not to mention steeping its mystery in hot-button issues like the climate crisis and political power grabs.
As the arid basin coughs up its dead, the cinematography aptly echoes the dire state of a land and people stripped bare. Lingering shots of the parched earth mirror drained reservoir reserves across the Iberian Peninsula, bringing the lifeblood crisis home on an intimate scale. And the implications simmer throughout all 8 episodes: not just livelihoods but very lives hang in the balance as water, and power, stays concentrated in the hands of coldly calculating elite like the Barbosa family.
The Drought deftly braids present-day environmental catastrophe with past sins of villagers drowned out and drowned for progress – much like the heavy themes lurking below the deceptive surface of enjoyable Nordic fare. Friendships fracture. Police superiors betray protégées. Familial dynasties war over control. And the life-giving water everyone craves remains hoarded by a powerful few who’ll let the vulnerable masses wither and die to keep their reservoirs flush.
It’s a bleak picture, alleviated only by one hope that cycles through the generations: if change won’t come easily in these lands where influence is inherited…perhaps this drought will force a flood great enough to reshape even the driest of power dynamics.
Compelling Characters Caught in the Crosshairs
As with any solid crime drama, The Drought thrives on complex characters forced to make messy choices out of conflicting motivations.
Inspector Yanes leads the charge with a fierce moral compass directed as much by passion as duty. Haunted by childhood losses reflected in the drowned village, she pursues justice at personal cost. Her renegade partner Hélder, though more world-weary, shares her stubborn principles. Yet his secret debts expose deeper dimensions. Their dynamic chemistry anchors the show.
Of course, great heroes need equally compelling foils. Enter icy tycoon Barbosa, a smiling wolf who wields ruthless power through generations of influence, intimidation and violence. Actor Guilherme Filipe brings a nuanced menace to this patron whose benevolence always expects repayment – whether in loyalty, obedience or pride.
While parts of the ensemble seem to come and go, familiar faces resurface enough to feel anchored in the story. Standouts include Barbosa’s defiant daughter and grandson locked in a tug-of-war over the company’s control. Miguel Ángel Muñoz also delivers a solid performance as an opportunistic journalist whose dissatisfaction with status quo corruption helps drive the truth forward.
With lives intertwined across borders and decades, even the supporting players hold secrets that propel the plot down shadowy tributaries leading back to the reservoir’s bitter past. As bonds strengthen and betrayals mount, we keenly share the lead duo’s emotional stakes in this fight for truth and justice in lands long oppressed.
A Parched Landscape Hauntingly Portrayed
While complex and ambitious for a first-time showrunner, director Joaquín Llamas deftly steers The Drought over 8 tight episodes. The show stands out through thoughtful framing and filming choices that mirror the barren locale.
Lingering landscape shots visually underscore the life-threatening lack of water as much as impassioned debates do verbally. The dried-up dam basin almost resembles a post-apocalyptic wasteland, echoing the death and danger bubbling up from its muddy floor. Even as flashbacks take us to better times before the floods, an ominous tone permeates brighter scenes.
The contrast heightens the reveals. Twisting aerial views dripping with drained reservoir carcasses reinforce revelations from the dead past. Quick cuts between police showdowns and activist standoffs maintain tension. And the opening rainfall that dumps the victims’ bodies chillingly bookends the concluding tragedy.
An original score by José de Castro haunts throughout, with strains echoing traditional folk songs from the flooded village underscoring the lasting cultural impact. Music and visuals intertwine to spotlight how this disaster has as much ripped apart human bonds as cracked open the parched earth everyone fights over.
A Gripping, If Imperfect, Slow-Burn Noir
For fans of dark, simmering crime sagas, The Drought quenches a thirst for secrets, lies and high-stakes drama against a stark backdrop. Timely themes like climate crisis and corruption seep through a twisting plot elevated by cinematic framing and haunting scores.
A sprawling cast and occasional loose subplot threads temper the pacing and cohesion early on. Yet compelling chemistry between the tenacious central duo helps anchor our emotional investment through torrential reveals. And the show gathers steam as layers steadily peel back across the parched reservoir bed, flooded village remnants and opulent villain lairs.
Could use more action for some viewers. But patient viewers will be rewarded by tense confrontations and stark violence made more impactful by the methodical buildup. Those seeking closure may find the finale’s muted optimism ironic after so much loss.
In the end, The Drought deserves applause for ambitiously braiding genres, social issues and neighboring countries into a bilingual production. Like the best noirs, it leaves an unsettling yet thoughtful impression that will linger long after the drought…and the secrets swimming underneath…have dried up and swept away.
If you enjoy brooding, stakes-driven thrillers in the vein of Nordic standouts, add The Drought to your list. Just be sure to savor the simmer before its secrets boil over.
The Review
The Drought
With its ambitious blend of sociopolitical commentary, cross-border collaboration, and slow-burning noir mystery, The Drought makes a strong first impression despite some plot and pacing issues. Well worth a watch for fans of brooding, layered thrillers.
PROS
- Strong acting and chemistry between the central duo
- Gorgeous cinematography and haunting soundtrack
- Timely themes related to climate crisis and corruption
- Slow-building mystery and tension
CONS
- Plot can be confusing early on
- Some loose/extraneous subplots
- Could use more action for some viewers
- Anti-climactic or unsatisfying ending for some
