I enjoyed the first episode but, as mentioned above, it seems to be clearly set in trodden territory and will need some invention, or at the very least, sustained quality, to keep me hooked.
Paddy Considine is great as the matter-of-fact landlord and Jude Law is engaging in the lead.
So, let's get twisty...
They should have put this on as a boxset to binge as the first episode felt like a taster. I think I'll leave the rest until it has finished and watch them close together.
Kelly, Cristobal and Munden's Utopia is up there with the most exhilarating, tense and memorable TV shows that I've seen, but despite the fact that I always recommend it to people who didn't catch it during its original Channel 4 run I can never tell whether they'll stick with it or not even if I have a rough idea of their tastes in film and TV shows.
They managed to strike a very unique and absurd tone that mixes comedy with some genuinely chilling ultraviolence and disturbing set-pieces. And Cristobal Tapia de Veer's score is easily the most original that I can think of for any TV series off the top of my head that isn't irritating or trying too hard to be wacky and different for the sake of it. Sometimes it is weird, sometimes chilling, sometimes cute and whimsical but it always seems to fit the scene or moment like a glove which was a great achievement given the whacked-out plot!
It's also a show that I've been able to watch over and over again and I enjoy listening to the score now and again as well. It's not perfect and ends on a cliffhanger, unfortunately, although I think it was already running the risk of becoming a parody of itself.
It also couldn't be more relevant and despite wanting to say more on that subject I'll leave it at that. Here's a clip from S2 Ep 6 that'll give you a taste of how unusual it can be without revealing anything about its main characters. It's tough to find a clip that doesn't spoil too much whilst showing off what's unique about the show but this one does a decent job of getting that across.
Edit - Kelly, Munden and Cristobal really achieve a great sense of foreboding and impending violence throughout the series either through its dialogue, it's score, or actual scenes of threat and intimidation.
There's a scene in S1 that I still can't believe got past the censors. You'll know it as soon as you see it. Still manages to make my heart leap out of my chest mainly down to Neil Maskell's truly disturbing performance.
Edit - The season 2 opener is visually striking and reminds me of Antonioni's Red Desert in that regard.
Edit - I'm truly intrigued by Kelly's seeming infatuation with the Romani people and their culture! It's in his new show and was a critical part of Utopia's plot!
Excellent concluding episode of Sam's story that really puts Jude Law through it, the next part Autumn starts on Oct 3 with a one-off live show, it's gonna be interesting to see if this goes ahead and just how this part of the season will play out.
Excellent concluding episode of Sam's story that really puts Jude Law through it, the next part Autumn starts on Oct 3 with a one-off live show, it's gonna be interesting to see if this goes ahead and just how this part of the season will play out.
Looking forward to watching it later. Really enjoyed it so far. Kelly is a master at conjuring up menacing and off-kilter atmospheres and escapades. If you check out the British Channel 4 original of Utopia I'd look forward to reading your thoughts on it even if you think it's crap.
Excellent 3 episode run, soooo creepy & atmospheric, AMAZING performance from Law.
no idea what the ending all meant but enjoyed it nonetheless.
Looked gorgeous on SKY Q in 4k & the sound design was spellbinding
Amazing stuff...what the hells going to happen in the next part then???!!! No ideas here?
I was going to watch this all in one go but I think I might have to get cracking. It sounds like a must-see. I was reading about the 'live' episode somewhere last week and it sounds really fascinating. Anyone planning to watch live????
Watching episode 3 now, one of the most bazaar series i've watched in a long time and because of that it can go absolutely anywhere, outstanding and a must watch
It got a bit brutal in the final epIsode. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and actually liked the inconclusive ending. Did she die or not? Excellent performances all round and I hope Helen pulls though to go back to the island and sort out some unfinished business.
Well I really enjoyed this up until the final episode. When it became apparent the writer had only actually thought about things up to the pivotal moment when
mother meets father
After that it was an absolute mess of disjointed incoherency.
A real shame to be honest, as it wasted everything that had gone before it. Including some good performances from much of the cast.
The only thing I liked about the ending was
mother finally confronting her grief in the final scene
Probably give it a 6/10 in the end, as opposed to the 8/10 it was looking like with episodes 1-5.