| Dark Net | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Created by | Mati Kochavi |
| Narrated by | Lauren Terp |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Mati Kochavi Danna Rabin Vivian Schiller David Shadrack Smith |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | Vocativ Part2 Pictures |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | January 21, 2016 (2016-01-21) – May 25, 2017 (2017-05-25) |
Dark Net is an Americandocumentary television series created by Mati Kochavi that explores thedark web andtechnology, and themes such asbiohacking,cyber-kidnapping,digital warfare, online cults, pornography addiction, and webcam strippers. The series premiered on January 21, 2016, onShowtime, with the first season consisting of eight episodes.[1] Its second season, consisting of eight episodes, premiered on April 6, 2017.[2]
Showtime greenlit the series in November 2015. It was created by Mati Kochavi, the founder ofVocativ, and is co-produced by Part2 Pictures.[3] The series was renewed for a second season in March 2016.[4]
The series has received generally positive reviews from critics. OnMetacritic, it has a score of 69 out of 100 based on six reviews.[5] Keith Uhlich ofThe Hollywood Reporter gave it a positive review, calling it "compelling" and wrote, "Contemplation and condemnation, all wrapped up into one, with no easy answers at the end of it all. The fact thatDark Net never allows you to entirely pin down its perspective keeps the proceedings riveting."[6] Brian Lowry ofVariety gave it a more mixed review and wrote, "Other than acknowledging that these subcultures exist, whatDark Net doesn't do is shed much light on them."[7]
The series premiered in Canada onThe Movie Network on January 21, 2016, simultaneous with the American broadcast.[8]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 8 | January 21, 2016 (2016-01-21) | March 10, 2016 (2016-03-10) | |
| 2 | 8 | April 6, 2017 (2017-04-06) | May 25, 2017 (2017-05-25) | |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | US viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Crush" | Peter Richardson | Jeremy Siefer | January 21, 2016 (2016-01-21) | 0.126[9] | |
This episode focuses on aBDSM couple in a long-distance relationship; a Japanese man in a virtual relationship by usingLovePlus; and a woman who was a victim ofrevenge porn. | |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Upgrade" | Peter Richardson | Gemma Jordan | January 28, 2016 (2016-01-28) | 0.073[10] | |
The central theme isbiohacking, including a woman who implants anRFID chip in her hand and a man who lost an eye in accident replacing it with a camera. Also, a man who uses hundreds of data collection systems to track everything in his life. | |||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Exploit" | Peter Richardson | Billy Shebar | February 4, 2016 (2016-02-04) | 0.105[11] | |
Documenting cyberchild pornography in Cebu, Philippines via thedark web. Also, technology used to protect children online and catch the perpetrators is shown, and a pedophile reveals the reasons for his addiction. | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | "CTRL" | Peter Richardson | Holly Taylor | February 11, 2016 (2016-02-11) | 0.055[12] | |
Focusing on the job of content moderators on the Internet and explores computer hackers. | |||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Trapped" | Peter Richardson | Aaron Lubarsky | February 18, 2016 (2016-02-18) | 0.046[13] | |
This episode explores a woman who believes she suffers fromelectromagnetic hypersensitivity; a man who suffered a massive stroke and is now paralyzed, who uses technology to improve and aid in his life; and a woman who deserted her family to join an online cult. | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Rewire" | Peter Richardson | Marcella Steingart | February 25, 2016 (2016-02-25) | 0.037[14] | |
Explorations of Internetpornography addiction,nootropics, and people withautism working in the technology industry. | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Provoke" | Peter Richardson | William Acks | March 3, 2016 (2016-03-03) | 0.069[15] | |
Violence andtrolling viasocial media and the creator and mission behind the online character of Abdullah-X. | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Revolt" | Peter Richardson | Alexandra Meistrell | March 10, 2016 (2016-03-10) | 0.052[17] | |
This episode documents an activist who documentspolice brutality; a transgender woman (Abby Stein)[16] who turned away fromHasidic Judaism once discovering the Internet; and anorganization who uses3D printing technology to build untraceable, undetectableguns. | |||||||
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | US viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "My Mind" | Jeremy Siefer | Allison Koch | April 6, 2017 (2017-04-06) | N/A | |
This episode explores usingvirtual reality to help withposttraumatic stress disorder,RealDolls withartificial intelligence, and a woman who works forAmazon Mechanical Turk. | |||||||
| 10 | 2 | "My Justice" | Jeremy Siefer Peter Richardson | Alex Meistrell | April 13, 2017 (2017-04-13) | N/A | |
This episode documents online amateur sleuths (Websleuths) regarding the death of Morgan Ingram and its effect on the accused killer who was deemed innocent; and "Commander X", a member ofhacktivist groupAnonymous who fled the United States having been arrested for a cyber attack. | |||||||
| 11 | 3 | "My Money" | Jeremy Siefer Peter Richardson | William Acks | April 20, 2017 (2017-04-20) | N/A | |
| 12 | 4 | "My Nation" | Jeremy Siefer | Gemma Jordan | April 27, 2017 (2017-04-27) | N/A | |
This episode documentspolitical movements andextremist groups, including anAlt-right group who spread their message via social media, and former members of extremist groups suchNeo-Nazis (includingChristian Picciolini) andAl-Qaeda who are now non-radicalized. | |||||||
| 13 | 5 | "My Identity" | Jeremy Siefer | France Costrel | May 4, 2017 (2017-05-04) | N/A | |
This episode exploresfacial recognition technology and its use in law enforcement, homes, and casinos. An innocent man tells his story after facial recognition technology incorrectly tied him to a bank robbery and how it has ruined his life, leaving him homeless. Also explored is the issue ofprivacy in the age of social media. | |||||||
| 14 | 6 | "My Home" | Jeremy Siefer Peter Richardson | Jeremy Siefer Eric Strauss | May 11, 2017 (2017-05-11) | N/A | |
This episode discuses issues of privacy and surveillance within homes and communities; including a woman whose laptop webcam is infiltrated by a digital stalker; a neighborhood which takes it upon themselves to install surveillance cameras for safety; and a man whose interest invoyeurism now has him labeled as a sex offender living under constant surveillance. | |||||||
| 15 | 7 | "My Community" | Jeremy Siefer Peter Richardson | Erin Crumpacker Jackie Hurwitz | May 18, 2017 (2017-05-18) | N/A | |
This episode explores the town ofJun, Granada which usesTwitter as its main source of communication between residents and the government; a teacher inAhwatukee, Phoenix who is digitally harassed; and a father of one of the children killed in theSandy Hook Elementary School shooting who faces threats fromconspiracy theorists. | |||||||
| 16 | 8 | "My Relationship" | Jeremy Siefer | Allison Koch Alexandra Meistrell | May 25, 2017 (2017-05-25) | N/A | |