TV Show Review #1 - Rampvlucht

The latest series of NPO Plus, named "Rampvlucht", takes you as viewer to the day of October 4, 1992. The day that a Boeing 747 of the Israeli airline company El Al crashed in the Bijlmermeer. From the first moment, the show manages to stick and each time a piece of the mystery is revealed through two determined investigative journalists (Thomas Höppener and Yorick van Wageningen) and a fictional veterinarian (Joy Delima). 

The Bijlmer disaster was an air disaster that took place on Sunday evening, the 4th of October in 1992 in Amsterdam, more specifically in the Bijlmermeer. A Boeing 747 cargo plane, flight LY-1862 of the Israeli airline El Al, crashed into the "Groeneveen" and "Klein-Kruitberg" flats. The disaster claimed the lives of at least 43 people, including the crew of three and the plane's sole passenger. The Bijlmer disaster is one of the deadliest events in the history of Dutch aviation. This show is partly fiction, but mainly true. 

In the first episode, the horrific disaster unfolds, ushering in the protagonists and from then on more and more of the cesspool is opened up. The power of this story is becoming increasingly clear, it is unimaginable to many that such a large conspiracy is possible in one of the most Western and democratic countries in the world. The viewer is drawn into this conspiracy and with the help of journalists Vincent Dekker and Pierre Heijboer, new elements of the mystery are constantly being brought up. In this way, the tempo is maintained, and the captivating feeling of the viewer never disappears. 

In addition, the acting performances for a Dutch production are of a very high level. All the protagonists, especially Joy Delima, Thomas Höppener and Yorick van Wageningen, deliver an excellent performance throughout the entire series. A downside is that some supporting roles are filled by people who are significantly less able or willing to empathize with their role. However, this hardly bothers you, because of the fast pace of this series. 

Conclusion

This show is one of the best TV shows I have seen so far this year (and one of the best Dutch TV shows I have ever seen). I was captivated and amazed from start to finish. Especially in the current world view, where there is a lot of mistrust towards those in power, this series makes you think deeply as a person. I am happy it was only five episodes of a little less than an hour, so that the show was able to remain its high pace throughout the whole show. 

Rating: 8.6