Connor Grantham

Started this show not thinking too much of it. Interesting enough to not look at your phone, but nothing amazing at first. As the episodes rolled by, I got more and more invested in the characters and plotlines. By the end of the first season, it’s up there with a lot of other good sci-fi — still not mind-blowing, but definitely solid. Season 2 though keeps building, and by the last three episodes this show surpasses almost everything. Some of the best sci-fi twists and one of the grandest gestures of love imaginable. It explores its themes in real depth, with honest homages to sci-fi and anime legends like Neuromancer, Evangelion, and Ghost in the Shell — not just lip service. That being said, the show isn’t perfect. The audio quality is pretty egregious (understandable though, given it was recorded during COVID). And AMC’s dreadful handling of distribution and marketing led to the show’s cancellation while Season 2 was still mid-production, forcing a rushed ending. You can see where they wanted to explore new ideas but simply didn’t have the time. Still, if you’re even remotely curious, I highly recommend giving this near masterpiece a try. The foreshadowing on a second watch is incredible — things you missed suddenly fall into place. And if you make it to the end, trust me, you will rewatch.