I finished this gorgeous series by the Wachowskis a couple days ago and am still a bit stunned by how great it was.
Eight different people spread across the globe are all psychically connected and experience each others lives in flashes, at first, becoming stronger and more connected as the story progresses.
The diversity of the characters is what really makes the show, I think. There’s a trans woman hacker in San Francisco, a closeted gay Mexican actor in Mexico city, a bus driver in Nairobi, a cop in Chicago, a business woman in Seoul, Korea who is also a cage-fighter in her off time, a safe-cracker in Berlin, a DJ in London, and a bride-to-be in Mumbai. All of these people, from such different lives, all become close companions due to their psychic connection.
The show is shot on-sight in every one of these cities, which has a powerful effect for the show. The world feels so real, because it is real. The crowds and events happening during the show are for the most part actual events that were going on during filming. The whole series is beautifully shot and most every frame is a joy to look at.
The over-all plot is a bit thin, and at times confusing, but that’s not where the gold in this show is. It’s in the characters, and their individual stories, and how they help each other through troubling times with their unique experience from their own lives. There are so many heartfelt and powerful scenes, and yes, some of them may seem sappy or cliche to some folks, but that doesn’t make them any less impactful. Life is sappy sometimes.
If you are going to have problems seeing gay and trans people showing their love to their partners on screen, then this show may make you uncomfortable, and you probably need to grow up.
I’ve heard that some people found the first couple episodes to be slow. I was sucked right in, but if you find your self wanting more to happen, give it till the third episode, and if you’re not enjoying it by then, then it’s probably not for you.
I really enjoyed this one, more than I have any show in quite a while, and I am excited to see these characters again in season two! Netflix has done it again, and keeps doing it. I really hope this one continues to do well enough to keep getting made!
Check it out!
Jonas David 