Infiniti opens with this cracker of a paradox – how can someone be alive in space while being dead on Earth at the same time?
The six-part French series takes a deliberate, slow-burn approach to solving this mystery, while managing to blend seemingly incompatible genres: sci-fi and noir.
It’s this blend of a True Detective-inspired narrative style infused with the contemplative nature of Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi novels that sets this series apart. It takes two genres that we’ve become painstakingly familiar with and mixes them together to create a wholly original and exciting outcome.
The Kazakh steppes offer up a clever mystery. Source: Viktoria Abramova – Empreinte Digitale / Federation Entertainment Belgique / Canal+
We follow two parallel story arcs – both giving us clues, little by little, about the truth behind what really happened to the American astronaut Anthony Kurz (Lex Shrapnel) and solving the mystery at hand. It’s no coincidence that the object of our quest is named “Kurz”, a nod to the mysterious Kurtz from Joseph Conrad’s novella, Heart of Darkness. In the novella, the protagonist Charles Marlowe’s search for Kurtz leads him down a path of discovering uncomfortable truths about the nature of his disappearance. In Infiniti, Kurz also becomes a catalyst to uncovering the broader mystery and elements of political subterfuge at play.
Our Marlowe in this series is French astronaut Anna Zarathi (Céline Sallette). She has a personal reason to find the truth behind Kurz’s disappearance – they’re lovers. It was she, not Kurz, who was supposed to be on that space mission. However, she’s deemed “mentally unfit” to take part and Kurz replaces her at the last minute.
American astronaut Anthony Kurz (Lex Shrapnel). Source: Viktoria Abramova – Empreinte Digitale / Federation Entertainment Belgique / Canal+
It’s not just another mystery for Anna. Apart from the need to be reunited with her lover, this is her shot at redemption. This is her chance to prove that she’s a worthy astronaut who is physically and mentally capable of carrying out her duties. It’s an opportunity for her to prove that others around her have ulterior motives in trying to gaslight her and convince the world that she’s mentally unwell.
Having a female protagonist combat gaslighting is a nice noir touch. Not only is this a nod to other contemporary female protagonists who’ve had to overcome similar challenges in otherwise male-dominated work environments – think Claire Danes’ Carrie Mathison in the American TV series Homeland for example – it’s also a hark back to the origin of the term gaslighting itself. The term gained currency in popular culture thanks to the psychological thriller and domestic noir film titled Gaslight (1944), in which Ingrid Bergman plays a young woman who begins to doubt her own sanity after being constantly manipulated by a sociopath played by Charles Boyer. Infiniti is a series that knows how to deftly give a classy homage.
The second parallel story arc follows a Kazakh cop called Isaak Turgun (Daniyar Alshinov). He’s the one who discovered Kurz’s corpse on a rooftop and wants to get at the heart of the mystery. He’s convinced that the International Space Station and the Cosmodrome are hiding something. Much like Anna, this case also becomes a shot at redemption for him. Think of Isaak as a less cynical but equally traumatised Kazakh-version of True Detective’s Rust Cohle. He’s carrying the guilt of a tragedy that he blames himself for and through this case, he’s seeking to forgive himself more than anything else.
The narrative keeps switching between the two story arcs – we go back and forth between the action at the Cosmodrome and Isaak’s ongoing investigation in the Kazakh steppe. Anna and Isaak are unaware that they’re on the same side and are helping each other. This adds a layer of tension to the proceedings – Anna and Isaak don’t know who to trust, including each other.
Overseeing the proceedings is the head of ISS Operations Emil Durkhov (Vlad Ivanov). He’s an old hand who likes to keep his cards close to his chest. Mainly concerned with ensuring the reputation of the ISS stays untarnished as the ongoing crisis about Kurz’s mysterious death escalates, he’s also hiding a few secrets of his own that he’ll go to any lengths to protect. Ivanov – whom you can also watch in a stellar lead performance in the absurdist thriller The Whistlers (2019), currently – is perfectly cast as the shady Durkhov. You cannot guess where his loyalties lie and playing that guessing game of what he’s up to adds to the edge-of-the-seat thrill.
French astronaut Anna Zarathi (Céline Sallette). Source: Viktoria Abramova – Empreinte Digitale / Federation Entertainment Belgique / Canal+
Kazakhstani cop Isaak Turgun (Daniyar Alshinov). Source: Viktoria Abramova – Empreinte Digitale / Federation Entertainment Belgique / Canal+
Unknowing allies, Anna (Céline Sallette) and Isaak (Daniyar Alshinov) investigate the mystery. Source: Viktoria Abramova – Empreinte Digitale / Federation Entertainment Belgique / Canal+
Emil Durkhov (Vlad Ivanov) heads up ISS Operations. Source: Viktoria Abramova – Empreinte Digitale / Federation Entertainment Belgique / Canal+
The resolution of this mystery and how the different pieces eventually converge to form a complete picture is the highlight of the series. The reveal is unexpected and catches you by surprise, which is a testament to a gripping mystery drama that delivers on its promise, and more.
Infiniti premieres exclusively in Australia and is now streaming (don't miss it, Infiniti will be departing 29th June).
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