As a genre, science-fiction can astonish, entertain and enlighten us, with a diverse group of stories, including action-adventure epics, and cautionary tales, offering a mirror to our own world and time. One of the more fascinating and intriguing television series to come along in recent years is Raised By Wolves, which just finished airing its second season on HBO Max. The show, created by Aaron Guzikowski, who also wrote Prisoners (2013), is a thought-provoking story of a future Earth which has been devastated by a war between a religious sect called the Mithraic and a science-based group of atheists. After locating Kepler 22-B, a suitable planet to settle on, both groups launch ships into space to assure the future of humanity, but the atheists go one step further. They send two androids, along with some human embryos, to ensure the continuation of the human race. These androids, named Mother and Father, whose mission is to raise and protect these children. The two surrogate parents are tasked with teaching these children the scientific based tenets of the atheists, in order to help ensure the ultimate survival of the human race.
The series focuses on Mother and Father’s attempts to establish a colony on Kepler 22-B, while dealing with some dangerous creatures that inhabit the planet. Only one of the children Mother and Father cultivate, a boy named Campion, survives on the new world. A space ark, sent by the Mithraic order, arrives at Kepler 22-B, and Mother (who reveals herself to be a powerful type of android called a Neuromancer) battles the crew. The ship crash lands, and Mother kidnaps several of their children, intending to raise them with Campion. Meanwhile, a Mithraic man named Marcus, finds some mystical artifacts, believes he’s heard the voice of God, and declares himself a prophet. He assumes leadership of the crash survivors, and goes on a quest to rescue the children and establish a permanent Mithraic settlement on the planet.
Raised By Wolves is thought-provoking, intense and absorbing. It’s a captivating series that uses elements of science-fiction, horror and even a touch of fantasy to tell a fascinating and story that definitely upends the conventions of the genre. In a time when so many movies and television series are remakes, reboots or sequels, it’s nice to see a science-fiction show that tells a truly offbeat story that combines a lot of the genre’s elements in a unique and original way. One of the executive producers of the series is Ridley Scott, of Alien and Blade Runner fame. He helmed the first two episodes, and brings his striking directorial style to the show, helping to establish the look, tone and visual language of this alien world. It’s easy to see what attracted Scott to the project. While it’s an original story, it feels like the series could be set in a world much like the universe established in the three films from the Alien series which he directed.
The cast for Raised By Wolves is uniformly outstanding, with Amanda Collin giving a superb performance as Mother, the android who’s trying to balance being a caregiver for the children with her other directives, including being a weapon of war. Abubakar Slim is equally strong as Father, who wants to be a true father figure to the children. Both Mother and Father struggle with the fact that they’re androids who are feeling more human all the time, due to the roles they need to fulfill for the children. If you’re a fan of Vikings, Travis Fimmel (who was so good in that series) is terrific as Marcus, the leader of the Mithraic. The rest of the cast is also wonderful, including Niamh Algar as Marcus’ wife Sue, and a fine group of young actors as the children, including Winta McGrath as Campion.
Raised By Wolves is a sharply written, solidly directed and well-acted series. The show is captivating, gripping and often surprising. Just when you think you’ve figured out where the plot is going, the story goes off in an unexpected direction. For this review, I tried to give just a basic outline of the story, so I don't spoil some of the mind-blowing moments and startling plot developments featured in the show. This is a fantastic series that’s definitely worth checking out, and worth viewing without much prior knowledge about it beforehand. Raised By Wolves is highly recommended for fans of thoughtful, mind-blowing and thrilling science-fiction. The show is now streaming on HBO Max. Here’s a look at the trailer for Season 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAg6RTQEfeM.
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