Where is "Utopia"?

Prime Video

Release Date: September 25, 2020

Amidst a culture that has been littered with comic book adaptations, Amazon gives the world a show based on a comic that exists only in the show itself.

An American adaptation of the 2013 British TV series, Utopia is an 8-episode Prime Video Original Series that revolves around a group of individuals who believe they've discovered a conspiracy hidden within an underground comic called "Dystopia". When pages for a sequel to Dystopia are discovered, titled “Utopia”, the group finds that the happenings and characters of their beloved comic are real. The conspiracy that drew them together as internet friends puts their real lives in danger as multiple parties are dead-set on finding the secrets that Utopia hides, no matter the cost.

I gave the Utopia the typical 3-episode treatment that is frequently used primarily for sci-fi series: 1 episode to explain the world, 1 episode to explain the characters, and 1 episode to explain the story. While I may only be through three episodes thus far, it only took one episode before I found myself invested in the show. There were also a few familiar faces that helped me connect with the cast:

1. John Cusack (Sixteen Candles, High Fidelity, Identity, 1408)

2. Rainn Wilson (Six Feet Under, Juno, The Office)

3. Corey Michael Smith (Camp X-Ray, 1985, Gotham)

4. Jessica Rothe (La La Land, Happy Death Day, Happy Death Day 2U)

5. Sasha Lane (American Honey, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Daniel Isn't Real)

The overall storytelling travels down three roads, with the first highlighting the Dystopia fanboys and fangirls whose obsessions have led to them traveling with an unexpected ally to prevent the dangers of which Utopia warns. The second road highlights Christie Labs head scientist Dr. Kevin Christie, played by John Cusack, and his assassin henchmen who are driven to protect the secrets which are hidden in the pages of Utopia. The third highlights Rainn Wilson's character, a virologist who discovers that a currently spreading epidemic is consistent with a strand of influenza he discovered years ago. As much as I know people would like to avoid it, it's undeniable that a lot of the show's story shares parallels to today's reality, both with the current pandemic and conspiracies surrounding it. So I do think there is a bit of subconscious bias towards enjoying this show, as it feels more relatable than a show of this topic would have typically been.

Like Prime Video's The Boys, Utopia does not shy away from graphic violence and absolutely earns its TV-14 rating. From visible headshots to a gouged eye, Utopia does a great job at making it feel like the main character group is in danger. The first episode should have been titled “Death” because even if most were background fillers, there sure was a lot of it. There are a surprising number of settings the show spans in just three episodes. The core group could have easily stayed hunkered down in an episode one setting and explored the rest of the season from there, but as the pace of show has been, the characters continue moving, even if not always of their own volition.

Through the first trio of episodes, the story moves at a strong pace, with little filler and a decent number of revelations that other shows would typically drag out until the end. Of course, with almost 2/3 of the series left, many of these could have been set up for any number of twists or turns. As has famously become known as “pulled a Game of Thrones,” very few characters feel safe in the show, as it doesn't take long before the first shock death is given. I've enjoyed that even with only 7 episodes, the story doesn't rush introducing all of the main players, giving the viewer time to digest and settle before further exploring certain personalities. Leaving a bit of character intrigue can serve as a safety net if at any point the story starts to lag or doesn't have a strong pay-off, though my experiences thus far make me highly doubt that.

Coming near the final quarter of 2020, Utopia is shaping up as a strong contender for my Show of the Year. Go give it a watch, but don't blame me if you lose a day binging it. For added enjoyment, you can play my unofficial "Utopia Drinking Game" where you take a shot every time someone asks "Where is Utopia?".

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RATING (First 3 Episodes): ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2