The Thaw
The Thaw
Now Showing

The Thaw

6.5
Yr 2022
Rt 50m
Status Returning Series
Drama Crime Mystery
Your Verdict

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Back
Series Brief

Overview

Set in Szczecin, Poland, the series begins after the body of a young woman is discovered under the melting ice. It asks ‘Who was she? Why did she die? Who did she leave behind?

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 80 /100

The Thaw has earned positive reviews from critics who appreciate its dark, atmospheric tension and high production value. Set against a bleak Polish winter, the crime drama is praised for leveraging its chilly backdrop to construct an entertaining and visually striking murder mystery.

Technically, the show receives high marks for Tomasz Naumiuk's pale, ominous cinematography and first-rate writing, direction, and performances. Reviewers note that while the series embraces familiar noir tropes and clichés, they serve as a comforting foundation for a serious, emotionally charged narrative.

Overall, critics view it as a daring and polished addition to the crime-thriller genre, with some even drawing favorable comparisons to high-profile peers like True Detective: Night Country.

“The gnarliness of the cold winter in an Eastern European country is the perfect setup for murder and makes for an entertaining plot”

“The production quality is impeccable, as we’ve come to expect from Polish productions”

“The tone of the series is serious, with some smirk-inducing dialogues and a sense of suppressed emotions”

“Love the camera work and fine production quality. Writing, direction, and performances are first rate all around.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

HBO Max
UK • US
HBO Max Amazon Channel
US • UK
Why fans love it

The Thaw approaches the crime genre with a clinical, stark atmosphere rooted in the cold landscape of Szczecin. The series centers on the hunt for answers after a body emerges from thawing ice, but the narrative weight rests on the specific burdens carried by the investigating officer. Katarzyna Wajda anchors the shift between the procedural demands of a murder case and the private, unresolved grief that characterizes the protagonist’s life.

This drama avoids the quick resolutions common in police procedurals, focusing instead on the long-term impact of unsolved murders and missing children. The connection between the environment and the psychology of the investigators creates a quiet tension that persists across the season. Rather than relying on simple shocks, the mystery unfolds through a slow examination of the past and the personal costs of seeking truth in a city frozen by secrets.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 16
Longest run 18 eps
Katarzyna Wajda
Katarzyna Wajda
as Katarzyna Zawieja
18 episodes
Bartłomiej Kotschedoff
Bartłomiej Kotschedoff
as Krzysztof Trepa
18 episodes
Cezary Łukaszewicz
Cezary Łukaszewicz
as Andrzej Radwan
9 episodes
Juliusz Chrząstowski
Juliusz Chrząstowski
as Bogdan Pietrzak
18 episodes
Karol Dziuba
Karol Dziuba
as Piotr Madejski
6 episodes
Agnieszka Dygant
Agnieszka Dygant
as Maria Lańska
6 episodes
Marta Malikowska
Marta Malikowska
as Ada Kamińska
6 episodes
Sebastian Fabijański
Sebastian Fabijański
as Marcin Kosiński
6 episodes
Show 67 more
Piotr Trojan as Tomasz Woźniak 6 episodes Mirosław Zbrojewicz as Andrzej Lański 6 episodes Nikodem Rozbicki as Marek Lański 12 episodes Andrzej Grabowski as Jan Zawieja 17 episodes Tomasz Schuchardt as Wiktor Molski 12 episodes Bogusław Linda as Michał Strzelecki 6 episodes Aleksander Kaleta as Oliwier Galewski 6 episodes Eryk Kulm as Paweł Lański 6 episodes Andrzej Konopka as Stanisław Galewski 6 episodes Arkadiusz Buszko as Policeman 13 episodes Joanna Matuszak as Policewoman Aneta 16 episodes Konrad Pawicki as Policeman 14 episodes Wojciech Sandach as Policeman 'Cichy' 15 episodes Konrad Beta as Policeman 14 episodes Adam Kuzycz-Berezowski as Policeman 15 episodes Anna Krotoska 1 episode Agnieszka Pilaszewska as Mirosława Janas 5 episodes Mirosław Kropielnicki 2 episodes Natalia Sikora as Journalist 1 episode Paweł Adamski 2 episodes Marcin Kłosiński 1 episode Ernest Nita 1 episode Julia Rosnowska as Magda Kosińska 4 episodes Wojciech Zieliński as Wojciech Zawieja 8 episodes Artur Ziółkowski 1 episode Piotr Żurawski as Konrad Janas 3 episodes Grzegorz Palkowski as (uncredited) 1 episode Dominik Bąk as Tomasz Dąbrowski 2 episodes Sebastian Łach as Dąbrowski 2 episodes Maciej Miszczak 1 episode Marta Ojrzyńska as Pathologist 2 episodes Jaśmina Polak as Zosia 5 episodes Adam Dzieciniak as Policeman 11 episodes Krzysztof Sztabiński 3 episodes Piotr Bumaj 2 episodes Marek Kocot 2 episodes Krzysztof Pyziak as Prison Guard-Librarian 2 episodes Ewa Skibińska as Małgorzata Adamczyk 14 episodes Eryk Lubos as Ryszard Kreutz 2 episodes Hanna Novak as Lea Aksimow 8 episodes Michalina Szyszko 3 episodes Agnieszka Suchora as Barbara Budka 7 episodes Zbigniew Jarzembek 6 episodes Rafał Leśnik 6 episodes Sławomir Lewandowski 6 episodes Agnieszka Stańczyk 6 episodes Mateusz Trzciński 6 episodes Sebastian Wilento 6 episodes Andrzej Woźniak 6 episodes Dorota Ziółkiewicz-Graś 6 episodes Monika Krzywkowska as Dorota Czerwińska 6 episodes Małgorzata Gorol as Anka Janas 6 episodes Diana Reshetilova as Ani 8 episodes Wojciech Narkiewicz-Jodko 2 episodes Michał Czernecki as Szymański 4 episodes Barbara Jonak as Elżbieta Galewska 5 episodes Przemysław Belbart 2 episodes Marcin Zarzeczny as Policeman 6 episodes Marcelina Stępkowska as Hania Zawieja 17 episodes Magdalena Celmer as Alicja Bochenek 3 episodes Ewelina Żak as High School Principal 2 episodes Klementyna Karnkowska as Kinga 4 episodes Marcin Czarnik as Leon Pawlak 4 episodes Wojciech Błach as Waldemar Nowak 5 episodes Adam Bobik as Grzegorz Lewandowski 2 episodes Jan Kowalczyk as Kamil Pawlak 3 episodes Gabriela Frycz 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Stunts
Joanna Stankiewicz
Second Unit Director
Piotr Sawicki Kamila Tarabura
Production Coordinator
Dominika Połomska
Original Music Composer
Łukasz Targosz
Still Photographer
Krzysztof Wiktor
Second Unit Director of Photography
Mateusz Wichłacz Przemysław Brynkiewicz Aleksander Pozdnyakov Filip Twardowski
Supervising Producer
Izabela Łopuch
Director of Photography
Marian Prokop Tomasz Naumiuk
Producer
Bogumił Lipski
Writer
Marta Szymanek
Stunt Coordinator
Tomasz Krzemieniecki
Director
Xawery Żuławski
Executive Producer
Andrzej Besztak
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Thaw overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

murder policewoman female police officer missing child unsolved murders mystery police crime drama
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 01, 2022
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
50 minutes
Origin
PL
TMDB Votes
65