A television series doesn’t need to be universally loved to be considered a masterpiece. In fact, some of the most fascinating shows in TV history challenge comfortable ideas in one way or another. Of course, that can more often than not make them divisive, but a series that invites its audience to question what they watch can be far more rewarding than a conventional thriller that simply tells them what to think.
Utopia, though a hidden gem, sparked quite the controversy when it debuted on Channel 4 in 2013. Spanning just 12 episodes across two seasons, Dennis Kelly’s series begins with a group of strangers discovering a mysterious graphic novel that appears to include mysterious scientific experiments. Utopia has a very distinctive tone and visual style and isn’t a traditional show in any sense, but that is not what had people up in arms.
The mystery series had quite the knack for making viewers uncomfortable through its many disturbing scenes and displays of violence. More than a decade after its original run, Utopia remains a prime example of television willing to cross the line of what’s acceptable in the medium. Its controversial ideas and unanswered questions continue to fuel discussions about whether the British series deserves to be regarded as one of television’s masterpieces.
Why Utopia Is A Masterpiece Of TV
Utopia did not get the mainstream recognition it deserved, even with its 100% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score, but it is arguably one of the best thrillers to ever grace the small screen in the past 15 years. On the surface, Utopia has a fairly simple premise, but it does a lot with it in just 12 episodes. The show’s first season brilliantly introduced a mystery that wasn’t only engaging, but sometimes left audiences with more questions than it answered. The sophomore season refused to remain the same and use the familiar tricks already seen in its first run.
Instead, Utopia season 2 evolved and revealed background information about the mysterious graphic novel and what it really means. With all that going on, the thriller never lets its characters lounge around forgotten in the background. Everyone from Grant to Jessica received decent development and remained complex through every episode.
Utopia tends to be brutally violent, and that can be off-putting to some audiences. However, there is a rhyme and reason behind the bloodshed as it’s not just used for shock value. It is also a deeper series than one might expect, touching on everything from pandemics to climate change while never being preachy or telling viewers what to believe. The British series basically includes the same philosophy that Thanos had: kill the few to save the many. But what Utopia does exceptionally well is give every argument merit as opposed to just leaning on one side.
Though the premise, action, and themes are excellent, Utopia works because of its cast of characters. The actors are simply brilliant and stick the landing in every scene. In fact, some of them, like Alexandra Roach, who played Becky in the series, and Emilia Jones, who took on the role of Alice, have gone on to become major British stars since starring in Utopia.
We Still Haven’t Given Up On Utopia Getting A Proper Ending
After two seasons, Utopia was canceled by Channel 4, leaving its conspiracy and mysteries unresolved. The show’s unceremonious cancellation is still frustrating 12 years later, because the conclusion of Utopia season 2 planted enough seeds to warrant a third installment, from Wilson’s transformation into the villain to the heroes being captured. Fortunately, Utopia developed a passionate following despite its relatively short run, with viewers still discussing the philosophical thriller’s distinct style, characters, and unanswered mysteries to this day.
Utopia has already demonstrated that its story can survive in another form. Amazon developed an American adaptation in 2020, created by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn. Although that version was canceled after one season, its existence demonstrated that the original concept remained attractive to a major streaming service years after the British series ended.
A revival of Utopia is far from guaranteed, but it remains the kind of cult series that can keep attracting new viewers long after its cancellation. Of course, the actors who starred in the original show have moved on and are working on other projects, but Utopia can finish its story properly through a movie. As streaming platforms continue revisiting canceled and forgotten shows, the possibility of Utopia receiving some form of continuation remains an intriguing one.
- Release Date
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2013 – 2014-00-00
- Network
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Channel 4
- Directors
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Sam Donovan, Alex Garcia Lopez
- Writers
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John Donnelly
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
