Red Light

Three women become entangled in the world of human trafficking and prostitution when Esther's husband suddenly disappears. From completely different worlds, the lives of these women become intertwined. They discover that they need each other to escape from the difficult situations they find themselves in.

Red Light (2020-2021) is a Dutch-Belgian crime drama series created by Carice van Houten and Halina Reijn, a ten-episode single-season run co-produced for Streamz, BNNVARA and VTM. Esther Vinkel (Halina Reijn) and Sylvia Steenhuyzen (Carice van Houten) anchor the story as its central women, with Evi Vercruyssen (Maaike Neuville) drawn into the same web. When Esther's husband suddenly disappears, the three women, who come from completely different worlds, find their lives tangled in the underworld of human trafficking and prostitution. The engine of the series is their struggle to free themselves from situations they cannot easily leave, with each episode pushing them deeper into dangerous territory and forcing them to depend on one another. Told as a tightly woven serialized story, the series moves between the women's separate lives as they converge. Its tone is tense, gritty and emotionally raw, with a sober, unsentimental look at exploitation and the solidarity that grows between women who have little in common. Fans of The Girlfriend Experience, Gomorrah and Peaky Blinders will find resonance in its dark crime atmosphere and morally complicated characters.

Critics broadly praise Red Light's gritty, unsentimental portrait of trafficking and its strong lead performances, while finding its pacing uneven in places.

• The Girlfriend Experienceshared gritty crime underworld and sex trade subject matter, serialized female-led drama
• Peaky Blindersshared dark crime drama tone, morally compromised characters in an organized criminal underworld
• Gomorrahshared intense serialized drama about women forced into dangerous circumstances and surviving together

Created by

Carice van Houten, Halina Reijn

Release Date

2020-12-04

Episode runtime

50 min

Rating

7.1 / 10 (30)

What is Red Light about?

Three women from very different worlds are drawn into human trafficking after Esther's husband vanishes, and must rely on each other to escape.

What is Red Light like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Red Light as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is Red Light violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in Red Light as brutal.

What did critics think of Red Light?

Critics broadly praise Red Light's gritty, unsentimental portrait of trafficking and its strong lead performances, while finding its pacing uneven in places.

Which shows are like Red Light?

Shows with a similar feel include The Girlfriend Experience, Peaky Blinders, and Gomorrah.

How long is Red Light?

Red Light: 1 season, 10 episodes.

Is Red Light still running?

No, Red Light has ended.

Where can I watch Red Light?

In United States, Red Light is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.