Utopia

After inheriting the manuscript of a cult underground graphic novel, a group of young adults meet in a hotel with the intention of selling the unpublished document to the highest bidder. Things do not go as planned and before they know it the misfits are on the run from some dangerous criminals who will stop at nothing to get their hands on Utopia.

With echoes of The Goonies, albeit having a modern twist due to its pandemic plot, Utopia, penned by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, is a dark and gory show about the issues that await us if crises such as climate change and overpopulation are not seriously addressed. Though the narrative has a backdrop that is current and resonant, the events taking place throughout the series are repetitive. The manuscript begins to lose meaning and value with each episode, and the abundance of violence is gratuitous, making the story predictable.

The programme is a remake of Dennis Kelly’s original UK drama, which aired on Channel 4 in 2013, only this time the target market is a US audience. Some things have changed, notably the introduction of John Cusack’s character Dr Kevin Christie, who has a major arc in the show. In the 2020 version, Flynn voices her cynicism towards government protocol and gives her young adults wisdom and purpose, qualities that are often seen amid this demographic but not always recognised.

Our world is becoming increasingly more like science fiction. Utopia demonstrates that the line between reality and make-believe has become blurred over time, with endless theories to choose from and little evidence to suggest which one of them might be true.           

Ghazaleh Golpira

Utopia is released on Amazon Prime on 25^th September 2020.

Watch the trailer for Utopia here: