Netflix is flooded with an international rainbow of colorful original series drawn from the realms of sci-fi, horror and fantasy such as Dark, 1899, To The Lake, Katla, and Curon.
All of these shows are perfectly worthy watches and rank highly among the best Netflix shows, but the most recent of these foreign language offerings serving up a healthy helping of captivating, must-watch episodes is The Eternaut, an addictive Latin American sci-fi invasion show whose title can be translated into “eternal astronaut”.
Hailing from creator and director Bruno Stagnaro and embellished with lush cinematography by Gastón Girod and a haunting score from Federico Jusid, this is the first-ever adaptation of the Argentine science fiction graphic novel, The Eternaut.
The comic was published as part of a collection of weekly newspaper comic strips published between 1957 and 1959. Written by Héctor G. Oesterheld with artwork courtesy of Francisco Solano López, the comic is a nostalgic nod to vintage sci-fi.
This six-episode debut season premiered on one of the best streaming services on April 30, 2025 and it’s already one of the most talked about series of the year, claiming the top spot in Netflix’s most-watched chart for two weeks in a row.
Its roots are in old-fashioned invasion thrillers, end-of-the-world climate disasters, dire dystopian epics, and pandemic paranoia as a band of survivors brave a storm of killer snow that kills on contact which heralds the arrival of an even greater cosmic threat.
Don’t let it snow, don’t let it snow, don’t let it snow
Already green-lit for a second season, The Eternaut finds Buenos Aires, Argentina on the brink of collapse after an uncanny snowfall descends upon the bustling metropolis delivering lethal snowflakes that cause instant death for millions.
A group of friends and neighbors led by a man named Juan Salvo (Ricardo Darin) must attempt to reach safety as food and water supplies begin to dwindle and humanity’s worst traits emerge as a full-scale alien incursion erupts.
It’s a fascinating hybrid of old-school science fiction of yesteryear blended with obvious touches of post-apocalyptic nightmares seen in The Walking Dead, Falling Skies, A Quiet Place, Apple TV+’s Invasion, and HBO’s The Last of Us. But its retro sci-fi elements are more attuned to and influenced by those classic ‘50s releases like Invaders From Mars and War of the Worlds.
If you’re tempted to view the series with the English dub, I’d strongly advise against it. These talented Spanish-speaking actors are doing wonderful work here. It’s a true shame to diminish their performances by listening to American voice actors in sound booths replacing the intonations, inflections, and emotional resonances of The Eternaut’s superb cast that also includes Carla Peterson, César Troncoso, and Andrea Pietra. Go for the English sub-titles!
Warning: spoilery territory ahead!
Big bad bugs
Midway through the series the military is inevitably mobilized and comes rolling down the main parts of the city in an armed caravan as swarms of giant cockroach-like creatures scramble over mountains of abandoned cars to cocoon hapless victims in sticky white filaments. What begins as a homicidal snowfall paves the way for a full-blown attack when flaming meteors rain down from the skies and the boisterous bugs begin building nests all along the deserted boulevards.
These scuttling invaders are depicted with stunning detail as they erupt from oval-shaped dens to kill innocent citizens and cannibalize their own fallen species. The visual effects on display are quite convincing and anyone making it to the fourth episode will be greatly rewarded. Prepare for an onslaught of geeky goodness accompanied by haunting soundscapes of howling winds, the restless roar of the snowstorm, clicking insects, and the echoes of empty buildings.
Gastón Girod’s brilliant cinematography is a real highlight of the show, punctuated with muted reds and desaturated blues standing out against the monochromatic snow-covered backdrop. Bruno Stagnaro’s direction has all the hallmarks of an instinctive filmmaker, using a variety of atmospheric comic book compositions and angles to tell the tale of these daring survivors.
As the burrowing roaches multiply and our bunch of Buenos Aires survivors battle back against these nasty extraterrestrial bugs, the only thought we had was we can’t wait for season two!
The Eternaut is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.
