I feel bad giving this episode a low score as a 6/10, but in case I need to explain this- a 6/10 Still means its reccomended. 5/10 is average.
I'll start with the positives- The production value is astonishing. If I'm not mistaken from the behind the scenes- I beleieve they tracked down not only the original filming location of Hill Valley, but also the original DeLorian used in the movie, as well as the guy who played Goldie Wilson. Of course I'm not expecting Christopher Loydd and Michael J Fox to be showing up, but I'm Very impressed they managed to accomplish what they did.
The other sets are also extreamly impressive, especially the first set seen meant to replicate Doc's... house? Or garage? I'm sorry, for a movie I've seen countless times, I never actually stopped to think what that first room in the movie is, but the one where Marty blows up the apliphier. (Barely a spoiler since it happens at the very beginning)
But now we get to the negatives.
First off I just want to say that I am more than happy to see Back to the Future be represented in a series covering various movies- Furthermore is the First one covered. (If you don't count Mad Max which is like an Episode 0 I guess?)
But I Do have to say that... Back to the Future is not exactly a: 'Deadly,' movie. It feels weird seeing this as the first/second episode in a series that's literally asking if you could: 'survive,' the movies. All this episode covers is the aforementioned Marty blowing up the apmliphier, and (semi-spoilers even though it only lasts a second and is played off as a joke in the original movie) Doc being struck by lightning. The rest of the episode is just comedically recreating parts of the movie just for the heck of it. Fun to see and all, but when we suddenly cut from comedically and self-awarengly (is that a word?) recreating the climax of the movie to suddenly talking about the brutality of having your skull roasted alive by a lightning strike- It just felt very jarring and tonal whiplash.
Also, and I know they're not meant to be, but the people pretending to be Marty and Doc are very clearly not actors- However that made many parts of the video funny in a so bad it's good way. (The bad acting Peaked when Doc awkwardly turned to the camera to explain the bootstrap paradox. It was such an awkward look, that I had to stop the video and laugh for a couple minutes.)
Finally- And I saved this for last because it isn't as important but it is the Reason I haven't watched a single episode of this series since this one so far after 2 years.
This episode does not understand the time travel used in the movie.
This show has the guts to imply it can scientifically explain how causing time paradoxes can affect you and the universe which is obviously as of now, impossible due to time travel not existing yet.
But also, this video doesn't even understand how time travel works! It claims since you can travel To the future, it must therefore mean that the future exists at the same Time as the present.
What?
The Very First time the DeLorian is ever used in the movie is to explain exactly how that Isn't the case. Travelling to the future is the equivalent of vaporizing yourself and rematrializing at the exact moment you set to travel to.
I remember when I watch Back to the Future with someone who had never seen it before and when Doc shouted he sent Einstein 1 minute into the future, she literally asked:
'Can you get him back?'
Only for it to be explained in the movie afterwards how sending something 1 minute into the future isn't exactly getting rid of it forever. On the contrary, it's getting rid of it for exactly 1 minute.
And ALSO- The episode claims that when Marty returns to 1985, the fact that he didn't stop his past self from going back a 2nd time would create a paradox and blow up the universe.
What?? It would be a paradox if he Did stop his past self, becuase then the whole movie wouldn't have even happened!
Overall- An episode that shows much potential, even if it is finding its feet- An enjoyable watch, but just know that if you're a big fan of Back to the Future and time-travel in general, you might walk away a tad annoyed.