Odysseus: The Long Dark Road

Netflix Original Series

A faithful, psychologically rich adaptation of the Odyssey that treats Odysseus neither as uncomplicated hero nor simple villain, but as an extraordinarily intelligent man whose greatest strength — his cleverness — is also the thing that makes him most capable of harm. The series follows the decade-long journey home following the Trojan War, with each season covering distinct episodes of the voyage: the Cyclops and Aeolus; Circe and the Sirens; the Underworld (Hades) where Odysseus encounters his dead companions. Crucially, the Underworld episode portrays Hades and Persephone faithfully: their realm is grave and orderly but not cruel. Hades permits Odysseus's consultation with the dead not out of theatrical menace but out of the same impartial justice that governs all his decisions. Penelope in Ithaca runs an equal parallel storyline — not as passive waiter but as active strategist, governing the household and outmaneuvering suitors through her own formidable intelligence.