Netflixseems to offer a diverse set of highly acclaimed sci-fi shows to audiences, but one brilliant series on the streamer from the genre remains relatively obscure. The show in question premiered on Netflix nearly a decade ago and lasted for two seasons. Yet, it remains a hidden genre instead of garnering a more mainstream appeal.
Science fiction is one genre most streaming services have heavily invested in. While Apple TV+ has been doubling down on its efforts to adaptincredible sci-fi books, Netflix, too, has not been holding back on expanding some of its successful sci-fi IPs. However, during the early days of streaming, Netflix seemingly had an even better catalog of shows from the genre.
The mid-2010s not only marked the inception of some of the most commercially profitable Netflixsci-fi shows, likeStranger Things, but also brought forward several experimental, boundary-pushing projects, likeThe OAandDark. Another epic sci-fi series was a part of the streamer’s early sci-fi lineup, offering a lot more than spectacle and flashy action.
Sense8 Is About Eight Strangers Who Form A Psychic Connection
The Netflix Sci-Fi Series Has A Brilliant Hook
Like mostgreat science fiction shows on Netflix,Sense8begins with a compelling hook that introduces eight distinct characters from different parts of the world. As the story unfolds, all eight characters see a shared vision before realizing they have a strange psychic connection with another.
After getting a glimpse of each other’s thoughts and actions, all the characters feel a sudden urge to find out what is happening to them and the reason behind their connection. While they set out to find more answers, a mysterious organization attempts to track them down and destroy them before it is too late.
In its two-season runtime,Sense8dares to extend far beyond the boundaries of science fiction by riffing on several different genres. Even from a storytelling standpoint, it charts many unpredictable territories that would have been incredibly hard to pull off on television. However, despite being overly ambitious with its vision, the series rarely under-delivers.
Sense8 Was Created By Sci-Fi Icons The Wachowski Sisters
The Minds Behind The Matrix Were Its Creators
It should not be surprising thatSense8was such a brilliant sci-fi series because it was created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski along with J. Michael Straczynski. Similar to many othersci-fi projects led by the Wachowski sistersin the sci-fi genre,Sense8also dabbles with themes surrounding sexuality, identity, and the power of human empathy.
DID YOU KNOW:Sense8’s cast and crew had reportedly (viaGizmodo) completed close to 100,000 miles (four times around the globe) of flight time because the show unfolds all across the world.
The show also features an incredibly talented and diverse cast to show LGBTQ+ representation without falling into tokenism or stereotypes. In more ways than one,Sense8also shares its DNA with the Wachowskis' magnum opus,The Matrix, because of its shared exploration of the human desire to seek liberation and portrayal of highly stylized action sequences.
Why Sense8 Is An Underrated Masterpiece
Instead of merely being an entertaining sci-fi series with flashy visuals and memorable action,Sense8goes far beyond the regular fare of sci-fi television by delivering a deeply human exploration of unity, empathy, and the shared struggles that unite people of all identities and ethnicities.
24
2
Streaming On
Netflix
Unfortunately, like most shows that dare to be a little different,Sense8remained fairly underappreciated after its release on Netflix and struggled to become mainstream. Owing to this, it was canceled after season 2 and wrapped up with an unsatisfying two-hour special episode. Despite its inconclusive ending, though, theNetflixshow deserves more attention.
Sense8
Created by the Wachowski sisters, Sense8 features an ensemble cast playing eight different people from around the world, who discover that they are suddenly mentally linked with one another and begin experiencing each other’s lives and feelings. As the sensates begin to get to know each other, they must face a growing threat to all their lives by using their newfound empathic powers to their advantage.
