What if the house you grew up in held secrets darker than your memories, and the person you called “dad” was the very monster you escaped? The Glass Dome follows Lejla Ness, a brilliant but emotionally distant criminologist who returns to her snow-covered Swedish hometown after her adoptive mother passes away.
But her return unearths more than grief. Her childhood best friend is found dead. A young girl disappears. And Lejla, who was once abducted as a child, is forced to reopen the case – only this time, she’s the one solving it. As the story unfolds, the layers of Lejla’s trauma and forgotten memories begin to thaw. What emerges is a chilling spiral of repressed identity, twisted family bonds, and the unbearable truth that the past never really dies.
What to Expect & What’s Good
- Non-linear storytelling: The show toggles between past and present, echoing Lejla’s fragmented psyche. It can be disorienting at first, but it adds depth once you realize her memory is not just unreliable; it’s been deliberately suppressed.
- Atmospheric cinematography: This is pure Nordic Noir. Think icy roads, dim barns, pale winter sun, and a haunting stillness. The visuals are not just pretty -they’re purposeful, drawing you into a cold, claustrophobic world that mirrors Lejla’s emotional state.
- Sound design that tells its own story: Yes, you’re not crazy: the noises are great. From unsettling silence to creaking floors to distorted echoes, the soundscape becomes an invisible character that keeps you on edge.
- Kris Rehel’s performance: While subdued, her portrayal of Lejla captures someone who’s emotionally frozen. She doesn’t show trauma traditionally, which might feel flat, but it’s more like watching someone contain a volcano.
- Cerebral over sensational: This isn’t your usual Hollywood thriller. It trades cheap jump scares for deep psychological unease. You’re not just wondering who did it, you’re wondering what exactly was done.
- Thematic layers: The show explores identity confusion, gaslighting, and inherited trauma. The “twisted love” is central: how affection from your abuser can feel real and how memory becomes a weapon.
What’s Bad:
- Lejla’s muted emotional range: She rarely reacts strongly – mostly “hmm” and blank stares. While it might reflect trauma, for many viewers, it becomes frustrating. We want to connect, but she keeps us locked out.
- Mid-season drag: Episodes 2 – 4 test your patience. There’s a lot of slow staring, walking through snow, and quiet contemplation. While that builds atmosphere, it also risks losing viewer attention.
- Plot holes & logic leaps: Lejla literally lived on the same property she was once held captive in and doesn’t realize it? That’s not a small detail; it stretches believability too far. Especially for someone trained to observe.
- Underdeveloped side characters: Tomas, Louise, and Alicia – they all could have added richness to the plot. But instead, we barely scratch their surfaces. Their motivations, histories, and even their personalities feel vague.
- A finale that splits the room: For some, it’s a bold twist. For others, it’s completely illogical. The adoptive father being the original kidnapper – again – feels less like a shocking twist and more like lazy storytelling.
How did no one suspect him? Why would he revert to his old crime, years later, with Lejla helping him solve it?
Spoilers – Proceed Only If You Dare:
- Lejla was abducted as a child, kept in a glass dome-like barn.
- She escapes, gets adopted… by the same man who abducted her (what??).
- He never abuses her again, just raises her as a doting father.
- Years later, he kidnaps a new girl (who resembles young Lejla) while living in the same house where Lejla was once held captive.
- Lejla, now a profiler, returns to that house and still doesn’t remember the barn until the final episode.
- Throughout the series, she works closely with her father (unknowingly her abuser) to find the missing girl.
- The final reveal: He’s been the kidnapper all along – past and present.
The Big Question: Why Did the Dad Do It?
The show hints at unresolved compulsion, obsession with control, and twisted affection. But here’s the problem: it never really explains why he relapses into kidnapping. Was it guilt? Was he reenacting something? Was he delusional? We never fully understand his motive, which leaves the ending feeling rushed and confusing. This story unfolds like frostbite: slow, quiet, and only painful once it’s too late.
Written by MANSI SINGH