"Raised By Wolves"
Now that I've finally taken the time to check out the pilot episode of HBO Max's Raised By Wolves, I can happily say that the series is exactly what I thought it'd be (in the best way possible). It's a series that seems to be leaning on what I like to simply call "fascinating, cool sci-fi". The feelings that I got from checking out just a few of the trailers and posters, and the level of expectations in quality regarding certain elements that were teased, was 100% what was presented in the premiere. It's a beautiful but rare moment where I felt I got exactly what was being sold to me from the marketing. So where does the intrigue part come in when I label this as being "fascinating, cool sci-fi"? This is rooted from the world building, themes, and concepts being delivered in the pilot which immediately hooked me in as someone who constantly craves refreshing and unique properties with their own standout mythos. The idea that the show, at least for the moment, centers around a parental android figure fleeing from a desolated Earth with embryos to eventually raise as children somewhere else is already a story worthy of exploration.
However, where the show takes this basic foundation to a whole other level is the fact that such an idea of androids raising children is considered to be a sinful act by a religious faction of surviving humans who, because of their strict beliefs, are considered to be a threat to our android protagonist(s). This underlining religious element was something that I wasn't expecting to be as impactful as it was within the lore as the show deals with themes of atheism vs religion being a conversation of science vs. faith and where progression in evolution and survival fits in between it all. Again, it's really fascinating especially considering that such ideas are being spoken out of a synthetic mother figure on an isolated planet to her human children all struggling to survive with bleak outcomes.
It's one of those science-fiction properties that have a pretty profound and bold statement to convey about real world topics while doing so in the prism of awe inspiring fantastical imagery and engaging fictional storytelling. It's also a show that I think may actually be worth rewatching each episode just in case something was missed the first time (just a feeling as I did catch a couple of really cool details such as the visual wolf references with the mother character).
Speaking on the cast a bit, the performances are all around solid with the spotlight being the character of "Mother" nicely bordering that line between robotic mannerisms and unhinged off kilter human expression. The visual direction definitely stands out strongly with the series having a very cold and hollow feel to its core planetary scenery (in a good way) leaning upon very strong grey and browns in its color pallet. At first, I wasn't sure how to feel about this aesthetic to fill the screen for a long period of time until I realized how brilliantly it allowed for other more vibrant colors to beautifully stick out especially once we explored other settings in this world. It also gives the show a unique sense of cinematic flare separating itself from several other bigger titles in the market.
As far as entertainment value goes, although I never got the sense from the pilot that this would be an action driven series by any means, we do get some absolutely jaw dropping moments of spectacle taking place. With these moments primarily centering around "Mother", we get to witness just how powerful and honestly terrifying this character can be if allowed to let loose completely as a protective figure against anyone threatening the foundation of life that she's established exterminating her enemies like feeble insects. The cinematic flare during these scenes is eye catching to say the least and raises the bar pretty high for whatever comes next. This can also be said for what appears to be a flashback sequence involving a possible android takeover of sorts from history where a city is being demolished. Again the visual spectacle is striking and almost worth the price of admission alone (albeit very brief but can more than likely be speculated to be expanded upon in later episodes).
Overall, I'd say the series premiere of Raised By Wolves was a strong winner for me as a new series worth adding to the priority watchlist despite not necessarily being "exciting" from beginning to end. It's an opening that takes its time for the audience to soak in and immerse themselves this new world both visually and conceptually while introducing two pretty interesting characters worth following along out of genuine curiosity. The cinematic presentation is notable in several parts as is the action spectacle elements when they're inserted shaking things up in the pacing. Give it a watch if you can (I believe HBO Max still has it up for free to watch) if you're someone like me who's been clamoring for a new high bar quality sci-fi series. With several potential filled genre shows getting cancelled left and right over the past 10 years, let's hope that HBO Max can offer up something here with a strong sense of longevity and consistency in quality giving pop culture a new small screen franchise name to celebrate.
Bonus Thoughts
Episode Rating: 9/10
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