Archive 81 is a Netflix original that became one of the first significant new shows on Netflix of 2022. The show made its appearance on the streaming platform on January 14, 2022, and ran for eight episodes. The storyline is based on the podcast Archive 81 by Daniel Powell and Marc Sollinger.
It is directed by Rebecca Sonnenshine and has an average screen time of 45–58 minutes.
The plot is based on a horror podcast and follows the story of Daniel “Dan” Turner, who is an archivist employed by the “Housing Historical Committee of New York State.” He is the protagonist of season one, who listens to audio tapes over two decades old and contains interviews conducted by Melody Pendras.
It obtained positive reviews from the audiences and stood with a rating of 7.1/10 according to the reviewing website Rotten Tomatoes. The website’s critics’ consensus reads, “An intriguing blend of horror and noir, Archive 81 offers addictive supernatural thrills that are haunting in the best way.” Despite these reviews, the show faced almost 50% drop-off from weeks 2-3, resulting in its cancellation.
There have been no further updates claiming the revival of this horror show, and it’s improbable to get a multi-season order upfront. The show concluded on January 14, 2022, and has still yet to get a thumbs up or thumbs down from Netflix.
During an interview with Variety, the show’s creator Rebecca Sonnenshine was asked about the whereabouts of the show’s second season, and we received a not-so-clear response. Discussing the topic, she talked about how the whole story has been told, and there’s nothing left for renewal but also drifted towards the wish to make another season. After her answer, fans were left even more confused while hoping for a yes in the coming future.
According to the recently shared Netflix Top 10 site, it is found that in its first three weeks on the streaming platform, the show was watched for 129.47 million hours. As per IMDb MovieMeter data, it was revealed that it had become the third most popular on its platform between January 16 and January 23. But its position wasn’t maintained. Between January 30 and February 6, Archive 81 was sitting at 21 and further dropped down to 56 on the week ending February 13.
All the data mentioned above makes it hard for us to predict its future, and hence we leave it at a 50-50 chance of revival. For further news, stay tuned.
