It is hard to start talking about this TV Show because so many points of this masterpiece attracted me and I don't know what to say first. The characters, the story behind them, the scenes, the places, the dialogues... Everything looked amazing even when you could foresee what was about to happen (and sometimes you'd get surprised). I'll try not to give so many spoilers. I think it is all worth seeing for yourself.
The story
The story is about eight people from different parts of the world that are connected by their senses and that connection allows them to experience what any of the others is feeling (or seeing) at the same moment. They're called Sensates, exactly where the name of the show comes from. It might seem crazy at first, but you get the hang of it when you least expect. The main cast is charismatic (all of them!), the story is well driven and the beginning of the Pilot is able to leave you with the feeling that "something really screwed up is behind all this". This scene is about a woman that wakes up in what looks like an abandoned building, completely scared, as if she was running away from someone. She speaks with two men that are and are not at that place with her, as you may get as soon as you understand it, and they can sense what she is going through. One of them seems to understand her and approves what she was about to do... killing herself. The other wants to prevent her from doing it as if he still needed her for something. The scene ends up with [spoiler alert] the woman committing suicide and all of the eigth people (main cast) experiencing what happened. That's how the Pilot starts. That's how the Pilot got my attention at the first glimpse.
The main cast
The main cast could not be better and I mean it!
Nomi Marks: She is a transexual woman and lives in San Francisco. She is a hacktivist and has a complicated relationship with his mother, who never accepted her as she is and refuses to call her by other than her birth name, Michael. Nomi's intelligence will get you right away. One just cannot not like het.
Lito Rodriguez: This guy is a Mexican star, well known by his many action movies. About his movies, well... The idea of adding this to the character made me like him even more because the guy represents great part of the comedy in the show. Trashy movie names and scenes happen constantly for your delight and you just can't get enough. You know how purposely absurd they are and it makes something of him that wins you easily. Not mentioning here his reactions when giving interviews. Lito has a double life [spoiler!!!]: for the world, he has a friend/girlfriend, Daniela, but, secretly, he lives with an art lover, a man called Hernando.
Will Gorski: From Chicago, Will is a police officer (just like his father was someday in the past) and is constantly haunted by an unsolved mystery from his childhood. As you may see along the show, Will is pretty much correct and that may put him into some trouble.
Riley Blue: Oh, Riley! An Icelandic girl that lives in London. Works as a DJ and has a disturbed past, which made her run away from her homeland. Riley is one of my favorite (seriously, not only because she is beautiful), she seems to enjoy simple things in life and that made me love her as soon as I realized who she was.
Wolfgang Bogdanow: He is german, from Berlin, and a locksmith. As you can see right in the first episodes, he is also a safe-cracker. This one has daddy issues and gets involved in trouble with his uncle, whom he stole diamonds from. Still, Wolfgang is unique. The guy is tough and earned my respect with no struggle.
Capheus: I've met few people in my life like him. He got me at his first appearance in the show. He has a tough life in Nairobi, Kenya, mostly working hard to provide the adequate medicine for his AIDS diagnosed mother, but, even so, he is always with a smile in the face and bravely faces all the trouble he gets involved (some of them would scare the sh*t out of me).
Kala Dandekar: A sweet pharmacist from Mumbai, India. She is about to marry a man she doesn't love and all the struggle is shown along the show. She is pretty devoted to her religion, Hindu, and constantly asks Ganesha for help [spoiler alert] even when she doesn't quite understand her connection with the other Sensates and thinks Wolfgang is the devil making sexual appearances in her life.
Sun Bak: The one who became my favorite in no time. At the beginning, she doesn't appear much, but just being from East Asia was enough to get a big space in my heart (and don't know why, I just have a weak spot for them). She is a daughter of a powerful businessman from Seoul, South Korea. Although she is very well educated with a MBA status and works for her father's company - wait for it -, she kicks asses with her kickboxing skills. Just see for yourself and you're going to love her too.
More about the plot
All the characters influence at some level on each other's lives and, the more they experience that, the more the plot is developed to a whole new level. They even take some action to help their Sensate friends to get out of trouble and make decisions in their lives. They can experience literally everything that happens among themselves: cold, goosebumps, drunkenness, pleasure, pain, even hearing and seeing as if they are in a whole different place. I just wished I could do that with someone else... How amazing would that be?
Yes, I only said wonderful things about this show and it looks like something hard to imagine. But let me clarify it.
Does the show have cliches? Yes, it does.
Does the show have some boring moments? Yes, it does!
Did you like everything you saw? No, I didn't.
But I tell you this: life is a big cliche, life has so many boring moments, life shows me so many things I don't like (daily!) and life even has some bizarre dialogues that makes me want to throw up. And that's how I saw the show, as a great form to express how life is, even when inserted in a fictitious world. Many people may not like the show, but you have to give some credits to the Wachowskis siblings because it was so well constructed that makes you wonder how your life would be if you were a Sensate.
Does the show have some boring moments? Yes, it does!
Did you like everything you saw? No, I didn't.
But I tell you this: life is a big cliche, life has so many boring moments, life shows me so many things I don't like (daily!) and life even has some bizarre dialogues that makes me want to throw up. And that's how I saw the show, as a great form to express how life is, even when inserted in a fictitious world. Many people may not like the show, but you have to give some credits to the Wachowskis siblings because it was so well constructed that makes you wonder how your life would be if you were a Sensate.
Another fact about the show: at some point I thought I was watching something from HBO. Seriously, the sex scenes show a lot. So, if you have the idea of watching the show in the companion of your parents, well... If I were you, I'd give that a second thought.
And, just one more spoiler, the ending of the 8th episode, when all of the eight Sensates sing "What's Up" (by 4 Non Blondes) altogether, each one from their part of the world... Oh, God! I still get the goosebumps just from remembering. One of the GREATEST scenes EVER! Just see for yourself.
So, shall we rate the show?
XP Score: ✭✭✭✭✭ (Perfection!)
My recommendation: If you couldn't imagine a BIG YES coming, maybe you misunderstood my post. Just kidding!
Learning points: From the plot, you may realize that no matter how big you think your problems are, maybe someone is going through something bigger and they are still fighting instead of lamenting. Keep that in mind, be kind to others and to yourself, try to get the best from everything life gives you. And, another important message this show passes: Regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation, wealth or whatever, every one of us is still human and deserves respect and love no matter what. Just remember that, eliminate all hatred that may exist in your life and see how light and smooth it can be.
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