Colin Farrell's "The North Water" — a dark 5-part thriller perfect for a weekend binge

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There have been relatively few oceanic adventure epics made in recent years, and even fewer that have tapped into the grounded horror of pre-20th century aquatic travel. Even if the notion of oceanic exploration is frequently associated with high-octane swashbuckling crowdpleasers, the grim reality is that it was a highly dangerous form of transportation that required those with the coldest of hearts to participate. The North Water feels like a piece of old-fashioned epic filmmaking , as its scope and scale are equivalent to a classic from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The cinematic qualities should come as no surprise, given that the series was created and directed by the brilliant British filmmaker Andrew Haigh . Although Haigh’s movies up until this point have primarily fallen in the social drama genre, The North Water applies the same emotional gravity to a historical epic filled with graphic horror.