Note: This review avoids major spoilers and specific plot points but alludes to the characters’ fates and glosses over a few other spoiler-ish things. For those who wish to remain in complete darkness; tread lightly.
Underneath the pedagogic dialogue, beyond the rudimentary direction, past the bland performances, and over the mountains of condescension, something truly beautiful lies in the new original Netflix series, "Sense8." Disappointingly, the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski (creator of "Babylon 5"), demonstrate time and time again that their primary concern is not in telling a convincing story, or developing fascinating characters, or diving deep into their world’s evolutionary pseudoscience, or doing any of these things in artistically accomplished ways. Instead, the primary focus is thinly veiled behind specific agendas and philosophies, turning most of "Sense8" into a lecture on gender equality, religious hypocrisy and LGBT rights. To quote a surprisingly savvy German criminal from the show, most of it is a lot of "motivational, TED-type talk."
Nonetheless, the show’s supra-humanitarian ideals and deep respect for the power of love and empathy should rub off on even hardened skeptics. Similarly, its absolution of cultural barriers and societal labels is bold and exhilarating. The scenes concerning connection between the protagonists condense these notions into something undoubtedly moving, and few should be able to argue that "Sense8" is entirely bereft of emotionally stirring and entertaining moments. Yet arguing why "Sense8" is not a good show is even easier. Once the dust settles and Sigur Ros sails us out of Season 1 with embroidered catharsis, one just can’t shake the feeling that this is the first major slip in Netflix‘s slate of original content of 2015 so far.
Discussing the plot is a chore, and reminds me of Tony Shalhoub in "The Man Who Wasn’t There" talking about the Uncertainty Principle; the more you look, the less you really know. What we do know is that eight individuals from eight different corners of the world and eight different social classes (and eight other different qualities that get the same point across) get suddenly and irrevocably linked to one another, after Angelica (Daryl Hannah) and Jonas (Naveen Andrews) "birth" them into a cluster of "sensates." What is that? We don’t really find out until Episode 10 ("What Is Human?"), but it’s like a second species of Homo sapiens.
The eight in question are: Will (Brian J. Smith), a haunted Chicago cop with father issues; Riley (Tuppence Middleton), a haunted Icelandic DJ still dealing with a tragedy from her past; Kala (Tina Desai), an Indian scientist haunted by the fact that she’s about to marry a man she does not love; Wolfgang (Max Riemelt), a haunted German criminal also struggling with father issues; Lito (Miguel Ángel Silvestre), a Mexican movie star who is, wouldn’t you know it, also haunted because he’s forced to keep his homosexuality a secret; Nomi (Jamie Clayton), a trans-woman blogger and ex-hacktivist living in San Francisco; Sun (Doona Bae), a Korean business-woman-by-day-kickboxer-by-night who has to deal with two inept males in her family; and Capheus (Aml Ameen), the kindest Kenyan bus driver in the world who is obsessed with Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Throughout the entire season, each of the eight deal with their individual dilemmas, while helping one another out whenever the need arises through what is called "sharing" and "visiting." They’re linked to each other and together form one collective mind. Aside from each of the sensate’s personal conflicts, the whole cluster is in danger when a big, bad corporation called Biologic Preservation Organization begins to hunt them, headed by a man called Whispers (Terrence Mann) who has been tracking their kind for a long time.
If you start probing into the "why’s" of what’s written in the previous paragraph, you start feeling the effects of the Uncertainty Principle. For all the times "Sense8" opens the doors for a cohesive explanation, the door chain denying entrance is measured in vague profundities, sweet nothings, and featherweight theories. After a befuddling prologue in the pilot episode, it’s only in Episode 2 ("I Am Also A We") when the "why" is flirted with, and Jonas tells Will, "you’re not losing your mind, it’s just expanding." It’s a catchy line, but ends up being cool for cool’s sake, because for the entire season we barely scratch the surface of this expansion in any tangible way. When Nomi is questions the phenomenon, asking "why these minds?" her girlfriend’s mother (who conveniently lectures on evolution) suggests that "to be something more than what evolution would define as ‘yourself,’ you’d need something different from yourself." To quote another German criminal from the show: "Deep."
Except… not really. My pick for the most nonsensical line of the whole season comes from Jonas in Episode 9 ("Death Doesn’t Let You Say Goodbye"), when he’s explaining the "us vs. them" dynamic to Will, and says, "who we are is less important than what we are, and what we are is different from them." Peel it any way you’d like, but you’ll find that pseudo-profound statement amounts to nothing. Couple this with the wafer-thin motives of Whispers and the entire ambivalent existence of BPO, and the sensates’ growing acute awareness of each other becomes parallel to the viewer’s’ own growing acute awareness of how fragile and unremarkable the foundation of the concept is. Throughout, the enigmatic screen presence of Terrence Mann goes to waste.
Of course, if "Sense8" continues, it may very well delve deeper into all of these matters, but the more I try to justify its undercooked premise this way, the more I feel like that’s a convenient and sneaky hook designed to keep people watching beyond Season 1. For a show that’s based on a unique sci-fi phenomenon, it would do well not to leave too many fundamental questions unanswered after 12 episodes, unless the actual stories of the characters are compelling enough to immerse the viewer beyond looking for answers. And about that…
Separate all eight narrative threads, and you’re left with eight unexciting storylines, all with emotional beats that have been rinsed and repeated in an innumerable amount of past shows and movies. The one exception to this rule could be Nomi, who is now one among the very few trans characters to play a major role in a mainstream show, and whose own storyline directly pivots around her identity as such. But she’s got stiff competition in the recent and much more enlightened example of Amazon‘s "Transparent" (though it must said that it’s refreshing to have a trans female actor portray a trans female character, and Clayton does a solid job). Riley’s tragic story is perhaps the one that holds the most emotional resonance, and is strongly supported by the fact that Tuppence Middleton delivers the show’s most heartfelt performance, but even her narrative prevents full immersion by overflowing with too many familiar beats. Capheus’ narrative and the shady characters he gets involved with while trying to help his ailing mother mimics the storytelling ingenuity of a Jean Claude Van Damme movie, which, while meta and entertaining, nonetheless diminishes attempts at a serious tone.
Kala’s story of marrying someone she does not truly love plays out like a traditional soap opera and is complimented by the more modern soap opera of Lito’s dilemma; he’s forced to hide his sexual orientation because it would prevent him from getting the parts he wants. Sun’s story in Korea is interesting, and Doona Bae tries her best with what she’s given, but it doesn’t take long for her underground kickboxing persona to be rendered a gimmick for the sake of helping Capheus, Nomi, and anyone else who might get into trouble with some bad dudes. That takes nothing away from the fight scenes, however. If the Wachowskis have held onto something from the bygone days of "The Matrix," it’s their penchant for great action choreography, which is made all the more exciting here because of the harmonious camaraderie felt between the sensates as they help each other out.
Therein lies the one consistent and positive power of "Sense8," which kept me going even while so much of its execution repelled me. The bonds between the sensates increase as the season nears its conclusion, and besides a handful of exemplary action scenes, there are at least four major moments of connection that had a profound impact and successfully break free of the surrounding cheese. Interestingly enough, two involve music; the conclusion of Episode 4 ("What’s Going On?") when Wolfgang karaokes to 4 Non Blondes‘ classic "What’s Up?," washing every ’90s child watching in a wave of nostalgia. It’s sung almost in its entirety, and in a moment that recalls "Magnolia‘s" "Wake Up" group song, all seven follow Wolfgang’s lead and sing "Hey! What’s going on!?" At this early stage of the season, none are too familiar with the whole sensate thing so the sequence is charming, funny, and supremely fitting all at once. The conclusion to Episode 10 is even more transcendent —when Riley attends her father’s orchestral concert in Reykjavik, all eight sensates experience an intensity so forceful that it triggers memories of their births. Music and memory get tangled into Riley’s tragic history in a way that makes the entire scene resonate louder than anything else in the show.
The other two moments that affected me in ways I did not expect are much quieter and intimate. The first occurs in Episode 6 ("Demons"), during a conversation between Sun and Riley, where a common factor of each losing their mother at an early age brings the two closer together. The second is a moment shared between Lito and Nomi in Episode 9, when Lito explains how he fell in love with Hernando (Alfonso Herrera) and Nomi recounts her childhood trauma of being ridiculed and abused as a young boy. "Sense8" is littered with sequences just like these, as two of the most prominent goals of the story are to show how enhanced these characters’ empathy is, and to charge the undercurrent of altruism. Most fall flat due to the flawed execution utilized to present them, be it the on-the-nose dialogue, unconvincing performances, unnecessary swirly camera movements, misuse of music or some other jarring element. But these two particular scenes, coupled with the two aforementioned musical moments, touched me deeply.
Ultimately, once the finale’s anti-climactic climax concludes Season 1, one tries to reconcile the entire experience into a unified whole and finds the flaws outweighing the good intentions. The Wachowskis are by now known as artists with profoundly philanthropic and grandiose ideas, but more often than not they misfire in execution (most recent example being "Jupiter Ascending") and one of the biggest question marks surrounding "Sense8" is how their big ideas would translate on the spacious format provided by the small screen and Netflix. The simple answer is: not so well. There is an undeniable sense that the Wachowskis and Straczynski don’t care all that much about the elements that make a storyline solid, but more about the politics of what they are promoting. In this way, "Sense8" plays out like an elongated Public Service Announcement, with scenes existing with little to no connection to anything in the context of the narrative. I’m thinking here of Nomi’s "pride" speech in Episode 2, the orgy in Episode 6 (a clusterfuck in more ways than one), and Sun’s conversation with a few male-bashing female inmates, among others.
In more than one instance, the show reminds us that we’re living in the 21st century, so the very concept of exploring themes of gender identity and politics, particularly LGBT issues, in a sci-fi environment feels fresh and potentially groundbreaking. But something incongruous manifests when you spend more time spoon-feeding the audience ideas on religion, gender, and sex, than, say, exploring the science in your science fiction, taking more care in directing your actors, or finding ways to make your narratives less predictable and more in tune with reality. All of the eight in the cluster are essentially good people, all of their stories have happy endings, and all of it is much too convenient and safe, which does little to help one suspend one’s disbelief. And perhaps nothing prevents that suspension more than seeing Koreans speaking to one another in English with Korean accents, Germans speaking in English with German accents, etc. The language issue in "Sense8" will likely divide a lot of viewers, and it’s only justifiable if it wasn’t a creative decision, but for a show that’s all about global inclusivity and the fragility of cultural barriers, it’s painfully ironic all the same.
"Sense8" will no doubt have its fans, and it’s certainly not the messiest work the Wachowskis have done, but at some point the imbalance between politics and art becomes permanently slanted, and the viewing experience turns into an irreversible disappointment. If you can get past the first few episodes without switching off, things will get much better before they get worse, as the format provides enough time to get to know each character long enough to develop some attachment to them. Besides, it’s so enamoured with its own utopian concept that the residue can’t help but rub off to some degree. It’s a case of storytelling Stockholm syndrome that kept me going and there will undoubtedly be certain aspects and moments that should stir up emotions from just about any viewer. Aside from a couple of memorable performances and a tiny handful of expertly crafted scenes, however, my strongest connection to "Sense8" is in imagining what could’ve been had the siblings realized their underrated "Cloud Atlas" in this format. [C-]
Great review! I agree, the show is trying to be too deep without context and comes off artificial and like a \’PSA\’ as you say. Still entertaining, but execution could of made this a great show, like Lost… Thanks for the review.
Yeah I couldn\’t agree more with this review. There are a few charcter\’s who\’s stories interest me. Sun and Van Dam\’s are the most interesting but thes rest is just garbage for the most part. Nomi grosses me out and the story is nothing special. This show is a spectacular step backwards for the siblings and it\’s a shame they can\’t just get back to their roots of writing gripping stories and leave the agendas out it.
To those who are trashing this review: C\’mon people. I\’m a registered independent pansexual atheist who leans left of the left on social issues, but the writers are constantly force-feeding the audience their liberal agenda. I actually agree with them feeding it to us, I just disagree with them force-feeding it to us. This review was spot on and I didn\’t see a single part of it that could sensibly be called "homophobic", as one of the commenters called the author. Someone said that the author disagreed with the "views" in the show. That clearly couldn\’t be further from the truth. Like, did you even read the article? The author applauded Nomi\’s existence in the story and the fact that she\’s played by a trans woman. Clearly from this the author\’s a supporter of gay rights. The only reason the author disliked the other things throughout the show is because they\’re overplayed. It becomes less about raising awareness of LGBT issues and more about the writer\’s being able to pat themselves on the back for supporting the gay right\’s movement. This goes for a number of the other issues that the writers of Sense8 shove down their viewer\’s throats, not just ones related to LGBT equality.
Disagree, I think it deals with human empathy in a beautiful, creative and new way at a point in time when people go out of there way to make anonymous names on the internet cry just because they disagree with them, or, sick as it is, because it makes them feel better about themselves. Its also breathtakingly beautiful.
Completely agree with \’RAY\’. This show is above most critiques, heck it\’s above most people. hmm, actually I don\’t feel like "above" is the right word, it\’s not BETTER than anyone but it is around them…it\’s different, emotional and connects with the humanity among us all. Our feelings, our thoughts, our perspectives. It\’s good that it\’s different, too many times people are making the same old shows with the same old boring plots only repeated with younger, more attractive actors and actresses in attempt to suck in audiences. Yes I won\’t disagree that the Wachowskis clearly have put alot of their personal views and beliefs into the show, however I think this only adds to it\’s credibility, making the show a much more pure form of artistry; after all art is all about forcing the viewer to find new perspectives and question their beliefs and ideals.
Not to mention, this show is brilliantly executed and one fails to see how anyone can find fault in this area, clearly so carefully mastered.
Like RAY says however, all this is useless when coupled with \’rampant homophobia\’. Quite simply a good majority of people are not going to like the show because they are not ready, or lack the emotional maturity to accept what is only long overdue changes in societal thinking.
To summarize, this show is not meant to be what other people want it to be, or would have it be. It is an expression of art, humanity, policy and society making it more beautiful and original than most of anything that\’s come before.
Yep. Bring up the point about all it\’s cultural differences and somehow you claim the prison \’Man-bashing\’ scene as useless. I don\’t live there, and I doubt very many other viewers have either. Not expecting such a positive reception for her, it was a great examples of difference to me. I can see how the language may be ironic in that sense but it\’s completely not worth bringing up. Some people may not even want to watch it if some let alone half the show consisted of subtitles, I wouldn\’t mind myself but it seems like a pretty obvious move. Oh, and it\’s not hard to throw \’haunted\’ around. Capheus, a haunted kenyan bus driver with a very sick mother. Nomi, a haunted homosexual transgender with a spiteful mother. Sun, a Korean business woman who is, you guessed it, also haunted from the loss of her mother. Clearly that was very difficult, not hard at all to focus in on any character and pull something like that out. Out of each characters description, I would also think of Sun definitely being a part of your \’haunted\’ list. Instead you label both her Brother and Father inept, just the way you did that seems like some sort of bias you have.
Brilliant show, amazing cinematography, complex characters, addressing issues of identity and sexuality. This review is the myopic ramblings of the illiterate.
This is the first time in my life I feel compelled to comment on something I read on the Internet and we all know how much revolting nonsense is on the Internet. I find your criticism not understandable and over the top. You should have stopped after the first paragraph because if everything you said afterwards about the characters and the story were to be true (which it most definitely is not) the show is still magnificent in its unique veneration of multi-culturalism and respect. Solely for this reason I think that this series is brilliant. Out there, there are so many series about the greatness of a country promoting every possible cliche about everything, that again even if the characters were boring it still would outclass nearly everything on TV. Concerning the theme development, I believe that there just enough story and character development to be suspensful but still not so much that we forget the bigger picture which is precisely the message of multi-culturalism and respect. All in all I think this is an incredibly great series and I hope many seasons will follow. That being said: Agree to disagree
Thanks for this. It quickly came to a point where I felt as though any narrative progress or intrigue was served as a bribe to get me to watch several PSAs, whose comprising stories were more convincingly linked by what they are trying to preach than by the plot. Did nothing to indicate that the Wachowski\’s have learnt how to write complex characters. Things improve after the first few episodes but I could never shake the sense that I\’d been cheated of a sci-fi premise with loads of potential.
anyone with far more patience than i care to tally up how many commentors liked the show as opposed to those who side with the reviewer? i dug it, even with its shortcomings. 8.4 rating on IMDB says something, too.
As a guy, seeing the gay stuff is not very enjoyable. Other than that I like the show, it\’s unique and makes you think. I thought Hemlock Grove was really good too.
This is the greatest show on television right now, and if you can\’t see it, I suspect you are simply a homophobe with the attention of a gnat. "Instead, the primary focus is thinly veiled behind specific agendas and philosophies, turning most of "Sense8" into a lecture on gender equality, religious hypocrisy and LGBT rights." You\’ve just told ups what your real problem is about the show. Own up.
The only nonsense I\’m seeing is this ridiculous review. Indie wire has made a huge misstep publishing this bufoon\’s drivel. Fortunately, Netflix will be offering Fuller House soon which sounds like a project that will suit Nikola\’s sensibilities a little better.
Sense8 is an intriguing concept given incredible creative latitude to take the basic idea and its characters to various continents. Few have commented on how beautifully this sci-fi drama was photographically rendered. Developing the concept itself is the real strength of the Wachoskis and JMS: they do come up with interesting ideas that push the envelope of what humanity could become; e.g., batteries turned virtual and actual revolutionaries (the Matrix) and intergalactic traders and tourists (Babylon 5). With this new show they take it to another level that pushes the idea of the human genone into a different dimension. The concept is, to put it succinctly, the bomb. Only the very dull and myopic have never dreamed of being in someone else\’s skin/mind. And with this show they choreograph the interaction, a difficult task in my estimation, with credible skill.
Unlike the reviewer, I found there was much to like about the flaws and dysfunction inhabiting the character\’s lives. It made the challenges that they faced outside of becoming something more than human even more compelling (and, yes, I felt their sub-plots to be effective story telling).
For those that want to be fed explanations or, at the very least, clues that will scientifically illuminate this brave new universe of tremendously enhanced humans is to miss the point; just as one would miss the point of Game of Thrones for asking why there are dragons, giants, and whitewalkers. The diversity of the characters given us be the Wachoskis and JMS is tremendously brave and edgy. I applaud their choices of speakers who do little but just try to get on with their lives without very much proselytizing at all. What these disparate characters possibly represent as a singular entity, if you will, is truly profound. It is this and the simultaneously threatening and transcendent potential of such beings developing an evolutionary skill that I find most fascinating.
The dialoge? If I had my druthers I would prefer David Mamet or the Coen Brothers writing the scripts and having the Wachoskis just direct. If you peruse the body of work produced by the Wachoskis and JMS I do not believe you are going to find a lot of great dialogue to have been produced. But what they do with Sense8 works well enough and here is hoping that it gets better in Season 2.
I applaud the efforts of the producers and Netflix to bring this ambitious fiction to us.
I disagree with this review. Though the series introduces concepts that the filmmakers approached on Cloud Atlas, this is a bigger canvas for them to expand the notion of how lives are connected independently of geography (or spacial confinements). There are obvious cliches, but most of the shows currently on TV use and abuse them. "Sense 8" actually has the intelligence to propose something unique and different, and allows for the momentum to keep expanding.
There is nothing I can add to these wonderful positive comments,except to agree that this critique is garbage from a clearly small minded individual. I was completely transported by the show, and the characters will live in the back of my mind and heart until I get to experience more of their story!
the character development is a total rip off of lost but for those who are fans of this tripe i guess that doesn\’t bother them…also if this were closer to fantasy realism, the people in sensate would be traumatized or mental breakdowns…also, to not development the mythology of why this is happening as well as how in addition to what i bet within a one dimensional villain is just poor writing. But people who are fans of netflix seem to have low standards if a show like orange is the new black can succeed as well as it does. My guess is that with these two shows still getting fans is a result of the negative affect and format that netflix programming will on entertainment in general. on tv, shows have to automatically justify themselves will results as well as super structured and tightly written narratives…not so with netflix programming which can allow writers to be aimless and have no tight direction in terms of plots and story pacing
its reviewers like you that remind me that this site sucks
Get someone younger to review this. I agree with Ray.
Me and my wife both really enjoyed this show and i fear that your negativity while welcome could scare people from watching it themselves so i must cation all readers to please give this show thorough consideration and come to your own opinion!
Yeah, I agree with Ray there. It\’s a complex show, not really a misstep. Sure it can be a bit heavy handed, but isn\’t the Matrix? And they didn\’t call it a misstep, it was fairly good sci-fi, even without the new special effects. I really enjoy watching a decent sci-fi with interesting characters, compelling theories, and well rounded LGBTQ+ characters for once. Sure there are problems, but I wouldn\’t call it a misstep. Its progress.
Like the Matrix, it\’s pretentious philosophy lite, but perhaps it will spark some young minds to delve more deeply into some of the questions posed. It ain\’t Van Gogh, though. My other objection is the interminable opening credit roll…
Oops – used "storylines" twice – teach me to check my rants before pressing send 🙂
What pretentious bullshit your critique is. Words fail me, as this series has renewed my faith in american drama. A breath of fresh air, tremendous story lines, great acting from an excellent ensemble cast, and edgy storylines. I really can\’t understand your negativity or your hostility unless of course, you\’re just a blowhard, determined to present the opposite view, just to make himself feel different. You, quite frankly, are a total arse.
Ah, Nomi – the token Trans-Woman character in a modern Wachowski Siblings creation. Can you imagine if the original \’Matrix\’ concerned itself with their tired LGBT Rights malarkey instead of solid storytelling and immensely clever Special Effects? Yes, we get that one of the two Wachowski Brothers no longer identifies themselves as a brother, but rather a sister…but does that mean that every project they\’re involved with immediately has to have that viewpoint explored? Is guilt-free popcorn entertainment SO FAR from their abilities nowadays?? Sure, I believe art ought to discuss the bigger issues, but i think somewhere in the last decade between all the sex changes and critical drubbings these two have lost the ability to simply entertain.
No, Tom, you are clearly nonsense because everyone knows the fanboys manipulate the ratings on IMDB by down-voting all the competition. The Top 250 is a joke and as been exposed as being rigged by sock accounts before. These comments are the same thing. The show is crap and someone is encouraging all these fake comments in an effort to make it look like anyone cares. There is zero buzz about this on Twitter or anywhere else. NO ONE CARES.
Well this article is clearly nonsense seeing as it currently has an 8.4 rating on IMDB.
The show made little sense before the fourth episode but that doesn\’t matter because this isn\’t a network so I\’m not terrified it is going to get pulled before I can get any closure. It was weird, had more sex than I like personally (regardless of sexual preference displayed) but it is a solid piece of Sci-Fi not some boring critical speech fest that the critics will love. I recommend it.
there is an irksome and unshakeable privilege behind the belief that anything overtly addressing a minority view comes from a bully pulpit. and the tendency of the privileged to fixate on social commentary in one dimension as a distraction from the rest of the story is not the fault of the story teller. this plot is not thin, it is young. even you acknowledge the room to grow, even while devaluing the entire point of the story – the human connection. they did a brilliant job of connecting characters who otherwise have nothing in common, and the plot is a very clever vehicle for delivering refreshing insight. the creators cannot be blamed for refusing to rush the plot for the sake of keeping your attention through those pesky bits where they try to address something real in the process of creating fiction. i\’m tired of falling in love with shows that cannot be renewed because they are too far above the lowest common denominator, which is too often the loudest voice of the internet critics.
You\’re so wrong about this show. It is fantastic!
This show was fun and sexy, and I didn\’t mind that it didn\’t make totally unfold and explain everything to me because I enjoyed watching it. It could have possibly been all the attractive people who were constantly naked, I suppose. There\’s a certain amount of triumph in the characters using each other to beat bad guys, even if some of it seems unrealistic.
For me, \’Hemlock Grove\’ is Netflix\’s worse show by far. I have a high tolerance for bad TV at times (look, I\’ll admit to finishing \’The Following\’) but HG was just too much junk science for me.
I enjoyed the first season. .can\’t wait for season 2
I couldn\’t disagree more; I loved the show and can\’t wait for the next series.
Amazing show. I\’m assuming whoever wrote this is the sort of person that doesn\’t support gay marriage or trans rights..
this was a pathetic attempt at pro LGBT propaganda, perverse, crude and filthy. Shameful!
This article frustrated me. Admittedly, I have a weakness for the Wachowskis, and tend to look past many of their faults. I am also not a television critic, but I thought this show was beautiful. Calling the show out for having \’agendas\’ made me feel very angry. I loved getting the variety of sexualities, genders, and cultures as protagonists in the same show. It did not feel forced to me. And it definitely did not feel like a TED talk. It was interesting, I\’m very excited for season 2! (Even if the dialogue and other things I tend to forgive were not the most outstanding.)
this show is amazing. i enjoyed every minute.
This show is amazing , complex and has some of the best acting on television . To say it\’s a mistake shows the critic has no sense .
You fanboys are too obvious. It\’s clear this is an organized effort to save this show while you\’re pretending it\’s all spontaneous. This has J. Michael\’s greasy fingerprints all over it. Transparent as a piece of glass.
Totally disagree with the reviewer. I knew after watching it that the themes and subject matter would not be to the liking of everyone, but the show is one of the most interesting, innovative,tightly written, well cast and directed show I\’ve watched. What I really learned is that I\’ll be errors read another review by this reviewer.
This was painful to read, you should have just not watched it and kept your review. Homophobic and small minded. This show is just to good for your eyes and soul
What I want to know is how Nikola managed to slip past the wire hanger her mother stuffed up herself? Nikola the missed abortion.
I love this program. I was hooked from the first episode. I have not seen a show where they use transgender and gay people as main characters like they have in this progam. To me that tells me that they are trying to use mainsteam characters. This is life. We are all so intertwined in the real world. So how they made this show seems fitting to me. I am hooked and really hope there is a Season 2. and I dont have to wait to long for it.
I love the show. Had some issues with the pilot dragging at first, and it did beat you over the head with the homosexual equality rant early on, but I liked the characters and about the time I said to myself that it was starting to drag a bit, it seemed to hear me and picked up the pace. This show is a small tweak or two away from being one of the best on T.V.
I don\’t think the article writer has much depth in their ability to critic shows. Most usa shows over explain everything which leaves little imagination for the viewer. It\’s great to see something to come out of the usa that challenges the viewer, its been a while.
"who we are is less important than what we are, and what we are is different from them." This is not a nonsensical statement. If you think about it, it can be construed as a reason why whispers is hunting them. Throughout history, humans have always been xenophobes, or at least the majority has been. What this line does is explain that their personalities or "who they are" is not the primary reason they are being hunted. It is instead "what they are". They are a different kind of human, causing them to be feared or wanted for research or exploited or whatnot. If you "peel it" that way it most certainly amounts to something.
This is some of the best television I\’ve ever seen, confronting but excellent drama. I fear Nikola Grozdanovic seems to have let allowed personal phobias get is the way of critical appreciation.
Watch this show.
A slip?? You may dislike it but it being a slip is not for you to decide is it? It\’s entertaining and beautifully shot, my friends all loved it. Another unobjective and biased review guys. Move along
One of the best shows I\’ve seen for some time. Just got to get past the first few episodes. Really brilliant stuff.
so every reviewer is a homophobe this show got no good reviews anywhere anywhere!
This critic remains me of gamergate, take out the politics of my tv show!
I LOVED IT.
This is the very best series I have watched. So rich in so many ways. I love the complexity and how real the characters are. Dare I say masterpiece??? Yes, do dare.
That\’s just like… your opinion, man.
(I thought it was great by the way.)
I liked it and would live to see more. 12 episodes is not enough!!
Many aspects of this show touched me. If you look beyond the words and the cellulite you will find a war waged for understanding. Perhaps some of the plots were silly, but the overall premise was one of questions; who are we, what are we. and where are we going. I understand what they are trying to do in the only way they can, through film. Critics criticize because that is their job, people criticize because they don\’t understand.
I completely dissagree with anyone who is bashing this series, first and formost because if you are, you haven\’t really understood. Yes there are many themes and stories tied together and you may feel that there are lots of holes. However, I feel this is done purposefully and to great effect, not just to prolong the series but to prolong the time you spend reflecting on what is said. I feel that this review has missed the point entirely for many reasons. Here is the major reason why you, the writer of this article, got it wrong. The \’us vs. them\’ dynamic is the theme of the show no-matter how you cut it, "who we are is less important than what we are, and what we are is different from them", nonsensical? Yes the reasons why people are racist, sexist and homophobic are nonsensical. This is the world we live in, it is the reason why we are divided and the only way to over come this is to evolve, metaphorically of course, empathy plays a gigantic role in this. To say this statement amounts to nothing is to say, we are what we are why change, why try to take on a metamorphosis and try, really try to understand the truth. This NOTHING is everything, everything we could, should and are capable of.
This review is completely bogus. It\’s a great show
with a very compelling concept. Has the potential to be a top notch series
I think the show has a big big heart. The good outweighs the flawed just by a little. Just a little. =)
YOU\’RE THE BIGGEST SLIP OF 2015
Great review. I agree, Middleton\’s performance was one of the most solid, but I also quite liked Silvestre – he injected a lot of much-needed humor into the proceedings.
I love it!
What a ridiculous review. And clueless comments in support of it. I guess it\’s not for you. It\’s the best thing I\’ve seen on television since I watched the original Star Trek as a kid. It\’s a metaphor for the coming new age.
I really loved the show. I started this series on accident when I fat thumbed Sense8 instead of a different show I was going to start watching. I\’m usually lights out by 10pm on work nights. I started the first episode at 9:30pm and could not stop until the end of episode 4 at 1:30am. I felt that the mechanics of their "Cluster" were explained well enough to understand what is happening. Its Sci-Fi. Anyway im not a show/film critic but I would recommend Sense8.
All the actors are amazing and brilliant casting! I don\’t know what show you watched thinking they were dull!?
I like that the focus is on exploring the psychology of the characters over action and plot devices, it is refreshing. All these characters are rich and clearly challenging stereotypes in every way possible.
There are so many messages flying beneath the surface all the way through this and the Wachowski’s are masters at presenting entertainment that works for both the masses in it’s style and plot theme, but has a great deal of anthropological statements, questions and challenges within, in a way that is cleverly worked into the plot and character and not distracting.
Even the English; you see the characters jump between their mother tongues in other scenes, implying the use of English is to mimic their mutual psychic understanding. Also, in this current global world it is not uncommon in these cities to hear english and the reality of life these days is most foreign countries have groups of friends of multiple nationalities and English is often used. This is a cheap shot at a show that is trying to package grand ideologies into a digestible product for the naive general public. In that way, I think it is hugely successful.
Also the orgy was great. It is a really beautiful statement about gender and sexuality, we are so focussed on the idea that all love is the same; using sex to deliver that connection is smart and that sequence is beautifully shot.
Was lost in the first 2 episodes. By ep 3 things started to click. If you\’re patient enough to give yourself any 3-4 hrs of calibration the show totally works. It\’s not a homerun yet. I hope Netflix gives them a 2nd season. Very promising.
I disagree. The show is amazing. Good storyline, acting and directing. . We do hope Netflix brings it back for another season
This review is so blind to the connection of the characters. The emotional bonds that are shared in the clusters is a new paradigm in television shows. Yes, I agree there are a lot of unanswered questions but to deliver such a story like this, you\’re going to need a huge exposition to give the audience information about each of the sensates. I thought between all the characters each had a good developing story that made you understand and connect to them. This first season was a great show and I cannot wait for the second.
RP, i hope you\’re joking. DD i probably one of the best tv show so far
Best review I have read in like ever. Just about captured everything that made me feel ambivalent about the show. More politics and ideology than art.
Like Ray I feel this reviewer just doesn\’t understand the show. The Gender and Sexual stereotype injections into the story are presented in such a "matter of fact" way and grapohically to get us comfotable with the "real" charcaters. I loved all of the 3 matrix movies… I was a fan of Babylon 5. This series is presented in the same way. It is an epic tale that will be slowly laid out. Not spoon fed on a large spoon. Take small bites. Enjoy it. I hope they get a second season I\’m only up to epi 8 and so far I have truly enojoyed it and hope it uravels at the creators discretion… not the public\’s desire.
I like sense8 a lot. It is not about lecturing the audience about modern topic it just includes the modern atmosphere we are living in the 21st century. I haven\’t like atlas but I liked sense8 a lot because it is unique and fresh it was only at a few moments a bit predicted but it never relied on suspense. I think one of the main things that define this show is that each character is directed dufferntly in both story and art. The Indian part is so Bollywood and the Mexican part is Mexican. If they were meant to be cheesy they actually were intentended to be different. It is really so beautiful what they have did with the departure from each character. Literaly each charecter had a matching filming for their parts.
This show has zero buzz on Twitter, I\’d never heard of it before seeing this reviews. The comments are so fake, it\’s laughable. Clearly, someone connected to the show, I\’m looking at you, J. Michael Straczynski, has sent the message out that the fanboys should flood this comments section with good vibes to try and make the show look like it has a following. Star Wars movies don\’t even get this many comments, and this show is totally unknown.
I am really enjoying the show. I\’m not quite sure why you aren\’t getting it but I\’m sad for you. Its innovative, thoughtful, completely feminist and forward thinking. We can always use a show that explores gender equality, religious hypocrisy and LGBT rights. These are real issues that people are struggling with right now and are not being addressed on network television. What we don\’t need is another show about doctors sleeping with each other, crime scene investigators, or cops exploring the minds of serial killers.
One of the best shows I seen, made me go looking for one of the songs in an episode "what\’s up" by 4 non blondes, for me, that is the mark of a great movie.
Given the numerous grammatical errors in this article, it\’s safe to assume that the author isn\’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Thus, the poor review. Sense8 is one of the most beautifully written and visually stunning shows I\’ve seen in a long long time. Although it takes several episodes to develop the characters, this is truly one of the best written and produced television shows of the past decade, if not more.
this review is terrible.
Too many characters and it is confusing, but I enjoyed the show and looking forward to season 2
I really enjoyed this show…
Not sure what this is.
if this is a mistep then i hope Netflix does more misteps. this reviewer looked too hard at it – like the more you look the less you know – this reviewe missed it.
This show blows….The critics got it right on this one. I do believe that the premise is interesting and fun, but the delivery makes me want to take 2 adderall and focus on something that will actually make sense at the end. I gave up early on "Lost" and I will give up on this just as fast…I actually will compare this to another show that is slow, nonsensical, and has a following of fans that will be in denial till the end – "The Leftovers – hbo. Who cares about this cast? Why should I care? THey have 52 minutes an episode, twelve episodes, and this is all I get? We really deserve better than this….
Good entertaining TV, don\’t get hungup, just enjoy something different. Lets hope it doesn\’t go the way of Stargate Universe.
You are really missing the point if you think the show is about "religious hypocrisy, gender equality and LGBT rights."
J. Michael Straczynski\’s involvement in this alone is enough of a reason for it to be a mess. No talent hack who is one of the worst people to work with, and that\’s saying something in Hollywood. Arrested development of a perpetually horny 14 year old with absolutely no respect for women. This is a " skip it" for me.
I hated Cloud Atlas and I thoroughly enjoy this xD
I would agree with the point some have made about objecting the explicit sex scenes, although for different reasons. I would like as many people as possible to watch this series and I think those scenes inhibit who I can recommend it to. I love this show myself, and it was the pilot that sunk the hook in. I did not find the prologue "befuddling," as the author writes. On another note, the soundtrack is amazing, and I am looking for every song available.
This show blew my mind! This show contains mind teleportation, action, hacking knowledge. Sun inspires me to take martial art class. But most of all I believe that this show provided you with knowledge. Meaning no matter how hard your past was you have a Choice to keep going As how you are or change for the better, to use your feelings and but transport them to your fist and fight for what you want.
Ray is 100% correct.
Absolutely amazing this show requires patients as the brothers who directed it are old school story tellers ….. im sure season 2 will develop more as the writers get abit more freedom. The very scenes we as an audience are exposed to and the unforgiving in your face themes made me uncomfortable and question myself which is what i look for this is brilliant directing, photography, story telling and writting 5star up there with some of the best iv watched for a while but be warned u need to give it till atleast episode 6 🙂
I enjoyed it. Watched all 12 episodes in two days and was looking for more.I think it is much better than the Dare Devil season I tried to finish watching.
Amazing show, I thought this show would suck but it is fantastic.
You\’re the reason why these masterpieces can\’t find their place in the world. You, and all the one likes you, eat and eat movies continuosly, loosing all the beauty in them, looking for the wrong, not being surprised nor fascinated by them. And what most concern me, is that your word is the one that count. If you feel so empty, looking a series that makes me cry in certain points, maybe you should consider to stop for a while, and think not just about the movies themselves, but on the human messages they\’re trying to share. Because catching the message, and still not feeling anything, is something that should concern you as well.
Major slip? Most people like it. One search on Google proves it. But to each their own.
Really don\’t understand the negative reviews. It\’s not the best show I\’ve seen, but it\’s still refreshing and well constructed. If you have the attention span of a child, paired with the complete inability to allow for imaginative storylines to play out at a regular pace, then you\’ll hate this show.
I mean, the concept itself and the "rules" are fairly simple to comprehend if you watch the entire first season. OF COURSE they\’re not going to give all the hidden sub-plots away in 12 episodes… That would defeat the purpose of future seasons.
I don\’t understand this culture of needing to know everything now and have themes spelled out to exhaustive degrees. Have we really become that ADD and jaded? God, I hope not…
This show is amaZing! I was totally in it!!! I\’d already started watching it again before I\’d even finished the whole season. I\’m waiting for season 2. Don\’t play with my emotions. Just give me what I want.
I loved this show it was amazinglg gripping without anything really happening I was glued for the full 12 eps pleaase bring them back for a 2nd season I loved all the characters and omg their stories moved me i hope this show continues
Hush your mouth noob.
I COMPLETELY disagree with this article! The author was so overly critical about a show that she obviously did NOT understand! It seems like she wants everything to be laid out for her to thoroughly enjoy the show. From the looks of it, Nikola must not have liked Interstellar, Inception, Shutter Island, or any of those other mind-bending movies, because those weren\’t straightforward all that much. For anyone who wants to watch something different, new, and unique, you should DEFINITELY watch Sense8! It is a revolutionary TV show that will leave you wanting more and more. Some of the scenes of camaraderie gave me goosebumps from how well they were executed. I\’m just left dumbfounded by this review…
This review is an argument against its own conclusion. You accuse it of catering to things like gender equality and lgbt rights simply because these issues are present for the show\’s characters. You\’re only exposing your own discomfort with these issues. And your claimed nonsensical line easily makes sense. It means that the fact that they are different is the problem, as opposed to what their species is. I can only conclude from this review that you hated it before even watching it and then spent at least nine episodes looking for circumstantial evidence to support this.
I agree with the general critique of the review. Its seems this happens more and more with reviewers who seem to have their own agenda and who unrealistically want and expect something from a movie. don\’t get how these people can rise to a level to be considered movie critics
I ejoyed this show immensely…far more than any other new shows this year. I hope the haters don\’t win out and its give a chance.
the show is pretty good. i liked it. idk what the problem is.
The "slow" and "confusing" story structure that so many critics seem to be hung up on is classic J. Michael Straczynski, and will make more sense as the seasons unfold. Look at Babylon 5, the entire first season was simply introducing viewers to the main characters: their struggles, their hopes and their relationships with each other. Yes it is a bit of an investment to ask from the viewer, but that\’s what he does – he writes five year story arcs that unfold like the chapters of a book. None of these are stand-alone episodes, they all build to something. When you get to the end of the story you find it rich and meaningful in ways that a standard weekly episode of NCIS can never achieve.
Well written review, and a few of your points are valid (the irony of using accented English especially), but I don\’t agree with the majority of your reasoning. I\’m so sick of this idea that a show has to be grounded in "reality" to be able to suspend disbelief – its optimism and its hope are the two qualities in Sense8 that I found refreshing. I also can\’t agree with your idea that much of it reads like a PSA – engaging the characters and the audience in exercises of empathy to forge connections and underline what makes us similar rather than what makes us different seems to be a technique to allow the characters (and audience) to bridge the gaps of their ideologies so that they can work together for the betterment of their cluster. I also envy someone who can view real LGBT issues, presented with bias but not without basis in reality, as unnecessary commentary. It informs character but doesn\’t define them. I also found the performances (mostly) compelling, and especially thrilling when they were sharing emotions or escaping danger. The show is flawed, but it\’s not without its share of brilliance, and to call it a misstep is a misstep in itself.
I agree with Ray, calling it a misstep is like those who didn\’t understand the iphone of Van Gogh. I also agree that if you liked Cloud Atlas, you will enjoy every breath of this ride. I love this show. It\’s global, emotional, spiritual, plays with concepts of human consciousness and it’s a show where gay, straight and transgender characters are equally and dynamically portrayed. Yes, I was disappointed significantly with Jupiter Ascending, but the Wachowskis are on point with this entertaining, visually stunning, mind expanding soulful show.
You are so wrong about this review… the show is complex and makes you really think. I am constantly having to explain the details to a co-worker that he missed. WE ARE TOTALLY HOOKED and are waiting on bated breath for the next season to release.
@CHUCK, no not juvenile at all, deep and hugely complex. For starters you say as a heterosexual you dislike watching homosexual sex, well gays seem to have survived having heterosexual sex forced fed to them for the last god knows how many decades so I don\’t quite get it. Unpack just that one point and you uncover a wealth of issues, ignorances and prejudices, so juvenile is an incorrect description.
Terrible. It\’s something a UCLA film school undergrad might come up with. It\’s nothing more than 8 boring, unimaginative narratives clumsily woven together. While watching it I got the sense that I\’d seen most of it elsewhere.
I find it funny that no one "poo pooed" Bartlestar Galactica for being too preachy. The only thing missing from that show was the transgendered voice. All of the other elements that this show has existed in that show as well: gay characters facing prejudice; women working in a male dominated society; disenfranchised
The Wachowskis are very original, I\’ll give you that. This show was different and good.
I think the "rampant homophobia" jab is a bit juvenile. I\’m a straight guy. The fact that I don\’t want to see scene after scene of extremely explicit homosexual sex doesn\’t make me homophobic. It makes me a heterosexual who isn\’t interested in watching homosexuals have sex. I think if there is anything that is going to be a hindrance to this show getting renewed it will be because of the Wachowski\’s "in your face" attitude where that is concerned. There\’s plenty of argument for doing shows that break down stereotypes and social stigmas, but wrapping that agenda into an extremely complex story line is just too much. I actually loved the overall story. Could have done without the pornogaphic scenes, both gay and straight. They were inconsequential to the actual storyline anyway. They were there, again, for agenda and shock value, and I think dos a disservice to the show. Hopefully Netflix will give them a second season to explore the story more. Maybe now that we have everyone\’s sexuality established, they can get on with making what could really be an epic series.
Lol @ this article.
Major slip? I don\’t think so!!! Just look at viewer response on RT: 91% and IMDB rating 8.3. Looks like few, except some fellow "professional" critics agree with you. The series is affecting people on a big scale all over the world. Just read the viewer comments. It doesn\’t mean you should change your mind, I\’m just saddened you didn\’t feel pulled into the story as so many others are and were.
I couldnt "see" myself past the first episode of daredevil but I binged on this one
This show is amazing and ive watched every great tv show in history .. this one is up there ..plus I need closure haha
i absolutely love this show, all these people that have been bad mouthing it are close minded, simple people. this is creative, bold & yes has a great storyline. who the hell cares if each episode has a different running time or you have to watch it in order? duh its a series you stupid people, you just like mind numbing crap. please season 2
Really heartened by the Sense8 love. Critics are necessary but if we\’re going to really innovate the screen and the stories we tell they really need to broaden their horizons and rigid notions of taste, it\’s so narrow. Surely this show is Netflix\’s major innovation, OITNB broke barriers in terms of characters but Sense8 is their first show that totally screws with the narrative format. And @JD, well fine but why are you here? Your ideas around a gay army are delusional, you can relax and understand the heterosexual male is still the most catered for demographic, but you know what, alternative visions of life exist and it\’s only natural that with the saturation of content catering for HM\’s audiences are going to get bored and want to see something different and more original.
I am in absolute awe of this show, it\’s brilliant! Never anything like it before. I have no idea how anyone could give it a negative review, the acting, the scenery THE CONCEPT are all amazing. Can\’t praise it enough.
let\’s say I tried to pass by the first gay couple … but when second reveals … just closed the dam thing. Another mainstream media trying to push gay agenda like almost all shows on TV these days … everything has be with gays in it … so everybody\’s mind to get used to that or what?! Well not in my world. Just to much tolerance for these group … and I can care less if somebody calls me a "homophob" … it\’s my choice and my life and I don\’t have to agree with it just to be liked by everybody … because in today\’s world … if you speak your mind you are made "homophob", "transgendophob" and other BS words that just gets invented from one day to another. Is like these people are trying to say now that there are more gays in the world than straight people or wtf?!! there are just a speck of dust … the show might be good but can bring myself to watch something that I want to puke at.
i have to disagee with this reviewer. I love what this series is giving us in the way of social commentary and the guts to use this amount of \’\’gay\’\’ input in terms of the number of gay characters is inspiring. this show does not shy away from showing us graphic storylines and I cannot wait for a second season…love love love this show. I also thought daredevil is ths best superhero series on tv at the moment….far above crap like the flash and the arrow
I actually enjoyed the first season an I\’m looking forward to the second. I believe they\’re still developing the characters and have just broken the ice with the story line. I\’ve never paid attention to critics and this critic is one of the reasons why.
"the primary focus is thinly veiled behind specific agendas and philosophies, turning most of "Sense8" into a lecture on gender equality, religious hypocrisy and LGBT rights."
aww, well some one can\’t stand accurate representation of the human race. Like, in what way does this show have an "agenda". Some characters are gay. One of them is transexual. That\’s just a part of their identities but in no way is it ever the main focus of the show.
On another note, just because you don\’t understand what\’s going on or because you don\’t have any proper explanations yet doesn\’t make it a bad show, does it? In fact, it\’s probably what I like most about this entire series. You\’re kept in the dark and you keep wondering. That\’s a lot better than the tons of shitty, predictable tv series that\’re out there.And even if you never get an exact explanation on everything, so what? Not everything always has to be explained or make sense. There\’s so many things in the real world that we can\’t explain or make sense of. Can you imagine living in a world where you understand everything, and nothing is a mystery? Must be really boring.
I fell in love with this show in a way I haven\’t loved a show in ages. I\’d even go as far as to say it\’s the best thing I\’ve ever seen.
Major slip? All the comments and user reviews on Netflix have been overwhelmingly popular. The show, if this critic had bothered to actually watch it with his head out of his a*s, was perhaps the best peice of televison I have ever seen. The character development was superb and you develops such an attachment to each one of them. Yeah the first few episodes where weird but absolutely necessary for the story to be as good as it was. Maybe if all the idiot critics would actually bother to give ideas a chance we wouldn\’t be stuck in garbage like here comes honey boo boo and hemlock grove. If you haven\’t seen the show drop what your doing and watch it now!
Ps every critic review I\’ve read was ripped apart in the comments by people everyone defending the show.
This show was pretty much amazing. It wasn\’t perfect, but most critics seem to be finding fault with minor things and acting like they are major flaws. The story is complex and the characters are some of the most interesting I have seen in a show in a long time. It\’s good that Netflix goes by ratings from people who watch it more so than critics. The IMDB rating really says it all. The people who aren\’t hung up on themselves love it, and the people with something to prove pan it. Rather funny actually.
Me, personally, I loved it! I did find myself scratching my head in the first few episodes — I think I was as confused as the characters with what was going on. But, I watched to the end, and found so many moments I loved. The only problem I think with the show is that it\’s totally jam packed with stuff. Watch it again, it get\’s better then second time.
one isolated comment I would make is in regard to english being the spoken language of the show. I have no basis for this but my interpretation, but to me it came across as though the audience was meant to infer that the characters were all speaking in their native tongue, but it was heard by the audience as english to make the show more accessible (to an english-speaking audience, at least). for example, when sun and capheus meet, she asks if he knows korean, and he asks if she knows swahili. they both say no, but understand each other because they now share each other’s knowledge. presumably their conversation is actually taking place in one or both of those languages, but the audience is just hearing it in english. the same might be said when wolfgang unwittingly speaks hindi to kala in the bar’s bathroom. why would he reply to her in hindi if she was speaking english? but we never actually hear her speak hindi, so I’d say were are supposed to infer that that’s the language she’s always speaking.
This should is not anywhere near a major slip. It\’s written absolutely beautiful and tugs on many emotions not present in the TV Show Genre. It sure does take a lot of risks but all of them pay off, it starts slow I do admit but it grows beautifully and without limits. An absolute killer show if you ask me.
I really enjoyed Sense 8 and Daredevil. They both had some slow beginnings because the plots are more complex (esp. Sense 8). But it\’s an interesting concept and requires people with different taste in tv — which I think is great for Netflix with such a broad audience.
daredevil? are you mad/
Why am i even bothering? this guy is completely off. another dumb ass "critic" missing the mark. Go watch another cop procedural drama please
First of, I love this show. And reading the other comments, I see that I am not the only one who thinks this review is pure bullshit. So, tell me: Who\’s paying all you critics to bash this show? Have all of you some unsettled debt with the Wachowskis? Or do you so-called experts in matters of television just hate everything that is different from the stale stuff we all have seen in a thousand shows before? Or is the fault with us simple viewers, do we all just miss those big flaws of the show? Of course it\’s not perfect but not even the highest praised series are. And I get that this show is a matter of taste, you don\’t have to like it, but why are you so badly trying to drag it through the mire?
However, thank you for your opinion, I\’ll keep my fingers crossed for a second (and a third) season.
I LOVE the show! And viewership numbers are proving it\’s a good one.
It\’s beautiful beyond anything I\’ve ever seen. Worlds better than Daredevil (a show I loved!) or House of Cards or Hemlock Grove. It\’s transcendent, uninhibited work. Full of style and cool, action and tenseness, joyful and painful catharsis. It\’s INCREDIBLY sexy and progressive and positive as well.
It doesn\’t look like any other show. That does not mean it somehow lacks structure or story. It\’s just doing something new.
I really cant inderstand why so many critics are bashing this show sure there were a few moments thats made me cringe and characters that I felt took away rather then added to the show (jonas) but overall I found myself swept away by the idea.
I loved the feeling of learning alongside the characters and I just yearned to know more about what was happening.
I almost felt I was linked into the sensate myself and can\’t wait to feel the connection again next season
I agree with this review. The author clearly states that while the social agenda of acceptance, love and connection for all people and cultures is both admirable and necessary for our time, the QUALITY of the show was very disappointing. It\’s not enough to hide behind your message (well meaning or not) when making a show. Characters, storytelling and quality are equally as important. Especially because this story would have been so good if these diverse characters were also well-written. ANY show that leans on porn worthy sex scenes, vague reveals and cutsie-quipy lines, no matter what admiral ideals it\’s promoting, is POOR in quality. THAT is all the author was explaining. The author is OBVIOUSLY NOT homophobic, as she praised the content, and was disappointed by the execution. If anything, this author is only raising the bar, so more shows may be tempted to do better in telling stories involving the same subject matter.
Nikola Grozdanovic you are just ridiculous in your inability and awareness of thinking outside the box! This brilliantly conceived and directed, you wouldn\’t know art if you wanted to. This show is a creater\’s dream come true! Insightful and mindful of how we are all connected in the end. SENSE8 is AWESOME!!!
I liked this show
The fact that this reviewer actually liked that drivel that was Cloud Atlas goes a long way to make me feel better about loving this show! Sense8 is genius!! And let us not forget that even if you agree with this review that JMS\’s 1st season of Babylon 5 was a let down too until Sheridan and Delenn 2.0 came around in Season 2. I expect we\’ll get more answers and more questions next season and I look forward to it. Character development hasn\’t been this compelling since Sherlock or Orphan Black! Watch This Show!!
I disagree with this article totally, the show has attempted something new and unique, rather than most american TV generic crap this one has a more artistic feel to it. Yes it is slow but makes it more interesting, you are as confused as the main characters are. And there are 8 characters it will clearly take time for it to build up. People get way to used to all these common conventions in TV shows, this one has a lot of potential and wish to see way more.
I just finished watching this season for a second time. I I think it is amazing. I hate the idea that there won\’t be a second one or that I have to wait another year. I think this review is one of the worst I\’ve read in a long time. Maybe just the worst. I\’m really getting tired of critiques thinking that they are the artists. I will follow this guy that wrote this just to make sure I don\’t watch the stuff he likes. I don\’t agree with self conscious little man with the brain the size of a mosquito bashing great artists.
Wow! I disagree. I loved the show! Fresh and exciting.
WTF!! I agree with Ray. it\’s one of the best shows on Netflix. Some of the scenes are mind altering. Watch again, with an open mind and heart. Maybe you\’ll get it
I feel this review tries to strip down this show into it\’s 8 different characters alone. The point of the show being to show how the 8\’s relationships affect each other and the repercussion of being so closely connected. I do realise a lot of questions are left unanswered and that can be frustrating for those who were not satisfied with what I considered fantastic acting and filming. Though in life not all questions are answered so to expect a show not to imitate life in the ways life has and always will be would be to expect false representation in TV such as the likes of photoshop on models. To portray a false fundament way of life on TV is to photoshop a models bum to look more voluptuous. The eloquent way they made Jonas speek did come off pretentious at times but that makes me engage more as I had to really listen to what he was saying. Long winded as Jonas was, giving extra to his explanation made me feel how long he\’s been dealing with the struggles he has and that for him the troubles are deep rooted and complex and should not be simplified just for ease of exposition. Also he is not a big enough influence on the show to change my mind of adoring it.
I feel si-fi shows can\’t win with critiques. If they\’re too stereotypical they get accused of a having a typical boring formula as marvels agents of shield and flash have been criticised. ( both of which I love). Both are doing well due to fan response. Then if the show goes the opposite way, to be completely unpredictable and change the formula of what\’s to be expected they\’re disjointed and not received well by critiques. And let\’s just say their criticism of it being too complex is hush puppy as I\’m 17 and had no problem following. Yes it takes a while to gain traction on the nitty gritty parts of the powers but not all shows need to just be a walk in the park to watch. What I mean by that is the show is easy to watch because it\’s beautiful and the acting is superb but it makes you think. It demands your attention. That is the essence and beauty of sense 8 that I found most enjoyable.
I could not disagree more, it is a good show which is not for everyone I will grant you. But I would echo the sentiments earlier that it is like saying Van Gogh sucks because it is above your head.
Ray put it perfectly. I just finished season 1 and can\’t wait for the rest of it to come out. This show is definitely different, and many people won\’t like that. Too bad, there are many grains of truth in it and it\’s definitely though-provoking. You needn\’t agree with all of the philosophies or beliefs presented here, if you look you will find something to take away from it. If you\’re looking for mindless "entertainment" there\’s plenty of other material to chose from.
So another one, I dont like when critics expect too much of the same and then write reviews of a show that they dont even understand or relate to, and they rather lean to their personal choices or belief, good thing the show is having a lot of good feedback from the viewers that are liking this show, the conversations in twitter, FB & IMDB are non stop and I see more people liking the show and a few here and there closed minded or bigots but other than that people relate to the story, characters and the people behind this show. So I dont care what critics say they are wrong wrong wrong this show is unique and we will def have a season 2, 3, 4, and 5.
I have to say that I haven\’t been a big fan of The Washowskis lately, but I DISAGREE with this article. SENSE8 is maybe a big slip for you and some critics, but not for NETFLIX or the viewers. If you go to METACRITIC, there are 163 POSITIVE comments against 34 negative ones. People in Facebook and other media have been talking good things about the show. In addition, I wanted to play in YOU TUBE "What\’s UP" by Non Blondes because of one of the scenes. I was surprised with all the recent comments there saying "SENSE8 brought me here". On the other hand, it was the most pirated TV show from NETFLIX during the weekend. SENSE8 maybe not be perfect, but the essence and heart of it is quiet strong. I have to say that the last scene of the 10 episode was pretty good and beautiful. I never saw anything like it on TV. What I liked the most about the show was that it focused more into the feelings of the characters and their journey. SENSE8 has new visual language in many ways. I am sure the 2 season will be great, because they learnt what worked and what it didn\’t, and I also I hope they come with new ideas related to it without playing safe.
bravo, AARON. great assessment of the show. while no masterpiece, the ambition and freshness of the show makes it a must see, imo.
Really?! Sounds like either network trash talk or someone that just didn\’t get it. 😉
I have to agree with Ray. The gist of most negative reviews seems to be it isn\’t easy to follow, which is true up to a point. It isn\’t easy to follow if you dip in and out of it like a sitcom or a cop show, but if you pay attention it\’s pretty straightforward. More importantly, it\’s attempting something that, as far as I know, is virtually unprecedented: a program/film that tells a global story with characters from nearly every continent. It\’s the equivalent of literary novel. For those who want more of what they\’ve seen over the years, there are many, many alternatives. But for those of us who really want to see something new, something that tries something different – it\’s been a pretty wild ride so far. And interestingly, this is probably the best Wachowski project to date.
By nonsensical you mean Queer, and I\’m not talking sexual orientation, I\’m talking about the idea of a transgressive perspective on life and the world, or in other words, whatever your orientation may be, you\’re too straight ass to just get swept away with the ride, which is your loss cause that\’s a safe and boring world. Most of life is a complete funk and total mystery so then why cling to dramatic narratives that think they have it all figured out in a fraudulently tasteful manner.
Nikola Grozdanovic, your assessment of this show is so off. Topical much? Let\’s keep movies one dimensional and dumb, because that\’s what I know. No nuance. No metaphor. I like whipped cream in a can.
watched several episodes and it\’s every enjoyable. yeah the acting and directing and writing is spotty and clichéd at times, the story is compelling and ambitious. leagues beyond that Hemlock\’s Grove abortion.
This is a garbage review. Great show, clearly this author/reviewer was offended by the many themes involved here.
I really enjoyed the show. If you like Cloud Atlas there\’s a good chance you will like this.
The show is complex and not like typical shows on TV. Calling it a misstep is like those who didn\’t understand the iPhone or Van Gogh. It\’s above most critiques. Couple that with rampant homophobia and you got your answer why critics are bashing it.
So by this review\’s logic \’Hemlock Grove\’ was good?!
2nd major slip. You forgot Daredevil. 😉