Scavengers Reign: Season 1 (2023) Cre: Joseph Bennett & Charles Huettner
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I had no idea this show even existed, until I discovered it while perusing Netflix. It was created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner, and originally aired on HBO Max, before being picked up by Netflix, but, for whatever reason, likely its lack of advertisement, it seems to have gone very much under the radar. It looked like a fascinating little sci-fi series - indeed it is only comprised of twelve, twenty-five minute, episodes - which tempted me into watching it.
And indeed it was very much an intriguing piece of television. Everything from its sombre and nostalgic, classical soundtrack, to its stunning and vibrant animation, and its atmospheric and bizarre setting, drew me in intently. It felt like the kind of science fiction that you see more of in books than film or television. It was surrealistic, otherworldly, and strange - I really loved it.
The story was simple, on the surface, but gave plenty of room for the uncanny, dreamlike, sequences that the creators wanted to include across the dozen episodes. Part of me wasn't quite prepared for how harrowing some of the episodes were at times, but the emotions really did hit hard. The series ended with plenty of questions left to explore in a second season, but, typically, the show was cancelled, so now they are simply left unanswered.
The ensemble voice cast all did a really solid job, but the standouts, for me, at least, were the likes of Sunita Mani, Alia Shawkat, Bob Stephenson, and Wunmi mosaku. They very much felt their respective parts, and conveyed the emotions of their characters extremely effectively. There were points where both Mani and Stephenson in particular were genuinely excellent.
I should also mention the trio of Ted Travelstead, Pollyanna McIntosh, Dash Williams, who, albeit slightly less commendably so than those mentioned above, also had some very well performed lines of dialogue, particularly in the second half of the season. I was really pleased with just about everyone who had an integral voice acting part of this show.
Overall, this show really grew on me, from episode one to episode twelve, and I found myself loving its surreal sci-fi world, and the beautiful animation that accompanied it. Unfortunately, there will be no second season, due to the show's lack of viewership numbers, but it's still worth watching for those who enjoy sci-fi that's a little more out there. I really hope someone picks this show up for a second season - I really feel like it would be worth it.
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