Raised By Wolves - HBO Max - Ridley Scott

[ZOK]

5 hours ago, TurningMonster said:

@ZOK have you finished it yet?

No, I’ve got three left.

[ZOK]

Now I have seen them all - phew! That planet is just one big ball of bad luck for all concerned.

[ZOK]

On 11/10/2020 at 23:10, Harsin said:

Unfortunately it's all downhill from there.

 

On 15/10/2020 at 17:44, Colonel Panic said:

Yeah, it’s the 10th you need to worry about!

I found both of these way off the mark...I loved the last episode, and I didn’t find there was any drop off in quality throughout the show - it was great throughout, and I can’t wait for the next series. Of course there were the odd silly things to keep the plot turning (Marcus Drusus is a lot luckier and more resistant to getting the chop than his namesake, that’s for sure) but when it’s this good, all can be forgiven.

 

This has been such a surprise - the first SF show in years to be smart, exciting and mysterious, without any real fuss.

[Stopharage]

All episodes on Sky Atlantic - 5th December. 

[Keyboard Koala]

Up to episode 4 now, and really impressed by this. After the disappointment that was Watchmen's finale, here's hoping this HBO series stays interesting right til the end.

 

Also, good to see the House of Astora pretty much becomes the conquering religion over the next few centuries.

[Gotters]

All up this weekend on Sky Atlantic - the last line of Empires review for this has me interested (spoilered just in case because of @hmm post below)

 

Spoiler

anyone hoping the pilot’s deliberate pacing will eventually pick up is in for a disappointment. What the show lacks in velocity, however, it does make up for in demented plot turns. As the story progresses, we’re exposed to a space rapist in an iron mask, stolen eyeballs, flying statues, screams that liquify people and radioactive cucumbers. All building to an Episode 10 finale that is so mind-bendingly batshit, it almost ensures viewers will return for Season 2 just to find out what the hell is going on.

 

[hmm]

That doesn't really contain any spoilers but I think it's still too much information. This is by far best enjoyed going in completely blind

 

Spoiler

or ideally even slightly misinformed - somehow I had got the impression that it was quite a cool, detached sci-fi, perhaps somewhat in the style of the original Alien, so the first episode certainly had an impact...

 

[ZOK]

Yes I agree...this whole show is a delight for confounding expectation.

 

Best SF I’ve seen in years, without a doubt.

[Minion]

Just watched the first couple, wow proper batshit crazy adult sci-fi, finally!

[jonamok]

Just watched the first ep and need something spoiling in a tag please, but only in a limited yes/no way...

 

Spoiler

Do Mother’s insane superpowers (antigravity, force-less propulsion, WiFi control of other people’s tech, turning to solid brass, exploding people with a shout), any of which seem far beyond the knowledge, let alone ability, of everyone else in Episode 1, including other androids, ever get explained in a satisfactory way in the upcoming episodes?

If the answer to that question is ‘no’ or ‘not really’, and I really hope it isn't, then I’m probably out.

[ZOK]

The answer is 

 

Spoiler

yes.

 

[jonamok]

Thank you.

[Ste Pickford]

Started this last night.  Noted the posts about confounding expectations, and I have to say just the first episode did that.   From the trailers and stuff I'd seen I thought there would be a whole little colony of kids being brought up by the android(s), so was going in a direction I wasn't expecting half way through episode 1.

[cassidy]

Currently mid binge and on episode 5. This is a bit decent actually. 

[multi]

I'm up to ep 5 too. This is fucking great. Grown upish SF for a change

 

There's quite a Calm With Horses theme with the actors in this as well I've just cottoned on to.

[Pekoe]

Watched the lot - utterly brilliant and as said you just cannot second guess what will happen next. An absolute roller coaster, not one for those who want everything explained and neatly tied up.

[PK]

My word, this is extraordinarily good isn't it?

[jonamok]

Dunno. 7 episodes down and just want it over. So slow and grey and dull. Silly plot contrivances and the usual one-note-crazy-eye-rolling performance from Space Ragnar. Still irritated by the whole

Spoiler

Necromancer concept. It’s just a stupidly overpowered creation that turns it from SF into fantasy, with, as yet, no believable rationale.

The kids and the androids are great performances though. Father especially is fantastic.

[Gotters]

we're halfway thru and just loving this - its so deliberate and different feeling, you really don't have a clue what is going to happen next as its avoiding so many of the predictable sci-fi ideas

 

it's slow but very unsettling, especially mother & father who are both brilliantly acted.

[PK]

1 hour ago, jonamok said:

 Still irritated by the whole

  Reveal hidden contents

Necromancer concept. It’s just a stupidly overpowered creation that turns it from SF into fantasy, with, as yet, no believable rationale.

 

 

I love that. 

 

Spoiler

The 'used to be a battle droid' trope could have been done in a really tired way, with her sprouting tactical attachments or whatever. But in line with the sci-fi horror feel to the whole show, nope, she turns into a hellish screaming banshee that looks like a Giger design. It's great.

 

They do sort of hint at an explanation towards the end of the series which starts a thread I'm interested in hearing more of. But I don't think it necessarily needs it.

 

[SM47]

Yeah, I dont think the show is pretending to be hard sci fi. It doesn't need to be in order to be good. Personally I loved the design of the above mentioned thing. 

 

I haven't seen much love for the AWESOME opening credit animation and song. Probably my favourite opening titles of recent years. Between this and Dark, Ben Frost is killing the thoughtful sci fi scoring game. 

[PK]

The soundtrack is phenomenal. So much menace.

[Gotters]

I think this is classic sci-fi in terms of themes, sure its not all shooting lasers and spaceships but that wasn't really what things like Philip K Dick short stories were ever about - this is asking questions about are human emotions limited to humans, offering parallel or alternate histories, its the stuff of classic sci fi I'd say.

[ZOK]

2 hours ago, PK said:

 

I love that. 

 

  Hide contents

The 'used to be a battle droid' trope could have been done in a really tired way, with her sprouting tactical attachments or whatever. But in line with the sci-fi horror feel to the whole show, nope, she turns into a hellish screaming banshee that looks like a Giger design. It's great.

 

They do sort of hint at an explanation towards the end of the series which starts a thread I'm interested in hearing more of. But I don't think it necessarily needs it.

 

Yes that’s going to be a danger in the next series I think. They explained ‘Mother’s’ origins perfectly with a sentence during one ep, and if they delve into fleshing out the whys and wherefores it could get sticky...but then again, they’ve not put a foot wrong in this series, so you never know.

[jonamok]

Well, stuck with it to the bitter end (of this season at least). What a load of cobblers. Just Sci-Fi mumbo jumbo with a load of deliberately vague ideas thrown at the wall, none of which the writers get to work cohesively. 10 hours of ultimately unsatisfying grey-brown, Prometheus-level tedium.

[gospvg]

1 hour ago, jonamok said:

Well, stuck with it to the bitter end (of this season at least). What a load of cobblers. Just Sci-Fi mumbo jumbo with a load of deliberately vague ideas thrown at the wall, none of which the writers get to work cohesively. 10 hours of ultimately unsatisfying grey-brown, Prometheus-level tedium.

 

Thanks for that quick summary, you've saved me 10 hours of my life.

[Gotters]

I can see why this is quite a divisive show - we've got last ep to watch tonight and love it.

 

It's so singular in the story being told, no cutting back to earth to see what's going on there that may impact the storyline, no real big side 'fetch' missions to pad it out.

 

That said its for a sci-fi fan looking for a certain type of show, I've not watched a Star War in years, got no interest in the Mandalorian or comic book movies or general pow pow lasers, space armadas etc so can see why some would not like this slower pace and exploration of certain themes.

[PK]

39 minutes ago, gospvg said:

 

Thanks for that quick summary, you've saved me 10 hours of my life.

 

Give it a chance, it's tremendously good.

 

It's not the type of sci-fi that they've been putting in films and games for the last 20 years, though. It's unsettling post-human pondering, not space marines and neon cities.

[ZOK]

2 hours ago, gospvg said:

 

Thanks for that quick summary, you've saved me 10 hours of my life.

The summary is completely wrong though.

[jonamok]

While I’m 100% correct, I’d rather everyone watched it for themselves. They might like it, alternatively misery loves company.