The idea of a “smart home” still remains something like virtual reality helmets. That is, an interesting technology and future world on paper, but more entertainment for enthusiasts and tech geeks in reality. This concept also causes people to worry, because if something breaks down, your home turns into an enemy. This idea is used from time to time by authors of various works of fiction.
The new German series Cassandra on Netflix is another attempt to reflect on the development of technology. And it could be completely pointless and banal, but the interesting style, approach to storytelling and the central problem make the show worth watching.
| Title | Cassandra |
| Genre | drama, thriller, science fiction, horror |
| Director | Benjamin Gutsche |
| Starring | Lavinia Wilson, Mina Tander, Michael Klammer, Franz Hartwig, Mary Telle, Joshua Kantara and others |
| Channel | Netflix |
| Episodes | 6 |
| Year | 2025 |
| Website | IMDb |
Cassandra is an electronic home assistant that is supposed to improve and simplify life at home. She was developed in the 70s, so she is made in the aesthetics of retrofuturism, and the house in Germany where she is “based” is considered the oldest “smart home”. The Prill family moves in. Cassandra begins to gradually gain the trust of the family, while constantly making the woman Samira Prill guilty of everything. In fact, the past of this domestic helper hides many secrets and tragedies.
Cassandra is an ambitious attempt to combine elements of science fiction, horror, psychological thriller, and family dramas from past decades. However, it should be noted right away that the quality of the show varies greatly from scene to scene. The fact is that Cassandra tells the story of two time periods at once. And while the present looks rather stereotypical, losing out to the similarly thematic M3GAN, the second half of the show is more impressive.
The storyline in the past is almost the main element that makes Cassandra worth watching. It turns the series from a somewhat pointless entertainment, in which almost all the characters behave illogically, into something much more interesting and dramatic. This part of the story is deeper, more emotionally intense, makes you think and immerse yourself in the world of the series, adding meaning to it. Even the very image of Cassandra, thanks to the past shown in the show, ceases to be flat and turns into something morally ambiguous and sincerely disturbing.
Speaking of retrofuturism in the show, as with any aesthetic in general, the perception here depends on the personal preferences of the viewers. At the same time, it is impossible to deny that Cassandra's design may seem somewhat caricatured and comical. Horrors often like to turn cute things into something horrifying, but Cassandra doesn't experiment too much with this approach. Yet, oddly enough, it adds a special charm to the series, reminiscent of classic B movies from 1980s Hollywood (and one particular episode of The Simpsons).
But what you can't turn a blind eye to is the constant rashness of the main characters' actions and words. For some reason, this is especially true of the male characters. Every adult male in the show is more like a cranky child or a caricatured thief. In this context, it is women who become responsible for all events, both good and bad. Therefore, in a sense, Cassandra can be seen as a juxtaposition of different approaches to motherhood and domesticity.
At the same time, the idea that almost all the characters' problems could have been avoided if they had listened to each other better will definitely not stay with you even after watching the movie. The script of Cassandra sometimes seems too banal, as if it was created according to the templates of mediocre thrillers and horror. But the format of the show comes to the rescue: only six episodes of about 50 minutes each is relatively short, so the disadvantages of the story do not have time to get bored and cover the advantages.
Additionally, Cassandra knows how to make you feel disturbed and uncomfortable by demonstrating violence. The show's authors don't push it too hard, but when such a scene appears on the screen, you can definitely instinctively flinch. Violence itself also becomes an artistic element, as it demonstrates the consequences of cowardice and misunderstandings between close people rather than being created solely to provoke the audience.
Most importantly, Cassandra managed to stand out from other high-profile Netflix projects. This is despite the fact that it had almost no advertising, but now the series is gradually finding new viewers. They also get mixed feelings after watching it, but mostly do not regret watching it at all.