‘Cassandra’ is a Retro Smart Home Sci-Fi Thriller That Could Become Netflix’s Next Big International Hit

Netflix debuted a new German AI sci-fi and horror series called Cassandra, and it has become a worldwide hit for the streamer. The series peaked at number four in the United States, but has topped the global chart after scoring a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

With AI being all the rage for the past couple of years, it’s not completely surprising a new sci-fi / horror TV series about artificial intelligence gone wrong would climb up the Netflix charts. Movies like The Matrix and The Terminator are essentially AI and machines run amok, and have been massive and relevant hits for decades. The show comes from writer, producer, and director Benjamin Gutsche (Arthurs Gesetz) and stars Lavinia Wilson, Mina Tander, and Michael Klammer. Here is the plot synopsis:

A family moves into a vintage smart home and discovers that it’s under the control of a virtual assistant — who will stop at nothing to keep them there.

‘Cassandra’ is Quickly Becoming Another Massive Hit for Netflix

Netflix has been basking in the success of the first two seasons of the immensely popular and ground-breaking South Korean dramatic series (K-drama), Squid Game, with season two breaking records. It’s no surprise that Cassandra has been an international hit and is in Netflix’s top 10 lists in the United States and around the world, especially given the “smart home gone wrong” premise. How many viewers rely on smart home technology for things like controlling the thermostat, locking and unlocking the front door, controlling kitchen appliances, and even navigating on the road with modern EVs? And how many are concerned that perhaps those machines could turn against them? If nothing else, it’s fun to imagine it.

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And that’s the key concept of the hit German show: will AI turn against the humans? The family moved into a home built in the 1970s featuring some of the earliest smart home and AI technology. While that premise is a little hard to believe, keep in mind that it’s sci-fi. Judging by the trailer, the retro style of the production design and the AI robot assistant is pretty cool. But it doesn’t take long for things to take a fairly creepy turn.

The trailer sort of spoils what could be a surprise: Cassandra the AI smart home robot appears to have been a real-life woman and somehow has her consciousness. She is played by Wilson, who had a part in Æon Flux and Hey Bunny. The review from Cosmic Circus says the six-part series starts out calm and tranquil before taking a dark and twisted turn in the second half. Cosmic Circus’ Vin enjoyed the second half of the show more, but feels it could have been kept at four episodes instead of six, or even a feature-length film.

As of this writing, Cassandra sits at a 72% positive audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is some way below the perfect critics’ score. However, despite its 100% rating, the series doesn’t have completely perfect comments from the critics that have rated it “fresh,” with some calling it “sloppy” and others noting the “usual tropes” on display. It seems though that this is one series that just has something about it that makes all of that easily forgiven.

All six episodes of Cassandra are currently streaming on Netflix. While the show is in German, there is an option for subtitles and English dubbing.