The Dark Wizard [2026]

May 12, 2026

4-part Documentary (55 minutes per episode, around 4 hours altogether)

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION: Do not Google anything, just climb in!

Once every couple of years, I watch something that impacts me on a special level. It cannot be predicted, it cannot be rationalized (although I will try), and it just stays with me. Perhaps the most bizarre thing is that I realize this is going to happen within the first few minutes. And that’s exactly what was happening these past two weeks. The Dark Wizard is one of the best documentaries I have ever watched. All-consuming, enthralling, and genuinely fascinating, it’s a rare sight on the scene. We will follow the life of one of the best free solo climbers and adventurers, Dean Potter, in vivid detail. We will hear from his friends, family, and the Dark Wizard himself. Since Dean was doing almost surreal shit on almost a daily basis, there’s a lot of material here.

The story progresses on a linear trajectory, carefully weaving in not just other people but concepts as well. However, this doesn’t feel forced or dry, like some BBC documentary going over the facts. It feels highly intelligent, emotional, inspirational, and, above everything else, full of love. A laser-focused artistic expression balancing every element of the story to auditory-visual perfection. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of this, don’t worry. The Dark Wizard is also incredibly easy to watch and understand. It instantly hooks with the sheer insanity and bizarreness of things you’re witnessing. Oh, there’s levels to this shit, believe me. My history with documentaries about climbing and mountaineering goes back to a singular point. Before we get to that, I have a confession to make.

I am afraid of heights. At the same time, I was fascinated by them. And this is such a strange feeling because my fear is tied to a single irrational thought. What if I jumped right now? I am not suicidal or anything like that. And I don’t know why this thought pops into my head, but it does. For example, there’s this bridge in my city that has a relatively low railing. To make things a bit worse, I am a rather tall individual. So, when I’m walking across it, I have to focus really hard, like I don’t trust myself. There’s not a single physical hint of movement; it’s all in the head. This ties in nicely with our subject today as we delve deep into the psyche of an intense climber like Dean Potter. And not just his.

Alex Honnold, another one of the best climbers in the world, also appears here. Some ten years ago, I accidentally stumbled upon a little-known documentary with an intriguing title. Touching the Void [2003] deals with a different kind of climber, focusing on a single event, and it will fucking touch you. From that moment on, I kept an eye out for anything related to this topic. Meru [2015] details the 2011 ascent on the northeast side of Meru Peak in the Indian Himalayas. And it is fucking mind-blowing. Oddly enough, that same year, Everest, a big-budget movie, came out and further sparked my interest in this sport. Finally, Free Solo is a 2018 documentary following the above-mentioned Alex Honnold on one of his biggest climbs.

If you’re wondering in what order you should watch all of them, Free Solo should be the last, with The Dark Wizard coming in before it. The Alpinist and The Dawn Wall are also good choices. The first episode is titled The Death Consequence and it’s aptly fitting to what you’re about to witness. If you’re not that familiar with the term free solo, it means to climb a mountain without any safety measures. Yup, there are people who are doing this and living to tell the tale. Each step, each movement, each fucking breath could shift you off balance. And, more importantly, into your death. Dean Potter was born in 1972 and made his breakthrough in the early nineties. This means that there will be a lot of footage of his endeavors.

Not only were documentary crews and photographers following him, but he himself was filming everything. And not just filming, also journaling, drawing, and recording voice notes. All of this gives us an unprecedented insight into his mind, body, and soul. Moreover, all of the people interviewed for The Dark Wizard were incredibly eloquent, intelligent, and rational. They were also in touch with their feelings and not afraid to get emotional or vulnerable. I don’t know why I was expecting them to be these intense dudes without much introspection, but I have to admit I was dead wrong. I don’t want to single anyone out, as literally everyone who had a chance to say something did so in a riveting way.

All of them are tied together by a single thread that’s not some adrenaline-chasing urge. It’s art. It’s art and life as its expression. And you can see this when you look at where they ended up. Finally, the locations we will be visiting are absolutely breathtaking. From the serene nature in the Yosemite to the imposing Swiss Alps, everything is just stunning.

I thought I was going to stop talking and leave you to go check out The Dark Wizard, but I can’t. I have to comment on something. That something is actually someone, and I think you already know who it is. Dean Potter, with his imposing physical presence and raw charisma, is one of those people you can’t help but feel drawn to. Especially if you’re on the whole counterculture, alternative, or just plain old artistic side of things. At this point, I suggest you dip out if you haven’t seen the documentary, as what we’re about to discuss can be considered a spoiler. I’ll get right to it. It seems to me that Dean struggled, like most of us, with some mental issues. Severe depression and perhaps a bit of bipolar, I am not a doctor by the way. This is addressed in the third and fourth episodes.

We know he went to a real doctor and got a prescription. However, if he took that drug, a drug that “leveled him out”, he feared that he would lose his competitive edge. He feared he would lose himself. A legitimate concern, and I would not dare to weigh in on this. It is your choice, it is your life. Then again, remember the title of the first episode: The Death Consequence. Take an average person with the same mental health struggles, would you suggest that they take the medicine? What is the correct moral course, if there’s even one? In the final episode, his wife says: “We saw Western doctors, Eastern doctors, a naturopath, he went on a fucking Mung Bean diet…” We also see his journal entries listing a bunch of supplements and vitamins, plus daily yoga and meditation.

I hate this pseudoscience, supplements, and everything else they’re shoving down our throats while discarding legitimate medicine. All of these things can just slightly help you; they will not resolve your issues. For that, you have to go to the regular doctor. And even that simple act can be incredibly hard to do. This is coming from personal experience. I am not blaming anyone for anything; I am just expressing my disdain with the notion that taking L-Lysine is going to cure your mental health issues. We see this with the “carnivore diet” and shit like that. When you’re struggling, your ability to rationalize and think clearly is also struggling and not working properly. And this is when they get you.

They exploit you and sell you this crap that won’t do much for you. Just ask Steve Jobs, one of the wealthiest and most connected people on Earth, how his treatment went. As a stoner, I also add Bob Marley to that list. What do you think about this? Tell me in the comments below.