'Detective Forst' on Netflix: Why I Regret Watching It

Netflix

I did it, and now I have regrets. Watching Netflix’s latest foreign hit, “Detective Forst,” had many strong moments, only to be unraveled. The Polish dramatic thriller focuses on its title character, Wiktor Forst (Borys Szyc), as he relentlessly pursues a vicious serial killer in his small town.

Season 1 comprises six episodes that steadily (if slowly) invest you in the townspeople and, more quickly, justice for the so-called “Monster of Giewont.” To say that Detective Forst is consumed in his avid investigation would be putting it mildly. He is obsessed, and as he digs deeper, related truths surface, leading to a startling conclusion.

Mild spoilers for the ending of “Detective Forst” Season 1 below.

All of this sounds pretty interesting, so why on earth do I regret watching “Detective Forst” on Netflix? It is simple. Season 1 ends on an enormous, giant cliffhanger. You read correctly. You spent roughly 6 hours of your life on Detective Forst’s intense investigation, and you do not get a proper ending.

Netflix has become increasingly comfortable allowing its series to end on a cliffhanger. It is a chance to make a case for a hypothetical Season 2. There is one major problem. Do you know what else Netflix has gotten comfortable with? Cancelling shows. Netflix cancelled “The OA” after a mega-trippy Season 2 cliffhanger.

Creatives must realize that audience satisfaction is equally important to creating hope for a second season. If you think that there is no way “Detective Forst,” one of the most popular shows on Netflix, according to their own Top 10 – think again.

Belgium’s supernatural hit “Black Spot” ended with a cliffhanger and has not returned for a third season. Season 2 premiered in 2019, so do not hold your breath. Meanwhile, Spain’s “The Longest Night” has not unleashed Season 2 on Netflix, despite ending with no resolutions. It came out in 2022. What. A. Waste. 

This viewer wants to watch a show with a beginning and middle and hopes for it not to end. For now, we all must wait with bated breath to learn if “Detective Forst” gets to wrap up properly. Netflix has fittingly (considering the location setting) frozen us in time and with excitement.