sense8

Following my recent decision of not being so adverse to TV shows, I decided to write about one of my favourite shows ever, and that is  sense8 . Part of this decision was helped by me constantly recommending this series left and right, so I thought I'd better plaster it on my blog (again because I actually wrote about it before, but that was just after I had watched the first season and the review is in Romanian) before I manage to really annoy someone.

I know this series is not a general favourite. I mean, it was cancelled after just two seasons because it didn't attract a wide enough audience, which is a shame in my humble opinion, but it is what it is and I am free to re-watch it as many times as I please.

⧽⧽⧽ PLOT

To sum the plot in a few brief words, eight people wake up one morning and start to experience strange things. They see and feel things they didn't before. They see other people and places they've never been to before. They can touch people that are not physically there. As if that wasn't weird enough, they can also hear each other's thoughts and "borrow" each other's abilities and knowledges. Isn't that crazy? It is, but that's not all; they are now slowly starting to discover they are part of a bigger scheme and their lives are in danger.

⧽⧽⧽ ACTUAL REVIEW

Okay, those are not a few brief words, but moving along now that we all know what the show is about, one of the things I liked about it is how diverse the characters are. These people have nothing, absolutely nothing in common, from culture, language and whatever else. Oh, right, they can also speak multiple languages now, that they didn't before. How cool is that? My dream superpower. 

They all come from different backgrounds and have a choice to make. Either try and figure this out or ignore it. Actually, I don't think the second option could have been a thing no matter what, but well, that must always be a choice up there, right? So they set off an adventure of sorts, they connect to each other in ways we can't even imagine and they work with each other. This is the best part, the way they support each other and accept each other no questions asked. The world would be such a better place... 

There are bad people too, like there always are, and these eight characters that live on different continents try and help one another stay safe. They don't inherently know everything, but they are willing to learn and they start to care. It's beautiful.

⧽⧽⧽ STORYLINE & ACTION

The idea of the TV show is really intriguing and it's really hard to make it work. When I first watched something with a similar concept, I was curious and I had high expectations. I don't remember what season I dropped that show on, but I do know it went off the rails so fast. It got over complicated, nothing made sense anymore, plot holes, but all that does not exist in sense8. Or if they do, I didn't see them or aren't as big as to take away from the charm of the show. 

All in all, everything is smooth, with about 1h (fuck yeah!) of each episode, there are plenty of things to happen, you won't get bored. Granted, there are some slower scenes, but they add something to the plot, it's never annoying or makes you roll your eyes. During those scenes we get to learn about the characters, we get to see them at their best and their worse, and let me tell you, those make for some really entertaining scenes when we see the characters getting emotional, losing their composure, try to understand what's happening and so much more. Bonus point: nothing looks forced.  

What I also liked a lot is that not everything revolves around the main plot. Different things happen to every one of them, and this might be boldly put, but as a result, for example, Lito's personal life is a soap opera, Sun's is a Korean thriller, Kala's is an Indian movie, complete with the dancing. I think this is amazing and it just makes me appreciate even more how much thought it was put into it and how much work. Nothing is neglected, the supporting characters are not neglected, they are there and are seen, they are not used just as a plot device. 

⧽⧽⧽ CHARACTERS & ACTING

I didn't know about most of the actors before watching this show, I think I had watched Freier Fall (2013) before, starring Max Rimelt, but other than that, I didn't really know who all the others were. After that, of course, I watched Tuppence Middleton in The Current War (2017) and Downtown Abbey (2019) and Doona Bae in Tunnel (2016) and The Drug King (2018) and have not been disappointed by any of them. Oh, and I must not forget about Alfonso Herrera who was a big surprise for me after I realized who I was looking at (Rebelde anyone? I didn't watch this version of the series, but who didn't know at least about it?) I plan on watching some movies staring the others as well, but that has to wait a bit. 

Going back to sense8, I liked all the main characters, all eight of them did an awesome job at portraying the characters, they made me feel things and for that the show has bonus points. There just isn't anything I could complain about, I really like them all. The way they interact, the way they learn about one another, it all goes smooth, there is chemistry, it's awesome.

Besides the main characters I can't ignore the supporting ones, who are just as great. I enjoyed a lot the relationships outside the cluster and how the main characters' family, friends and lovers reacted to what was going on. There are just so many ways you can react to a person starting to have conversations by themselves. It was also great to see the level of trust they had and at which point they were let in to the secret. They didn't play a small part, not at all. Because besides the whole cluster(fuck) that was going on, there were also personal issues that only added to everyone's development. And they did develop beautifully, all of them. 

I mentioned Alfonso Herrera, I said it was a big surprise for me, but mostly because since I wasn't interested in Rebelde (I was a fan of the original series and I couldn't get to like the remake) I didn't follow him, but he is an exceptional actor, I really want to watch him in more series or movies, one of which is Me Casé con un Idiota, the trailer looks so fun. Another actor I liked a lot is Freema Agyeman, she was amazing, I liked her from the first watch. Also, Chichi Seii, she is gorgeous and so great in the role of Capheus' mother. And everyone else really because this show wouldn't have been what it is without them.

⧽⧽⧽ ANYTHING ELSE

Okay, the show can't be perfect, there are things I didn't quite like, but only one thing comes to mind: the soundtrack. There were some scenes where I would have rather they didn't play any song. Although the rhythm fits, the song doesn't. Does that make any sense? The soundtrack should be part of  show, we should be focused on what's happening not on what the heck that song is. Often the soundtrack didn't produce the intended outcome and that's a shame. Luckily, by the second season the soundtrack either improved or I just didn't notice it anymore.

I kept mentioning the show was cancelled, and I know that might make you not want to watch it, and I agree, cliffhangers are so much worse when you know there's not a new season coming, but I have a good, great, amazing news! After the two seasons, we get a 2hsmth long special:  sense8: A Christmas Special  (2016) which offers us closure and a proper ending. I was so happy when this special was announced, and I was so happy to watch it. I might have liked it a bit more than I did the show.

⧽⧽⧽ REWATCH VALUE AND IMPRESSIONS OR REVIEW²

While writing this I was thinking that, man, I really want to rewatch this, and at some point, when I was almost done with the review I realized that there is literally nothing stopping me from doing just that. 

Half way through the first season I was glad I don't actually remember all of it. This is one of those TV shows I would like to forget about and watch it like I did the first time. The first time I watched it I liked how I wasn't sure about the main characters, what they did, who they are, what they were experiencing. I was mostly confused by Lito, played by Miguel Ángel Silvestre, but just for a few seconds. Now, rewatching it, I knew what was coming, but it was still fun. 

The first season, surprisingly because I actually didn't remember this part, didn't actually end in a bad cliffhanger, the type that causes you to make weird sounds and groan (no? only me?) and I can't help but wonder if that was part of the reason people didn't continue watching the show, because the first season ended on a rather calm, hopeful note. However, there are still plenty of things to look forward to.

Moving on to the second season, Aml Ameen was replaced by Toby Onwumere in the role of Capheus. I don't know what determined the change, but I was... not sad, but something along the lines because I really got to like Aml's portrayal. Luckily, Toby doesn't let down and what I didn't notice the first time I watched the show was this gem of a line (I'm trying to reproduce it as closely as possible) from Jela, Capheus' friend: Speaking of new faces, what happened to yours? Made me smile. 

The first half of the second season is worlds apart from what happened in the first season. After just six episodes things get so complicated and I was surprised to discover I forgot some key points and some characters. Well, I didn't like all of them, so not really a loss there. But anyway, so far I am noticing some inconsistencies, but small ones like blood smear or no blood smear, weird time setting and such, but overall, the show is still as enjoyable. 

In contrast to the last episode of the first season, the second season ends on a rather confusing tone. Everything unfolds rapidly, in the last episode everything takes a hard turn south and at this point I'm not sure how everything happened. The season finale leaves me with a lot of questions, and this reminds me why I was so sad about the news that the show is cancelled. Luckily for us, there's a 2h30' special meant to piece everything together.

I imagine the show suffered a lot of changes to make the special possible. The way I see it, there were some things that had to happen in the next season(s), but since the show was cancelled and the creators (thank you, thank you) didn't want to leave us without an ending, without a conclusion, they changed things in order to fit and make sense. And they did one heck of a good job. The special was great, filled with action, tension, a bit of drama (I dare say a bit too much drama for me, but I am not complaining), and finally, giving us the climax. It was a great ending, I loved it the first time I watched it, and I loved the second time as well. The way everything came together was amazing. I still have some question regarding the ending of the second season, but overall, I am completely satisfied.

Worth mentioning is that Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith and Toby Onwumere are also going to make an appearance in The Matrix 4. I just found out about it while writing this and I think that's proof enough that the movie is going to be great! I mean, besides The Matrix and sense8 being directed by the same brilliant Lana Wachowski, we all know the franchise, it's awesome, we know Keanu Reeves is in it, the fourth instalment already looks good.

So yeah,  sense8  is a great show that can put a few things in perspective and now it might be a great time to watch it. Apart from mutual understanding and selflessness, there are also real, actual problems people face every day. It's a really good show.  

P.S.: Why I really think this show didn't attract a wide enough audience, leading to its cancellation, is because it's so beautiful. There's so much love and acceptance, so many good things are portrayed, so much selflessness and support and people don't like that. If the characters are not suffering 24/7 people don't want to see that. And that's a shame and it speaks volumes.