Whether You Expected it or Not, ‘The OA’ Hits Netflix on Friday

It’s been said many times, but there seem to be two kinds of Netflix shows. There are the ones they spend months promoting and hyping over time (like Daredevil), and then there are the shows they just sort of toss out into the ether without saying anything until the last minute (like Stranger Things). The OA, whose trailer was quietly released yesterday, appears to be the latter kind.

Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, we practically know nothing about the actual series. The trailer shows a girl who had been reported missing seven years earlier. When she disappeared she had been blind, but when recovered her vision had been restored. And then we get a whole bunch of scenes sans context which, while building a bit of mystery, don’t really tell us anything concrete about the show. If Netflix wanted us to ask “What the hell is going on?” they’ve certainly succeeded.

I mean, the series tagline is “Trust the Unknown.”

We don’t even know what The OA stands for. I mean, the first thing that pops to my mind isn’t really helpful, as I doubt it’s a reference to a “secret society” that operated for over a decade at my alma matter. Ah well, I guess we’ll all find out together this weekend.

Try not to spoil it for your friends.