Netflix thriller series often follow a strict formula. There’s nothing wrong with that, in fact, it’s often a strength to see how a series will come up with a variation of a theme. Pieces of Her, You, and The Watcher all follow similar beats — they even got the parody treatment in the Netflix series The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window.

But in August, Netflix quietly dropped a thriller series unlike any other. From the setting, the characters, the scope, and even the themes, every element takes the existing thriller formula and improves upon it. No matter what you think this show is, it’s something different.

The world of John Wick just keeps getting bigger. 'The Continental' proves that isn’t a mistake.