Given the rise of AI and its rapid integration into everyday society, HBO Max‘s cancellation of Ridley Scott‘s Raised by Wolves is downright unforgivable. The captivating sci-fi show was the closest thing on TV to the big-screen ambitions of Prometheus, crossing paths with the heady sci-fi series Westworld, making for a relevant TV show for modern times. Yet, almost certainly met with trepidation during the early days of COVID-19, Raised by Wolves was sacrificed before it found its footing.
Released in September 2020, Raised by Wolves imagines a new society formed by two androids on planet Kepler-22b following a cataclysm on Earth that has wiped out most of the human population. In addition to producing, Ridley Scott directed the first two episodes of the show, marking his first foray into television in over 50 years. While discoverable on HBO Max post-facto, there’s no way Raised by Wolves should have been axed so soon.
‘Raised by Wolves’ Brought Ridley Scott Back to Television
Created by Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners) from a wholly original concept not based on any preexisting IP, Raised by Wolves is an HBO Max original sci-fi series and the first TV series Ridley Scott has worked on since 1969. If that alone wasn’t a compelling enough draw, the story is set on Kepler 22-b in the 22nd century, the real-life planet discovered in 2011.
Following a holy war between religious and atheist humans that has eradicated Earth and most of its population, civilization is rebooted on Kepler 22-b by Mother (Amanda Collin) and Father (Abubakar Salim), two highly trained androids programmed to raise and protect human children. Mother was a former warrior bot trained to dismantle enemies with ruthless efficiency, while Father was a general service bot repurposed to keep the children safe at all costs. Arriving on Kepler 22-b with 12 human embryos, Mother and Father are assigned to form an atheist community that will prevent another destructive holy war.
Of the 12 embryos, only six are born, with only one, named Campion (Winta McGrath), surviving to become humanity’s last hope. As Mother and Father protect Campion and build a new society with its non-religious belief system, the war between the believers and non-believers migrates to Kepler 22-b, escalating to the point of an existential crisis. Despite their advanced AI, Mother and Father struggle to affect the mindset of humans vis-à-vis their maker.
‘Raised by Wolves’ Establishes Its Own Intriguing Mythology
In the vein of the most memorable science fiction, Raised by Wolves establishes and explores a unique mythology. The war that ravaged Earth was waged by human atheists and staunch pious believers known as the Mithraic, a mysterious Roman religious cult. Fusing ancient natural iconography with stunning high-tech visuals, Raised by Wolves marries the past and the future in deeply intriguing ways.
Mother, a formerly hardened warrior android known as Necromancer, whose power is stored in her eyes, begins malfunctioning after it is reprogrammed to raise human children. Mother’s malfunction precipitates another war on Kepler 22-b when a Mithraic fleet arrives to stop the androids from advancing their society and returning Campion to Earth.
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However, Mother kidnaps five Mithraic children from the fleet and raises them as her own. As Mother struggles to understand the Mithraic offspring, Campion loses faith and trust in her android parents, and a series of violent battles ensues as the fate of Kepler 22-b hangs in the balance.
The great Ridley Scott directed the first two episodes of Raised by Wolves, building on his bona fide track record established by Alien, Blade Runner, and Prometheus. Those who enjoyed and were fascinated by the origins of man in Prometheus and the mythology it connected to the Alien franchise will undoubtedly respond to Raised By Wolves in kind. The show feels like a heady and heartfelt hybrid of Prometheus and Westworld, contextualizing the future of AI and its pros and cons within the framework of history, religion, and the natural world.
Why ‘Raised by Wolves’ Was Foolishly Canceled
When appraising the release slate for Raised by Wolves, it’s easy to blame its failure to resonate with the masses on the COVID-19 pandemic. Granted, more lockdown meant more opportunity to discover TV shows. However, in September 2020, viewers were less inclined to watch a story in which Earth is destroyed by a looming existential threat.
No, the real reason Raised by Wolves was foolishly, prematurely canceled had less to do with general anxieties about COVID-19 than the April 2022 Warner Bros./Discovery merger. Once the two corporations merged, a massive restructuring occurred, resulting in the swift cancellation of several beloved TV shows. Despite marking a critical improvement from Season 1 to Season 2, Raised by Wolves was caught in the crosshairs and suffered a quick demise.
More egregiously yet, HBO has since removed Raised by Wolves from Max, making it no longer available for interested viewers to stream on the platform. If canceling the show is unforgivable (and it is), then removing it from Max altogether is downright unconscionable and akin to a form of censorship.
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It would be more understandable, if not justifiable, if Raised by Wolves suffered poor ratings or bad reviews. However, there is no indication that viewership dropped from Season 1 to Season 2, and every sign suggests that it improved over time. By reducing the episode count from 10 to eight and focusing on the story, Season 2 increased its critical acclaim by expanding on its original mythology.
Following a 74% Season 1 approval on Rotten Tomatoes, Season 2 jumped to 86%, with many critics noting how it leaned into, rather than shied away from, its unique sci-fi mythos. Yet, just as the show was hitting its stride and setting up even bigger and bolder things to come in Season 3, the show was unfairly nixed due to a corporate merger far beyond the control of Scott or Guzikowski.
It’s a real shame that HBO didn’t support Ridley Scott and his ambitious sci-fi vision, as it was just entering its most intriguing phase. In his first TV project in 50 years, it’s clear that Scott has poured the same attention to detail and focused craftwork that his big-screen spectacles are known for, while exploring humanity’s relationship to a higher power. If nothing else, HBO should restore Raised by Wolves to HBO Max so fans of Scott and hard sci-fi can see the underrated show. Raised by Wolves is available through Tubi‘s live programming.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
