Typewriter: Season 1 (3/5) – Netflix Series Review

TYPEWRITER is a new Netflix Horror Thriller series from India. Season 1 features just five episodes, so you can easily watch this new Netflix series in a weekend. Read why you should give this haunted house series a chance in our Typewriter review below.

Typewriter is a new Netflix series in the horror and thriller genres. And yes, since this new Netflix horror series is from India, it does mean that it’s not in English. However, you can always choose to watch a dubbed version. I never recommend doing this (it’s never as good as the original), but it is an option. 

As anyone who has watched a movie or series from India will know, there is quite a lot of English words used throughout the dialogue. So you won’t be completely lost. 

Season 1 consists of just 5 episodes with a runtime of 45-55 minutes each. Also, Typewriter starts out with a strong opening scene that is straight out of a classic urban legend, you’ve probably heard.

Read why Netflix series from India are always worth giving a chance in the rest of our Typewriter review.

A Haunted House in India

Typewriter is a classic haunted house story set in Goa (India), which offers a different take on a familiar story. Yes, there will be ghosts and even a book to get the horror started. 

The opening credit is reminiscent of the German Netflix series Dark in terms of visuals. Also, it features a theme song that sounds like the one from HBO’s Westworld. In fact, the overall score also sounds quite a bit like an up-tempo version of it as well.

In Typewriter, the story has nothing to do with either of those two series. Instead, we have a ghost club with three kids (and a yellow labrador dog). The kids want to catch a ghost (why else have a ghost club, as one asks).

To them, the Bardez Villa in their small town is the perfect place to catch a ghost. Especially since their favorite ghost author lived there. His book “The Ghost of Sultanpore” is almost like a bible to them. How this book was even written is just another mystery since the author passed away before finishing it. 

Netflix horror series from India

This isn’t the first horror series from India to be released on Netflix. In 2018, the series Ghoul was released and currently holds an IMDb rating of 7.2 which is well-deserved.

You should check this out: Read our review of the Indian Netflix series Ghoul here >

If you have already watched this previous Netflix series from India, then you’ll have an idea of what to expect.

First of all, keep in mind that this is the land of Bollywood. In other words, you can expect a pretty high production quality. Also, both Ghoul and Typewriter consist of just 3-5 episodes. Basically, it’s like watching a very long movie where you have built-in snack and bathroom breaks.

Another thing both series have in common is the fact that the acting is very good and the characters are interesting. This alone is enough to make anything better.

If you want to watch more horror from India, then make sure you also check out the horror fantasy Tumbbad – read our review of it here!

More Goosebumps than The Haunting of Hill House

With a group of kids as protagonists in many respects, it does feel more like a family adventure than a classic horror series. It does work pretty well though, and it’s funny to experience their little insights and downright fearless logic.

Just expect a lot more Goosebumps than The Haunting of Hill House. It does however get pretty bloody and violent from episode 2 of Typewriter, so don’t get too comfortable!

Also, the acting in Typewriter is impressive. And you should even recognize a few faces if you’ve watched Sense8 on Netflix. Purab Kohli is one of the lead actors in Typewriter and had a key supporting role in Sense8.

Paloma Ghosh also had a small role in Sense8 and has one of the most important roles in Typewriter. She’s the adult granddaughter of the ghost story writer.

The kids work really well and manage to give very believable performances. Even the dog, Buddy, is wonderful and is bound to win over hearts. But again, from episode two you will get both the sweet and funny moments along with the more creepy and bloody ones. 

Watch Typewriter Season 1 on Netflix now!

Sujoy Ghosh directed season 1 of Typewriter and also co-wrote the series along with Suresh Nair and Raj Vasant. In the past, Sujoy Ghosh has written and directed several feature films such as the thriller-mystery Kahaani from 2012.

He has also made a few short films but Typewriter is the first series for him. Both Suresh Nair and Raj Vasant have worked with Sujoy Ghosh on at least one of his previous projects. While I haven’t watched any of his previous movies, this series is certainly enough reason to want to.

Obviously, this isn’t the new The Haunting of Hill House. I mean, for one, it’s way to short a series to be able to build up that kind of story. Also, it’s way too light and sweet to match the pure horror of that brilliant Netflix production by Mike Flanagan.

Still, if you like a good horror series with mystery and creepiness (as well as some humor), then check out Typewriter on Netflix.

Season 1 of Typewriter is out on Netflix worldwide from July 19, 2019.

Details

Creator: Sujoy Ghosh
Stars: Palomi Ghosh, Jishu Sengupta, Purab Kohli, Sara Gesawat, Aaryansh Malviya, Palash Kamble, Mikail Gandhi, Sameer Kochhar, Aarna Sharma

Plot

Typewriter is about a haunted house and a haunted book that stir the imagination of a group of young, wannabe ghost hunters, and a dog, determined to capture the ghost that plagues the notorious home in their neighbourhood in Goa. When a new family and their captivating daughter move into the haunted home, the crew finds it difficult to balance the demands of school and chores with the renewed urgency to capture the neighbourhood ghost before it is too late.