Utopia

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Ok, so in a bored moment I was searching out science fiction tv, and ran across this brit show from earlier this year (or last year?) Anyway, I read the reviews that it was too violent, that it had been boycotted / protested, etc., in the wake of the "real" school shootings - and then I read it was ordered for a second season, in spite of. This, I said to myself, I HAVE to see!

So. To the show itself. First, the brits do drama best, sorry - actually, at this point, I think they do sci-fi drama best as well. So that gives you context on my thoughts. The show went hard from the first episode. In fact, I was somewhat turned off in the first 5 minutes by the (gratuitous?) violence. But I pressed on, in spite of myself. I was like, "I know there's something good in there somewhere, and I'm gonna find it!" And good on me for doing so, because I remained riveted to the screen for the entire season (that I found online and watched over the course of days).

The show is centered around a conspiracy theory (you gotta love the brits - everything's a conspiracy), with all the answers contained in the highly sought-after manuscript of a graphic novel. The manuscript changes hands, the story of its being changes, the players are revealed, and people die as this story unfolds over 6 episodes. Drama? Certainly. Sci-fi? Maybe. All in all very atmospheric, and it moves along at a nice clip. You're never quite sure who is going to betray who at which point, but everyone is given opportunity to be either villian or saint in this tale - and the soundtrack is so unreal that you might even want to do like me and pause the show to search it online.

Im still not 100% sure that the entire story makes sense, and I have feel like there are illogical leaps in the explanation of who did what, but I can only imagine that these questions were intentionally left open so as to give rise to Season 2.

Recommended? If you dont mind a little blood, distubed people, and uncomfortably grotesque music, highly. Not for the children, but hihgly recommended.
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something witty goes here......



I just watched this show last week, it is so freaking good. Can't wait for series 2. Watch it, people.
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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."



I know Nausaicaa's a fan of this. I'm sure she'll be in here to talk about it when she sees this.

BTW, good to see you back around the place, mack.
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Yes! massive fan of it, one of my all time favourites now. It's one of the most beautifully shot television series I have ever seen, was blown away. I nearly didn't tune in when it was shown on Channel 4 when I heard the words Graphic Novel, all I heard at the time was that the series was based around a comic book group... but thankfully saw a trailer that I didn't seek out to watch.

and the soundtrack is so unreal that you might even want to do like me and pause the show to search it online.
It's available on CD too, I pre-ordered the CD as soon as it was available, such a stunning music score.


Anyway, I read the reviews that it was too violent, that it had been boycotted / protested, etc., in the wake of the "real" school shootings -
Not really that much, some complaints by people who have nothing better to do. It was violent but I've seen worse. Just a load of complaints about nothing as usual.



Ghost In The Machine
Excellent - can't wait for the second series which should be out this year. Channel 4 with yet another great and original production.

As an aside, The show had it's own website (don't know if it's still up and running) where you could input your own personal information ( whether you are online, have a mortgage, mobile phone etc...) and it would tell you how quickly 'the state' could track you down if they so wished. cool and a little scary!

Yup - just checked, and it's still there - don't know how it will work for those outside the UK though.

I can't post the link as I don't have enough posts - unless I put spaces in between the first half of the address...


h t t p : / / utopia.channel4.com/
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"Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death" Auntie Mame (1958)



***SPOILERS ABOUND***

HK - what's cracking buddy!? LOL

Nausicaa - way cool. SUPER eerie music - you have to let me know how you like the soundtrack when you get it. Im on the fence about it - but listening to some of the music on youtube is so...annoying trying to get to my favorite parts. Upon watching it, I do think the school shooting scene was brutal, but.....not as shocking as I expected, and well...ok I admit that worries me about myself. Maybe we've just been through the ringer so much we're somewhat desensitized to it? No idea, but I do think that the point they were trying to make for the show was sound - in fact they INTENDED to show how far the Network was willing to go - even the massacre of intermediate level children. I dunno. I do know that we have a ton of unanswered questions, and as much as I think Milne needs to be put down on general principle, I kind of like her, so here's hoping that Mr. Rabbit either has some redeeming qualities, or that she, ultimately, isnt him??

And I liked Wilson - that dude was righteous (in an '80's surfer dude "righteous" kind of way) - so Im slightly annoyed that they threw his character under the bus of zealous-conversion-to-the-dark-side. Every team needs a paranoid hacker, right? So who's that going to be now?

Well. Word on the street is that though they've got a Season 2, they have no problem with scrubbing the current cast, save for Jessica Hyde and Arby, who stay for sure. Whatever the case, I cannot for the life of me find the start date for Season 2. Season 1 started January 15, 2013 - so what is the deal? No idea!

Michael T - Nice. I saw that site, and was unnerved, actually. I read a study (or an article that alluded to a study) that the UK has the highest concentration of CCTV cameras per person than any other country - and most citizens dont even mind. This article attributed it to James Bond. Yes. I did not stutter. You can thank 007 for the lack of public outcry of privacy invasion in the UK. Apparently it's Bond's fault that you are so trusting your government! Hilarious, right??

Gotta love it.



Oh that is disturbing. I just started the Netflix Remake of House of Cards, and it seems quite good (but its got Kevin Spacey, so there you go). I know that one is also a re-make of the UK House of Cards - produced by Fincher. So maybe he can do a good job, provided he gets the right talent, but why cant they wait??

Why cant HBO let it rest until the UK version has run its course?



I saw that site, and was unnerved, actually. I read a study (or an article that alluded to a study) that the UK has the highest concentration of CCTV cameras per person than any other country - and most citizens dont even mind. This article attributed it to James Bond. Yes. I did not stutter. You can thank 007 for the lack of public outcry of privacy invasion in the UK. Apparently it's Bond's fault that you are so trusting your government! Hilarious, right??

Gotta love it.
Hi Mack
I think our citizens do mind about having the most CCTV cameras in the universe! Here in Bristol they even have them trained on the bus lanes so they can take a photo of your registration number should you commit some dreadful offence like stopping in one, and issue you with spot fines through the post. And they have council owned camera van trailing around taking shots of traffic rules transgressors!

As for trust in the government, I think trust in our MPs has gone well down the pan in the last few years with investigations into MPs expenses claims showing the nonchalant way they have of using tax payers money.

Utopia was good, I'll be watching a second series too



Just wow. Ya'll need to put a stop to that stuff - that, or order those reflective plates, and do like me - look into that paint on cover that also relfects/bounces radar and laser. That kind of observation is just too much. They probably need a ton of people to ..watch people. Pretty soon, there will be no unsuspecting sap to watch, and itll just be watchers watching other watchers.

Cant wait for summer!!



Just wow. Ya'll need to put a stop to that stuff - that, or order those reflective plates, and do like me - look into that paint on cover that also relfects/bounces radar and laser. That kind of observation is just too much. They probably need a ton of people to ..watch people. Pretty soon, there will be no unsuspecting sap to watch, and itll just be watchers watching other watchers.

Cant wait for summer!!
yeah read my post on the things that annoy you thread! my blood is boiling!



Second series starting this month with a double bill over two nights: July 14th and 15th. Can't wait!
Can't wait! Just finished a rewatch if season 1, plays great the second time around.



First was best show in a long time, apprehensive but exciting for second. Don't think they can capture the magic and shock of the first twice, or raise the same questions about pragmatism vs morality in such a compelling way but based on the strength of first, here's hoping.
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Is anyone else watching series 2? I'm enjoying it. It's doing a great job of explaining the background of Janus as well as going forward.
It's great seeing all the 70s footage too and fun seeing the election of Thatcher woven into the plot



Of course.

So far it's just as good, especially the second brilliant episode. The first prequel episode was a nice change and nice for jogging the memory of what happened last series but glad it's back to the original cast and present storyline now.


and fun seeing the election of Thatcher woven into the plot
It was the violence that caused them trouble last year, now for series 2 a family apparently tried to get this series banned from the television, thankfully they didn't get their way, it's fictional not a bloody documentary and would hope the target audience of Utopia is intelligent enough to figure out it's fictional..., obviously don't read if you haven't seen the series or the 70s episode:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ries-axed.html



Hmm but I'm kinda not surprised about Airey Neave's family not being happy with his portrayal in Utopia. Daily Mail aside, I was wondering about it myself. Let's face it if it was a member of your family would you be happy with history rewritten ( or conspiracy theories given yet another airing? ) the 70s might feel like another era to Utopia's target audience but it's well within my lifetime . It's very clever tho, I'll give it that but like a review I read earlier , the writer does wear his political heart on his sleeve.