Lead Children Review
Director: Maciej Pieprzyca
Date Created: 2026-02-12 01:10
4.5
Lead Children Review: Directed by Maciej Pieprzyca and starring Joanna Kulig as Dr. Jolanta Wadowska-Król, alongside Agata Kulesza, Kinga Preis, Michał Żurawski, Marian Dziędziel, Sebastian Pawlak, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Grzegorz Przybył, Barbara Lubos, and Robert Talarczyk, Netflix’s Polish historical drama Ołowiane dzieci consists of six episodes, each running approximately 45 minutes. Inspired by real events in 1970s Silesia and based on Michał Jędryka’s novel Przemilczana epidemia, the series explores a chilling medical crisis unfolding under the shadow of political control.
Lead Children Review
In Netflix’s Lead Children, a Polish historical drama, we are transported back to the days of communism in Silesia, where a lead-poisoning crisis lurks behind the dusty streets of an industrial town. The series centres around Dr. Jolanta Wadowska-Król, a paediatrician who starts to see a disturbing trend in the children she is treating. What begins as a series of cases of anaemia soon escalates to the discovery of a massive lead-poisoning crisis. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she realises that the problem is much larger than just a few sick children; it is systemic, political, and willfully ignored.
The opening episode of the Polish series Lead Children creates an environment of almost suffocating tension immediately. There are no surprising plot developments, only gradually building fear from tiny incidents such as a child collapsing at a local festival, increasing dust around apartment windows and continued hospital visits for very low haemoglobin levels. While alone, these events do not seem significant, they add up to create something very disturbing.
The incredible reality present throughout the story has been extremely impressive to me. From the beginning, we do not experience Jola as a very passionate rebel but rather a mother, a wife and a doctor attempting to do the best job she can. It isn’t until Jola begins her tour of neighbourhoods near coal mines that Jola’s initial concern turns into alarm due to her awareness of the living conditions of children in those neighbourhoods.
Jola’s opinion of her role in the world became more emotionally charged with the death of a stillborn baby, which served as a significant turning point in her developing distrust of the world around her. While the series does an excellent job portraying reality, I found the level of emotion depicted in the story to be almost unbearable due to its incredible realism.
The political undertones of the series are as thrilling as the medical puzzle. While children are pouring into hospitals, the local government is more concerned about appearances and the imminent visit of a high-ranking official. When Jola starts investigating cases in different hospitals, she is subjected to subtle intimidation that gradually turns into overt pressure. Being wrongly accused of a hit-and-run crime and spending a night in jail makes it clear that her curiosity is under surveillance.
Joanna Kulig’s performance as Dr Jolanta is phenomenal. There is a certain quiet strength in her performance that makes the character seem so real and relatable. There are no monologues needed from her to illustrate how strong she really is. It is her ability to keep going, even when she has fears; it is the fact that whenever she had reason to doubt what was right, or right to question the system, she followed through. The insecurity in her eyes when she begins to affect those closest to her, and the balance between what she feels in terms of fear versus the commitment she has made as an employee, make her an all the more engaging character.
Visually, the Polish series Ołowiane dzieci leans into muted tones that mirror the industrial landscape of Silesia. The greys and washed-out palette enhance the heaviness of the story. This is not an easy watch. This series requires patience and endurance, much like the pace at which the institutions move in a crisis. However, I truly believe that this is what makes it so effective. The frustration that you feel as a viewer is the same frustration that Jola feels in her struggle against the system.
In the six episodes, there are many examples of moral courage throughout the series. The exploration of all facets of the impact that moral courage can have on family safety and individual destruction is portrayed in a very delicate manner. Neither does the series glorify the heroics of the protagonist. Nor does the series depict the protagonist solely as a symbol of moral courage. Instead, the series depicts a human being who suffers from extreme fear yet fights vehemently against all odds.
Netflix Lead Children Review: Summing Up
The Lead Children series is not light viewing, but it is incredibly impactful. It’s beautifully acted, carefully crafted and emotionally resonant. The series leaves you unsettled, reflective and deeply moved by its portrayal of quiet resistance against a suffocating system. If you appreciate historical dramas that blend personal struggle with political tension and social commentary, this one is absolutely worth your time.
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