Utopia is one of those criminally underviewed TV shows that I feel had the plug pulled on it way before it's time. It was a heady mix of futurism, mystery, violence and comic book-styled visuals. The show aired on Channel 4 here in the UK for just two seasons, and is easily one of the best British shows ever in my opinion.
We follow a small group of people who all have a shared common interest in a graphic novel manuscript called The Utopia Experiments, that is both mysterious and horrifyingly captivating. The group ends up in possession of this manuscript and is then forever targeted by a shadowy group known only as The Network.
As usual, I really don't want to spoil it for anyone because I know so many of you will really enjoy this one. The cinematography is beautiful and quite unique, with director Marc Munden looking towards 1950s era television for his inspiration and to help him capture the bold style of the graphic novel. This gives the show it's special look, which complements the hyper-violence wonderfully.
“Normally the way you'd colour a piece of cinematography is by constructing it with greens, blues and reds... The three-strip Technicolor process we use is comprised of the opposite colours -- yellows, cyan, magentas. I was interested in Doris Day films from the 1950s that pushed those distinct elements.”
This makes the normally grey British skies bluer, the grass greener and the yellow bomber jacket pop. As well as being beautifully shot, this show features some of the best British acting our stuffy little isles have to offer, with Neil Maskell and Alexandra Roach giving particularly excellent performances throughout. Maskell plays "Arby", a sociopathic killer for the mysterious group of antagonists through the show, and his performance is just something else.
If you're looking for a thrilling ride through mystery and thriller territory, then look no further than Utopia. You can find it on Netflix, and I strongly recommend you give it a chance. It's the kind of show I'd love to see Netflix give a revival, but sadly I don't think it'll ever get it as the cult following isn't as strong as it probably should be. What do you think about Utopia? Think you'll be giving it a go? Let me know your thoughts and feelings down below, and I'll see you in the comments. If you enjoyed this, make sure to give it an upvote as your support makes a massive difference. As always, make sure to follow me for the latest Technology, Internet and Pop Culture updates and if you're a fan of strange/interesting YouTube videos, you might want to follow me on Twitter.
Oh, and as a side note, I'm trying to get a new tag started; #tvdiscovery so if you write posts about shows you enjoy and others might too, then add the #tvdiscovery tag to your posts. I'll be keeping an eye on the tag for new content, so expect a helping hand if you do join. Until we meet again, take it easy!
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Sources:
Utopia on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_(UK_TV_series))
Utopia on IMDB (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2384811/)
How TV series Utopia got its comic book look on Wired (https://www.wired.co.uk/article/utopia-channel-4)
All images used are owned by Kudos Film and Television
