Androids are nothing new to director Ridley Scott.

Knowing that Director Ridley Scott was at the helm I began by wiping from my critical brain any preconceived notions of this series. And I am glad that I did. This show has Ridley Scott’s fingerprints on it, although it stands on its own. Messages of humanities self-destructive nature, through creation and destruction, fear and power. Religion, faith and atheism play a figure role in the series as well.

Episode one begins with a lone ship crash-landing on a planet and almost plummeting into an massive hole. Two beings escape the ship before it plummets, with several cases. We come to find that they are androids, who both go by “Father” and “Mother”. They have fled Earth which has become war ravaged, to this new planet to continue the human race through an interesting birthing process. And as with any new seemingly uninhabited planet there are many invisible dangers that arise, external and internal.

We get glimpses of the earth that they left and backstory some of the characters that are integral to the main story and side stories.

The filming location of the planet, “Kepler 22-B”, is South Africa, but all involved from the scene and set crew to the prop designers made it feel like it was a thousands light years away. The actors are phenomenal. Winta Mcgrath who plays Campion, is a true survivor. The series is engaging through most of its run, but unfortunately loses its way in the last 3 episodes.

Overall, an good show. My hope is that they can course correct in the second season. Available now on HBO Max.

• In Retrospect ★★★☆☆