(Spoilers below)

In the year 1944, just after the Allied invasion had commenced, All the Light We Cannot See begins in the French city of Saint-Malo. We are immediately introduced to a young, blind French woman named Marie-Laure (Aria Mia Loberti). Marie-Laure spends her evenings reading parts of Two Thousand Leagues Under The Sea over a radio frequency while simultaneously sending coded messages to her uncle Etienne (Hugh Laurie) and her father Daniel (Mark Ruffalo). One of her listeners is Werner Pfennig (Louis Hofmann), a young German soldier working as a radio operator. The narrative unfolds as we discover what events drove these two characters in their precarious positions and yearn for their eventual meeting. 

The first episode takes a poignant turn when Werner, facing what he believes to be his last moments, chooses to indulge in his passion for listening to the radio rather than partaking in a communal drink with his comrades. Miraculously, Werner survives and takes it upon himself to establish a new connection for his radio. Simultaneously, Marie-Laure's hunger compels her to venture out of her house and into a store, showcasing her impressive ability to navigate the world despite her blindness. In the store, she meets her uncle Etienne, who instructs her to send further messages to Allied allies through her radio sequences that reveal bomb attack locations.

Our primary antagonist SS-Standartenführer Reinhold von Rumpel (Lars Eidinger) finds himself in Saint-Malo after relentlessly tracking Marie for an extended period, going to extreme lengths and leaving a trail of casualties in his quest to locate her. His sickly obsession with finding the gem known as The Sea of Flames drives him to kill anyone who fails to provide the desired information. Reinhold believes that Marie possesses the gem, theorizing that her museum geologist father stole it during their escape from Paris and entrusted it to her. 

Werner is brought to Saint-Malo under the command of a different SS general and must navigate a complex web of intrigue to stay alive. He is assigned to discover the person and position behind the radio messages, but many believe he may be a traitor due to being unable to find concrete information. As suspicions grow, Scharführer Schmidt (Felix Kammerer) is brought in to assist Werner, revealing a deep-seated rivalry between the two. The emotional bond between Marie and Werner, rooted in their shared childhood memories of a man known as "The Professor," whose radio transmissions impacted their lives, adds a layer of complexity to the storyline.

In the midst of this chaos, the resilient Marie-Laure continues to send messages, confronts Reinhold in a fierce struggle, escapes from perilous situations, and steadfastly attempts to find her missing father. Her unwavering determination weaves another thread of suspense into the narrative, while her dynamic with her timid uncle Etienne is sweet if unmemorable.

The story peaks in intensity when Americans shell Saint-Malo with artillery, sowing the seeds for a dramatic climax. Werner's internal conflict escalates as he betrays his generals and colleagues to save Marie-Laure, leading to a tense showdown with Reinhold von Rumpel.

The interactions between Werner and Schmidt, as well as Marie's encounters with Reinhold, contribute significantly to the nerve-wracking atmosphere of the series. That being said, the subplot between Werner and a much younger Reinhold at the beginning of the war is where the show has its finest moments. 

Despite the show’s technical prowess, it is held back from being great due to Marie-Laure’s storyline. Though initially captivating, it loses momentum and becomes tedious after the first episode. Most attempts to evoke emotion fall short — particularly in Marie-Laure's interactions with her father, which seem scripted and lack the intended emotional impact. The resistance story arc also fails to engage.

Conversely, following Werner Pfennig from his time as a prodigy to his journey into the SS is compelling was the sole reason I continued watching this show. Scenes featuring Schmidt and Reinhold are intense, nerve-wracking, and impeccably executed. 

The cast, led by Louis Hofmann and Lars Eidinger, delivers stellar performances, with strong support from Hugh Laurie and Felix Kammerer. However, Mark Ruffalo and Aria Mia Loberti's performances fall slightly short.

Technically, the series is well-crafted, with a solid score enhancing crucial moments and brilliant visuals, especially during war scenes. While Episodes 1 and 2 shine, Episodes 3 and 4 witness a decline, with Episode 3 being particularly challenging to watch. 

Overall, All the Light We Cannot See is a solid series hindered by mediocre writing and a misaligned focus that prevents it from reaching its full potential.

6.5/10