Don’t Come Home Season 1 Review – A Dark-esque sci-fi horror that will have viewers questioning reality

Season 1

 

 

Episode Guide

Varee
Fah
The Girl Who Disappeared
Panida
1992
Don’t Come Home

When it comes to Netflix Thailand, their projects either fly under the radar or they drop earth-shattering, mind-bending content like Master of the House and Girl From Nowhere that will have you questioning reality for days. And their October 2024 release, Don’t Come Home is no different. 

With an unassuming plot summary, a couple of familiar faces and a simple trailer about a missing kid in the woods doesn’t exactly catch the eye of the general public. But don’t underestimate Don’t Come Home as it just may become your next sci-fi obsession.

Helmed by Aumm Aummaraporn and Ton Woottidanai, Don’t Come Home Season 1 stars Nune Woranuch, Japan Ploypaphas, Pear Pitchapa and Cindy Sirinya in the lead roles. This 6-episode show is a bite-sized horror with themes like parental love, paranormal activities and gritty investigations.

It begins with Varee escaping from a troubled marriage and taking her young daughter, Min with her. With no place to go, she decides to hole up in her family home, the dilapidated Jarukanant House which is located in the middle of nowhere. Plagued by strange sightings, thunderstorms and flickering lights, Min is scared out of her wits till she simply vanishes into thin air. 

A desperate Varee enlists the help of Inspector Fah to find her daughter. But as the two women search for Min, they uncover more than what they have signed up for as it seems Varee’s mother, Panida was involved in a similar situation in the same house, 20 years ago.

The Netflix show reels you in right from the start, making you wonder who (or what) is hunting Varee’s family. Japan, the child actress who plays Min does an impeccable job of capturing the terror and confusion of a child trapped in something otherworldly.

And while she shines, the whole cast delivers, especially Nune Woranuch as the desperate woman running from an abusive husband and Cindy Sirinya, whose portrayal of the deranged Panida is downright chilling. Pear Pitchapa’s Fah, the relentless inspector, also gets her moment with a subplot highlighting gender inequality in the workforce.

Fast-paced and quick to the point, Don’t Come Home Season 1 keeps the plot going, though this is its own drawback at times, especially when explaining complicated plot twists. The first half teases viewers with your usual supernatural horror with ghosts and jumpscares.

But just when it starts to feel predictable and boring, the story turns on its head with a shocking plot twist that comes out of nowhere. Yet all the clues and supposed red herrings start to make sense as we get closer to the end. It almost reminds us of Netflix’s Dark with the convoluted tapestry of family trees and decades-old secrets but Don’t Come Home keeps its own flavour with Thai cultural nuances.

And what makes the story work is the attention to detail from minor costume elements to mundane props such as a storybook which delivers substance and style. The eerie, rustic house doesn’t just serve as a setting, it feels like a character itself, shrouded in mystery and decay. The technical execution is so on point with the gritty aesthetic and claustrophobic locale that it keeps the suspense going and keeps viewers hooked right to the end. 

All in all, this Thai Netflix show is a haunting yet intriguing watch that will scratch your brain just right. Just don’t try to pick apart the paranormal logic too much and you’ve got yourself an underrated sci-fi gem.


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  • Verdict - 7.5/10
    7.5/10
7.5/10

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