Shall we just get the first & most obvious question out of the way?
Is this as good as the original?
The short answer is unsurprisingly "no", though such a task was always going to be an impossible accomplishment for whoever bravely initiated the undertaking - regardless of their undisputed talents - especially considering the perfect pilot writer Dennis Kelly & Marc Munden faultlessly created for Channel 4 all those years ago in 2013. However, that's not to say the first episode is bad because it isn't. In fact, it's pretty decent & after watching the debut, also clear Gillian Flynn & capable director Toby Haynes tried to stay true to the intentions of the UK version - so I admire their apparent efforts... But regardless, this has the undeniable & unfortunate disadvantage of being a reboot of a beloved cult classic & therefore, as a consequence, will forever be saddled with the unenviable quest of stepping out from under its enormous shadow - which from first impressions, I'm not sure it's ever going to be able to do.
For instance, if this was an original series, I'm absolutely certain the reception from fans would be warmer - as it can't be stated enough, it's seems like a really strong show... But when the standard has already been set higher by their predecessors, the result will dampen our somewhat muted reactions.
As an example, the violence was handled more effectively in UTOPIA because the people involved in its creation made the bold decision not to pull any punches when it came to featuring graphic confrontations. Dennis Kelly wanted to shock people who watched the series because he believed violence is always nasty & never something to glorify. Thus, we witnessed scenes which were truly horrifying to see unfold & this defined the approach filmmakers took when tackling issues within the narrative; it was uncompromising, bleak & gnarly... Additionally, genuine tension was built as a result because we were always fearful for our protagonists - scared for what they may have to potentially endure - which only enhanced the palpable atmosphere... Whereas this seems noticeably more restrained & less brutal. There are sequences of murder but the deaths don't pack anywhere near as much of a punch when you watch them. The hits don't land & I simply wish they'd gone a bit further.
Is this as good as the original?
The short answer is unsurprisingly "no", though such a task was always going to be an impossible accomplishment for whoever bravely initiated the undertaking - regardless of their undisputed talents - especially considering the perfect pilot writer Dennis Kelly & Marc Munden faultlessly created for Channel 4 all those years ago in 2013. However, that's not to say the first episode is bad because it isn't. In fact, it's pretty decent & after watching the debut, also clear Gillian Flynn & capable director Toby Haynes tried to stay true to the intentions of the UK version - so I admire their apparent efforts... But regardless, this has the undeniable & unfortunate disadvantage of being a reboot of a beloved cult classic & therefore, as a consequence, will forever be saddled with the unenviable quest of stepping out from under its enormous shadow - which from first impressions, I'm not sure it's ever going to be able to do.
For instance, if this was an original series, I'm absolutely certain the reception from fans would be warmer - as it can't be stated enough, it's seems like a really strong show... But when the standard has already been set higher by their predecessors, the result will dampen our somewhat muted reactions.
As an example, the violence was handled more effectively in UTOPIA because the people involved in its creation made the bold decision not to pull any punches when it came to featuring graphic confrontations. Dennis Kelly wanted to shock people who watched the series because he believed violence is always nasty & never something to glorify. Thus, we witnessed scenes which were truly horrifying to see unfold & this defined the approach filmmakers took when tackling issues within the narrative; it was uncompromising, bleak & gnarly... Additionally, genuine tension was built as a result because we were always fearful for our protagonists - scared for what they may have to potentially endure - which only enhanced the palpable atmosphere... Whereas this seems noticeably more restrained & less brutal. There are sequences of murder but the deaths don't pack anywhere near as much of a punch when you watch them. The hits don't land & I simply wish they'd gone a bit further.
