Hound’s Hill – Review | Netflix

HOUND’s HILL on Netflix is a Polish Mystery Series (org. title: Wzgórze psów). It’s based on a book by Jakub Żulczyk and the series adaptation has just five hour-long episodes. A twisted family dynamic is part of the plot, but it’s also about murder. Read our full Hound’s Hill series review here!

HOUND’s HILL is a new Netflix crime thriller series from Poland (org. title: Wzgórze psów). The series has five episodes. Each is around one hour in runtime, so you can watch the entire limited series quickly.

The new Netflix production is based on a book by Jakub Żulczyk, but some changes have been made. What you’ll notice first – apart from a murder case and a very adult actor portraying himself as a young man – is that a brutal murder has happened. Also, this family just feels off.

Continue reading our Hound’s Hill series review below. Find it on Netflix from January 8, 2025.

Returning to your childhood home

In Hound’s Hill, we meet the very successful author Mikolaj as he finally returns to his hometown. It’s his father’s birthday but as soon as Mikolaj steps through the door of his childhood home, the air changes.

Mikolaj has had some rough years (or nearly two decades) after his girlfriend was brutally murdered. Now, it turns out his very successful book is about this true crime. Well, it’s about the murder and his family as well as life in Zybork, where he grew up.

People in Zybork are not crazy about being the subject of his book. Including his father, who doesn’t agree with everything stated as facts in the book. Also, there’s a chance that the person convicted of his girlfriend’s murder may not be the actual killer.

As Mikolaj – a recovering addict with nearly a year of being sober – faces blackmail over his book, he also tries to reconcile with his father. It’s not an easy task as both seem quite stubborn and aren’t exactly agreeing on facts of the past.

Zybork is full of corruption and sinister secrets

Mikolaj also wants to improve his relationship with his wife, Justyna. She supports him in most areas but has been through a lot in her years with him. As an investigative journalist, she is intrigued by the town of Zybork.

Especially as they come across someone who has been tortured and is almost dead. A man lying in the road, when they try to leave the town. Also, Mikolaj’s father has become an activist fighting local corruption.

There are many dark stories, sinister secrets, and sad fates in Zybork. Justyna is ready to investigate and can see a great article emerge from it. She just cannot be sure that her own husband isn’t already involved in many of the secrets she’ll uncover.

Hound’s Hill has a cast of familiar faces

If you’ve watched some of the previous Netflix productions from Poland – or other successful Polish productions – you should recognize quite a few of the actors in the cast.

In the role of Mikolaj is Mateusz Kościukiewicz (Netflix series 1983). As Justyna, we see Jaśmina Polak who you may recognize from the Netflix series Dead End (read our review here) or the HBO series The Thaw (review here).

Also in the cast playing key characters are Robert Wieckiewicz (Dark Crimes), Rafael Stachowiak (The Teachers’ Lounge), Kamila Urzedowska (The Peasants), Wojciech Zielinski (Colors of Evil: Red), and Andrzej Konopka (Signs).

Watch the Hound’s Hill series on Netflix now

Hound’s Hill is based on a book by Jakub Żulczyk (Feedback). This five-episode limited crime series from Poland (org. title: Wzgórze psów) is slow-burn but also suspenseful and extremely dark at times.

Piotr Domalewski directed the series with Jacek Borcuch. He also wrote the script with the author of the book, which should ensure that it was made in the vein of the original story.

The final episode shows us what happened during the evening of the murder nearly 20 years ago. However, we see it as a cartoon of sorts. Through the eyes of the person accused of the murder, who liked to draw and still had the mind (and heart) of a child in many ways.

If you enjoy thriller series that deal with crime and mystery in very dark ways, then Hound’s Hill is a great choice. It does get brutal and shows a world where human life (and justice in general) isn’t valued. Power and money are what rule the town of Zybork in this series.

Hound’s Hill is on Netflix globally from January 8, 2025.

Details

Directors: Piotr Domalewski, Jacek Borcuch
Writers: Piotr Domalewski, Jakub Żulczyk
Cast: Robert Więckiewicz, Mateusz Kościukiewicz, Jasmina Polak, Wojciech Zieliński, Magdalena Wójcik, Rafał Stachowiak, Kamila Urzędowska, Jan Dravnel