User reviews

When it comes to Romanian action series, many people tend to compare it to Umbre. It's a mini-series with a decent storyline. You can clearly see the Netflix influence compared to what Romanian audiences are accustomed to in TV shows. Yes, it's not a masterpiece, but I don't think that was the goal. I could mention things I didn't like, but that would involve giving spoilers, which isn't necessary. In the end, Florin Piersic Jr. Is undoubtedly the actor who fits his role the best and adds extra value to the mini-series. So, if you have nothing to do on a day, you can give it a chance. Leave your expectations tied to Umbre aside, as it's not exactly the same type of action and doesn't aim to be.

P. S. Merge de plictiseala!

I am no specialist at all, but I am guessing they had a small budget, as usual :), and they did what they could.

First things first, the title and story look so cool, the implementation and the acting is not :(.

Sure I have to compare it to "Umbre" which let's be honest the first two episodes were not quite the best, but after it got traction it was wow.

Some of the actors from "Umbre" actually play small roles here, too small for their size. :).

I don't understand one thing, some of the actors try to be as real as possible, by cursing and acting street like, in contrast the other guys are so polite and play cheap theater.

I respect that they have tried, and I wish they will continue and improve 10X, but season 1's scenario is very faulty unfortunately, and goofy. Things like how stupid the bad guys can be to dress tattooed guys in policemen, or to break into the police station so easily and get away.

I hate this holywoodish style where thieves have superhero intelligence and power over policemen (it's very unreal) (compare it with "Umbre" and by the way I am not a police man :) nor that I care about them) The acting: bad :(.

Ana could have done much better, she is a good actress.

"Florin Piersica JR"...well way bad, doe not even compare with any bad boss I have seen in "Umbre" and sorry for the repettive comparison, I am sure the budgets were different but I still feel that even with less money you can do genius work, and romanians can do that. :) Madalina and Andreea played in "Umbre" and wow how they played and here they were given almost nothing to play...maybe the intend was to rise new stars like Irina and Cosmin, which were not bad. ;) Overall I give it a 5 to encourage more of this content, maybe with a better more complicated plot and a 10X better implementation :)).

Subteran (2025) offers an intriguing premise, following a mother working in IT who is thrust into the dangerous world of crime after her life is turned upside down by Bucharest's criminal underworld. As she goes undercover to fight the criminals who have impacted her life, the series weaves a tale of suspense, action, and personal transformation. Created by Steve Bailie, the show has a strong foundation, but its execution leaves room for improvement.

Ana Ularu, who leads the series, delivers a solid performance as the determined mother. Her portrayal captures the vulnerability and strength of a character forced into extraordinary circumstances, and she provides emotional depth to a role that could otherwise have felt more one-dimensional. The supporting cast, including Cezar Grumazescu and Florin Piersic Jr., also bring their characters to life with conviction, though their roles often lack the same depth as Ularu's.

While the concept of the show is compelling, with a strong central character fighting to protect her family, the pacing of the series occasionally falters. The balance between action and character development feels uneven, with some episodes focusing too heavily on plot progression at the expense of emotional engagement. The show could benefit from a deeper exploration of the protagonist's internal struggles and motivations, rather than relying solely on external conflicts.

The visual style of Subteran is effective in conveying the gritty, dangerous world of Bucharest's criminal landscape. The cinematography captures the urban environment with stark realism, and the action sequences are decently executed, though they sometimes feel a bit generic. The series doesn't always fully capitalize on the tension that its premise promises, and the plot's predictability dampens the overall impact.

Subteran has potential, but it doesn't fully realize it in its early stages. The premise is engaging, and there are strong performances, but the series struggles to find its emotional depth and pacing. If the show can build on its solid foundation and develop its characters more fully, it could become a more compelling watch in future seasons.

Rating: 6/10. A promising crime drama with a strong premise, but its uneven pacing and lack of emotional depth hold it back from reaching its full potential.

Subteran offers a straightforward and somewhat predictable plot, aiming for broad international appeal. However, this simplicity may leave some viewers wanting more depth. The Romanian cast, though well-known, often seems mismatched with the script, which might have been translated from English, resulting in unnatural dialogue. This detracts from the overall authenticity, especially when characters speak in ways that don't fit their roles. While the intent to attract international platforms like Netflix is clear, the execution falls a bit short, making it feel somewhat overrated. Nonetheless, it's a step towards increasing Romanian visibility in global media.

If u like crime movies its worth watching once , liked character of irena very much ..

great effort by make up artist , costume designer to make her look like a mafia lady in the series ...

Somebody share the link to TAN TAN TAN party song used in this series .. couldn't find it on you tube ..

its a relatively short web series you can finish watching it in one single go ..

However the TAN TAN party song was really cool , couldnt find it anywhere on web .. what language is that ?

Can someone share the link to full song ?

The scene where Mafia boss takes delivery of drungs seemed to be very low budget .. they could have improved that ..

Look, I wasn't expecting another Umbre, especially given this production's budget. However, I have an issue with what this mini-series tries-and fails-to be: a representation of Romania's underground (SUBTERAN) landscape.

In short, the show feels more like a theatrical play than an authentic portrayal of Romanian street life, or Romanian every-day life for that matter.

The writing is weak, but what truly puts me off is the delivery of the lines. Florin Piersic Jr. And Cezar Grumazescu are far from convincing in their roles. Their dialogue is delivered with such perfect pronunciation that it feels like they've never heard anyone speak outside an academic setting.

The world-building remains largely untapped. Bucharest, the city where the story unfolds, barely impacts the narrative, aside from a few run-down houses scouted to create a superficial illusion of an Eastern European "ghetto." It couldn't be further from the truth.

Watch just one episode of Umbre, and the difference is clear: authenticity. From set design to language, pronunciation, and costume design, Umbre gets it right. Dressing Florin Piersic Jr. As a stereotypical Italian-wannabe-mobster doesn't make him a believable character.

Ironically, Alex Velea (a local Romanian trapper) delivers a more authentic performance in a minor role, simply by playing himself.

"Subteran" is a surprising gem that sets a new standard for Romanian productions on Netflix. The show captivates from the first episode with its intricate plot and high-quality cinematography. The direction is sharp, making every scene purposeful and engaging. The performances are nuanced, adding depth to the layered narrative, while the script is bold and thought-provoking, keeping you guessing throughout. The production quality rivals international standards, showcasing Romania's growing prowess in the entertainment industry. It's a refreshing, well-executed series that deserves a spot on your watchlist. A must-see for fans of thrilling and intelligent storytelling!

Not bad actually. Psycho girl was really good. The acting I mean. Same with Ana Ularu, apart from a couple of scenes she was believable. Oase is good too. I don't know any of these actors apart from Ana Ularu, Adriana Trandafir, Florin Piersic and Velea. The gang of gangsters was relatively believable. I liked seeing the sights from Bucharest. The grand tasteless mansions surrounded by concrete and empty land. Very Romanian sadly. Dirty money and no class. So they got that right. Some of the actors were flat in some of the scenes. Surprisingly, Adriana Trandafir was one of them. The writers kept me entertained, I actually binged this, which is rare for me to do. I really appreciated the short miniseries format and I truly hope they do not continue it. Although they left it a little muddled, so I guess they want to leave it open somewhat just for that. Again, it wouldn't work without psycho girl, she pretty much drives at least half the show.

Would not have watched it if it weren't a Romanian series, it's the first one I am watching, the others have had a pretty bad reputation.

I thought the songs on the soundtrack fit the mood. I'm sure Romanians will grumble about the manele and trap. I would too, but it fits. It really does. I don't like it but this is the reality of these people.

Disappointing and Misplaced, Judging by the premise and the genre, I thought this show had potential. However, right from the first episode, it becomes clear what kind of series this really is. It feels more like a telenovela than the drama-packed crime triller you'd expect from Netflix. Honestly, I hope this doesn't become a trend for the platform. Throughout the entire watch, you get the impression that this series belongs on a lesser-known local TV channel - one of those shows that's there just to fill airtime. It leans heavily toward drama, and while the dramatic elements are very present, they overshadow everything else. I ended up fast-forwarding through parts of it, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Definitely not worth the hype or the platform it's on.

This is my first IMDB review, I just wanted to say that this is definitely not a "telenovela" like Lia My Husbands Wife, it deserves more love and less hate, it's really cool and engaging and i really hope they renew it.

It's not a masterpiece and a must see show, but most will enjoy watching it, especially Romanian watchers, to which I recommend it.

Compared to other Romanian TV Shows I think it's a breath of new air.

Florin Piersic Jr has a very interesting villain role and acts it superbly.

The only music genre I don't listen to is HipHop, but the soundtrack for this show is very well picked so i started enjoying HipHop :))

This is utter garbage. Bad acting, bad storytelling, every cop-bad guy movie cliche you can think about is crammed in this 6 episodes series. It's a shame that a good actress like Ana Ularu put her name on this piece of crap, but hey, it's Netflix, she's going international. I suppose as a Romanian it could be fun to watch for all the familiar Bucharest places but other than that, nothing is credible in this story, not even the mobster slang. The guy who created this garbage seems to have a passion for Romania, since he created another disaster called Hackerville. This doesn't even work as a parody or comedy, since everything is played in a dramatic and serious note. Cringe is the keyword.

Actors were really good ,each of them played their part amazing ! I knew of course Florin Piersic and I was pleasantly surprised by the younger folks .Narrative seemed predictable but it wasn't ...it makes you wanna see what's next and I'm sure this is not the end of this serie !

We shouldn't try to compare this serie with some Hollywood production and say ...they were good but yeah it was in Romania so it was low budget ...I believe it's the opposite ...despite de grey backgrounds this actors brought an intense story to life and kept audience engaged !!!Each episode had some center scene that made you have intense emotions ..and the end was ...realistic .

I fell asleep at 3 AM because I started watching episode 1 of "Subteran," the first Romanian Netflix production, in the evening and didn't stop until the end of the last episode. It hooked me! It's very good for its purpose, which is pure entertainment. It has the Hollywood clichés that appeal to audiences, phenomenal actors, the right soundtrack, and impeccable sound and visuals. The scenes and dialogues feel natural, with minor deviations here and there that don't really bother.

What did I like?

The acting, from everyone! Nothing bothered me enough to make me turn it off and go to sleep. Ana Ularu, Florin Piersic Jr., Cezar Grumazescu, Cosmin Teodor Pana, Irina Artenii... even Alex Velea, all act wonderfully. The characters are believable, as are the dialogues, and the typical exaggerations of a film production in this genre come when and how they should.

The humor! Yes, there's humor, and I liked that it appears when you least expect it, with specific Romanian expressions that made me chuckle a few times.

The cat! Yes, there's a cat. And it brings what it needs to. Even the last trace of humanity of the psychopath Tili.

The action scenes. They are very well executed. I expected to be disappointed from the first fight with Miss Psycho Tili. I thought the idea of the evil psychopathic assassin and the survivor female character wouldn't work in the fight scenes. But it did!

I didn't get bored. There isn't any section of several minutes where you might fall asleep. Everything is fast-paced, the scenes unfold quickly, the script is complex but not complicated, so it doesn't tire you, the action unfolds unexpectedly but not excessively.

The fact that the relationship between Cami and Oase, the main characters, wasn't romanticized. It wasn't turned into a soap opera.

The ending. It surprised me a bit because I expected something, and in 99% of cases with these kinds of productions, I figure it out. This time, I didn't. Which means we'll probably have a sequel if the series is successful.

Conclusion?

"Subteran" is worth watching. In the end, you don't feel like you've wasted your time. On the contrary, you're happy, as a Romanian, that we've managed to be there, among Netflix productions, represented successfully. So, enjoy it! And keep the views coming so it continues, because I want to see a second season.

I was very curious to see something produced in a country like Romania, where the bloodiest communist dictatorship reigned, the last to fall. What can be seen in this excellent series is that Ceausescu's dictatorship left a huge legacy of corruption and crime. It can be assumed that there is freedom of expression in current Romania, as not only is corruption shown openly but, in a certain sense, it ends up going unharmed. Good actors, very convincing, extremely creative filming make this series something really worth watching. The tension of the narrative is constant from beginning to end. There is room for a second season, as many things require a conclusion. I eagerly hope this second season happens soon.