tv review

Reviewing insightful and thought provoking science fiction TV and technology.

Looking for a little out of body experience?
If you are the type of person that can jump from Mission Impossible II, to Inception, and round it all off with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty then Sense8 is the tv show for you. I know that sounds intense but hear me out. The Netflix original series Sense8 is a great show for those that like to see multiple genres blending into one. From battling enemies across the globe to unexpectedly finding a much-needed sense of self, Sense8 has many desirable factors. I know it is a few years old, I jumped on the bandwagon extremely late. But the timing could not have been more perfect. Sense8 popped into my life when I was taking a month off work due to feeling mentally drained and a little unstable. I was feeling very lost and unsure of the next steps I should be taking in life. Watching Sense8 actually helped me work on some hard truths I had been clutching on to. Sense8 consists of 8 people who are “reborn” into what is called a cluster. None of them have met in person and they all live in different parts of the world. Unaware of their newfound connection many of them become worried that they are sick or losing their minds due to frequently finding a random member of the cluster appearing in front of them. It does not help that the people in their lives who are not a part of the cluster cannot see whoever it is they are talking to. This imaginary friend type aspect happens because they are sensates. They are mentally linked and can tap into each other’s minds. Voluntarily and involuntarily (which makes for many cheeky moments). The main thing that got me with this show is how they all show up for one another. One member of the cluster could be getting involved in a fight they can’t win, resulting in another member of the cluster who’s trained in martial arts to show up and take over the fight. Same thing with emotions. A character who is more guarded and reserved will be randomly visited by another who is more in touch with their feelings. I find it incredibly beautiful and moving to see all these characters grow and have a genuine love for one another. Which in a way is also them growing towards loving themselves as a singular person. They are always looking out for each other and are constantly working as a team. Quite honestly, I teared up a few times. The show makes you tap into how amazing it would be if we could all just love and treat each other as if we were a part of this large unbeatable cluster. Some cluster members do end up falling for one another, but it is their overall love as a cluster that I love the most. There is a character for everyone in this show. You will find someone if not multiple characters you can relate to. Aside from this slightly spiritual aspect, I have delved into. Sense 8 is filled with romance, globally diverse characters, LGBTQ characters, humor, and A-list movie-type action! You really get into the fight scenes. They can be brutal and intense but very well executed. Why is there fighting? Well, the show is not just about the cluster getting to know one another, it is also about their fight against an organization that wants to destroy them because of their abilities. An organization that happens to be led by one of the most dangerous sensates you could ever let inside your mind. Once he looks you in the eyes, he has access to your thoughts and will do anything he can to manipulate and find you. This show had an amazing budget. You can see it in the details. Filming in the actual worldwide locations the scenes were set in. Even going as far as to film in the middle of many large cultural events that were happening at the time of filming. Whenever you are thinking Woah, how did they do that?! It is because they were actually there. Each episode really does feel like watching a movie. Sense8 is amazing and a must-watch. Oh, and they are not shy with the sex scenes. Just a little warning. This is not a family show. Also, when you are done with the series or even the first season you should search for “Sense8: Creating the world”. It shows a behind-the-scenes look on how they created the show. I hope you enjoy.
By Dani Hart5 years ago in Futurism
If You Like Anything, Then You'll Like Jericho
Whenever I'm asked to recommend a TV show, the answer is always Jericho. It doesn't typically matter who you are or what your interests are, I will still recommend the same show. Why? Because it's a one-show-fits-all.
By Malia Hebert5 years ago in Futurism
Five shows that you don't have to wait to watch
For as long as I can remember, I have always preferred to live in a fantasy world over reality. Growing up, my favorite kinds of movies and shows were the ones that I wished could be real but never were. My obsession with the unknown started with The Little Mermaid. To this day, my mom still likes to tell me how much I embarrassed her by singing "Part of Your World" at the top of my lungs through the grocery store as a child.
By Sara Wilson5 years ago in Futurism
Escape from Reality
Everyone is unique when it comes to finding out what kind of television they like to watch and what movies they tend to enjoy. I have a love for science fiction movies and historical dramas. I am one of those people who are secretly a nerd but have never fully embraced myself Into that narrative. It’s my little getaway from reality. This challenge allows me to show and explain what type of shows I watch and why you should watch them as well. I love looking into stuff that involves space and futuristic things that could happen. The science fiction genre just had such a fantastic amount of content that keeps getting better every year. Even if that stuff seems a little bit far-fetched, If you have the imagination, then there is no end to what you can or want to believe. The more science advances, the more that this seems less out of this world, and I love it. If that makes me a child, then so be it; I will be a child for the rest of my life.
By C5 years ago in Futurism
More Xenomorphs, please.
I’ve always been drawn to the unknown, the unusual, the different, when it comes to movies and TV shows. The more it makes me contemplate my existence, the possibilities of humankind, and the human mind, the more intriguing it is to me. Especially if it involves outer space!
By Kristina Cutrufello-Rojas5 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'For All Mankind': Season 1 and Episode 2.1
Ronald D. Moore is best known for his creation of the Battlestar Galactica reboot and Outlander, two very different TV series which were (BSG) and are (Outlander) justly lauded masterpieces of science fiction (maybe Outlander is science fantasy, but the point still holds). Moore had a lot riding on For All Mankind, another, very different kind of science fiction series. I just saw the entire first season (which began to air on Apple TV in November 2019) and the first episode of the second season (which started airing yesterday). It's at least as good as Battlestar Galactica and a little better than Outlander. In my never humble opinion.
By Paul Levinson5 years ago in Futurism
Giving 'Dark Matter' a rewatch
Recently I began a rewatch of Dark Matter, an understated Canadian science fiction series which ran between 2015 and 2017. It is holding up surprisingly well for me second time round! I am enjoying it MUCH more than Expanse season five, which I have now given up on completely since the last episode I watched didn't even feature Amos or Drummer.
By T. Stolinski5 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Perfume'
Perfume, a 2018 movie which my wife and I saw just the other night on Netflix, starts out as a straight-up, if perverted, serial killer story, based on Patrick Süskind's 1985 novel of the same name. A beautiful singer is found dead, with her scent glands removed. There apparently is a murderer at large who gets off so much on scents, he (or she) needs literally cuttings of glands to satisfy the craving.
By Paul Levinson5 years ago in Futurism
Star Trek TV Productions To Add AR Wall To Create Virtual Sets, Like 'The Mandalorian'
Alex Kurtzman, the executive producer of multiple Star Trek shows, has confirmed that his productions have begun to include AR walls in place of on-location shoots.
By Culture Slate5 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Raised by Wolves' 1.8-10
The story brought vividly home in Raised by Wolves 1.8 and 1.9, that androids can bear biological children, a hybrid of some sort of android and human, lifts this series into territory not even explored in a series as sophisticated as Westworld. Of course, Westworld takes place on Earth, with a science a lot earlier in its development than what we see in Raised by Wolves, so I'm not criticizing Westworld on this account as much as noting the difference. And that difference is about as profound as it gets.
By Paul Levinson5 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Raised by Wolves' 1.6-7
Lots of important, even game-changing events in episodes 1.6-7 of Raised by Wolves, up on HBO Max Thursday night: Campion and Paul are becoming rivals, even though it looks as if they'll still ultimately have each other's backs in life and death situations. But other than that, Campion is representing spirit and Paul logic and science, which is interesting in itself since Campion comes from the atheists and Paul the true-believers. This may be a significant indicator of the future and the changing roles of central characters on this planet.
By Paul Levinson5 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Raised by Wolves' 1.4-5
I thought the 4th and 5th episodes of Raised by Wolves were really good, especially the 5th, because it gave us a nice big origin story about Mother -- how she was created, and endowed/programmed with her mission. Her maker tells her she's humanity's last hope, a nod to Star Wars mythology.
By Paul Levinson5 years ago in Futurism