RAISED BY WOLVES - Ridley Scott, legendary director of Blade Runner and Alien, has returned to series television, offering an unsettling potential vision of our closest neighboring planet. Two androids have landed and camped out on that barren world, intending to recreate the human race. Kepler-22b is real, but Raised by Wolves (2020) was written/ created by Aaron Guzikowski, with the support of the aforementioned, as producer. Amanda Collin’s star shines bright in the role of Mother. As a shapeshifting necromancer, she’s into some extremely warped stuff, but I am here for it. Travis Fimmel stars as Marcus/ Caleb, and has even managed to bring about the future mullet. Musically, the score creates a backdrop of disconnected unease. Kepler-22b scenes are intercut with events occurring on a post-apocalyptic future Earth. The film has a specific aesthetic, evoking but not directly referencing Blade Runner or Alien. That is supported tonally by virtual and physical SFX which are some of the best ever to have been made. Big TV networks and movie studios have typically shied away from Sci-Fi/ Horror, like this one. It will be great to (hopefully) see this trend continue. I’ll admit - I feared showrunners completely lost their way in the hodgepodge finale of Season 1. Also, too often Mother wanders aimlessly, but does not accomplish anything. But overall, I loved it - as a collective entity. Despite some of it's flaws, and my complaints. Expect the 2nd season to be available for streaming on HBO in early 2022.
