This show is a real treat for the dark suspense lover. The tone is something quiet, eerie, and malicious, which is contrasted by the bright and vivid colors and somewhat surreal cinematography, which is both bold and deep, dark and vibrant. Its a universe filled with sociopaths, secrets, and well, everything is a bit twisted. I don't want to give anything away, but the premise of the show is some fans of a graphic novel meet on a website that draws them together for the first time in a bar, where they are expecting to get a sneak peek of the sequel, when they are sucked into a conspiracy surrounding the writer of the manuscript that endangers their lives and relentlessly pursues them. There's something really Ludlum-esque about it, as well adding some eerie subtle sci fi aspects that make it seem like at some point you might see gas masks and hallucinogens or some trippy mind bending sort of biochemical warfare. It captures a bit of the nuclear scare era aspects of horror films, bringing it into a modern setting with epigenetics and viral warfare. Fair warned, the seasons are very short, but it allows for a lot of fast paced movement and it lacks mindless filler which is nice. And the acting is unsettling, especially from pietre, or "arby", who really sells the role very well with his wide eyed gaze and heavy restrained breathing. He's a very special kind of crazy.
Review of Utopia
