After that, Netflix was in talks with ABC Studios about possibly continuing the series on its video-on-demand digital distribution service,[4] though they ultimately passed.

The mixed crew of old friends and new acquaintances includes the missing cameraman's daughter, Lena Landry (Eloise Mumford), ship's mechanic Emilio Valenzuela (Daniel Zacapa), and private security bodyguard Captain Kurt Brynildson (Thomas Kretschmann).

Oren Peli and Michael R. Perry created the series about a documentary crew searching the Amazon for a beloved scientist-explorer-television host.

Peli told The Hollywood Reporter that producer Steven Schneider "became obsessed with this idea of nature run [amok] and animals taking over humans."

Peli stated: "I started developing the idea of a missing documentary reporter who went to this weird place in the rainforest where strange things would happen".

The website's critical consensus reads: "Despite its gimmicky premise and occasionally silly storylines, The River is a moderately scary and clever supernatural thriller.

[21] Matt Roush of TV Guide called the show "a terrifying heart-stopper, a cleverly cinematic supernatural adventure that takes us on a wild ride into an exotic heart of darkness.

[23] However, Mike Hale of The New York Times rated the show poorly, saying: "The mixture of Lost storytelling and Paranormal Activity style is neither intriguing nor particularly scary, and it doesn't help that there's hardly a glimmer of humor".