[TV] Sense8

[Faesroll]

I just finished the season finale. In the end I enjoyed it but I had to force myself through the first 4-5 episodes because it was so fucking slow. Hopefully there's not an entire year in between seasons.

[Deleted]

The only people that don't like this show are those that are too simple to grasp all the amazing things going on with it.

Sorry to burst your bubble, the show is just shit. All the latte drinking hipster piss in the world doesn´t change that. Doesn´t grasp it, lol.

[Greyfang]

My GF was out for a couple of weeks recently, so I decided to give Sense8 a chance while she was out. I'm usually not a binge-watcher but I couldn't resist most of the time, just wanting to watch "one more" before going to bed. At about ep 8 or so, I decided I had to wait for my GF to come back and watch it together, I was surprised by how hooked I was, considering I started watching it reluctantly.
When she came back home, she had a similar process, wasn't too convinced on first couple of episodes, but by 4-5 she was hooked. We finished it on Sunday and were left wanting for more. That awesome/sad feeling you have after reading a particularly good book, that you'll be missing the characters as if they were your friends.
We did not feel the LGBT issue was forced, and I personally found myself rather teary-eyed at Nomi's life, her struggle and her horrible mother. I found it very positive, as a straight guy, to feel such empathy toward her character, and while I've always been supportive of equality in all its forms, I found myself "enriched" by the story.

A cool thing about watching it with someone is the favorite character picking and discussions this leads to. Personally I felt Wolfgang wasn't a good match for Kala but my GF felt otherwise. Similarly, she disliked Riley basically because I had an instant crush on her :P . Hernando and Amanita, as secondary characters, were our favorites and downright adorable in their relationships with Lito and Nomi.

Overall, I hope it gets a second season and was happily surprised that this turned into one of my all time favorite shows, sci-fi or otherwise, in only just one season. I do agree however, it's just not for everyone. People that can't stand a slow pace and character development will surely be put off. I just hope there's enough of us on the other side to make it worth having a new season for Netflix.

[Kanariya]

I don't really watch TV ever, but I really got hooked on this show fast. I think I'm on Episode 7 now. I love all the characters too, especially Sun. I can't wait to see what happens further.

Just finished the first episode after reading this post. Absolutely love it. And it has Tuppance Middleton in it! LOVE her!

The LGBT agenda is STRONG in this. Ugh. I have nothing against them, or whatever you're supposed to say that isn't offensive, but good lord, cram it down my throat much? Although I loved the little prancing fairie dudes that gave them the brownies lol. Reminded me of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Or, the LGBT side of it, which was a hell of a lot more fun. It isn't that I don't think that sort of stuff should be in films. Show gay/lesbian couples, I don't bat an eyelash. But it just feels like they're trying to say "HEY THERE IS LGBT SHIT IN THIS SERIES DEAL WITH IT".

That aside, they really put a lot of depth into the characters, at least in this first episode. And the ending of the first ep, wtf lol. I feel I'm going to blaze through this first season, and really wish there was more. It's very engrossing, and the premise seems really awesome. And the characters seems likable enough.

And yet in every other TV show ever in history I have Heterosexuality CRAMMED down my throat all the God Damn time. It's nice to have one show where they actually give an equal amount of time and exposure to LGBT characters and couples, and it should happen a lot more often. Nothing's forcing you to watch it, but your post is quite a bit offensive to me as a part of the LGBT community.

[Deleted]

On episode 8 at the moment and I'm enjoying it very much. It is slow paced, with a lot of focus on character depth and development, but it is at least good character development for the most part. Sometimes you've just got to accept a show for what it is - this isn't intended to be a fast show. And the concept is very interesting, the sequences where multiple sensates interact are the highlights. Towards the end of episode 8 in particular there's a sequence where four sensates coordinate their abilities in a pretty awesome action sequence. It was one of the most unique things I've seen on TV/Netflix in a long while.

My main complaint is that it feels like it could have been Sense6. I'm 2/3rds in and there's a disproportionate focus on some characters over others. Will and Nomi are pretty clued in about what's going on, getting wrapped up in government conspiracy stuff and very consciously using their Sensate abilities. But Kala has done very little and interacts almost solely with Wolfgang. And Lito (much as I love him) has barely interacted with the other Sensate's at all. He's in his own show. And it's a show I'd watch the shit out of - a dramedy about a gay mexican film star? Count me in - but...what's it doing here?

[Bakis]

This serie grows stedaily every ep. It is a slow serie (so far, ep6) but its not childish like much of the other Netflix original productions.
And its really not what you would expect from a US company. Homosexuality, not US-centered plot and characters, heavy drugs, little violence.
CBA to write more but I hope people give it a chance even though it is painfully slow untill ~ep3.

Oh and a plus for pissing at you know which people

[Quincey]

I saw that there's no thread about this new series. So, here we go!

A Netflix series:

A group of people around the world are suddenly linked mentally, and must find a way to survive being hunted by those who see them as a threat to the world's order.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2431438/

My opinion, only being a few episodes in... it was (very) 'slow' at first, but is getting more intense further in. The stories are interesting and the quality of the show is high. The style feels fresh imo. I recommend watching at least 3-4 episodes to get a feeling for the show. Also, there's a bit of transgender and sexuality issues in the show so if you're not mature enough to see two dudes or dudettes kissing and having sex this show is probably not for you. I think the IMDB grade reflects this rather than the quality of the show (which deserves an 8.5 from what I've seen).

I didn't read the thread. but I'm reply to OP anyway.

I watched 5 episodes and honestly I found it offensive (<-- this is the wrong word but I can't think what else to put). It's not about my 'maturity' levels about 'seeing two dudes or dudettes kissing' It's to do with them clearly having a check list of every non binary they could think of. Gay? Check, Lesbians? Check, Transgender? Check Only 'good cop in city Check. It was dull and predictable. I have no issue with any of these if they fit into the story, (OITNB for example was full of both gay and transgender scenes but it made sense to the overall story!) but arbitrarily shoving all that stuff in to try and please everyone is why the show got its very mediocre score, Not the immaturity of the viewers.

[Deleted]

I didn't read the thread. but I'm reply to OP anyway.

I watched 5 episodes and honestly I found it offensive (<-- this is the wrong word but I can't think what else to put). It's not about my 'maturity' levels about 'seeing two dudes or dudettes kissing' It's to do with them clearly having a check list of every non binary they could think of. Gay? Check, Lesbians? Check, Transgender? Check Only 'good cop in city Check. It was dull and predictable. I have no issue with any of these if they fit into the story, (OITNB for example was full of both gay and transgender scenes but it made sense to the overall story!) but arbitrarily shoving all that stuff in to try and please everyone is why the show got its very mediocre score, Not the immaturity of the viewers.

Why do people of different sexualities need to "fit" into the story? Why can't they just be? Beyond the opening episode where Nomi's story is set during Pride her gender and sexuality seems pretty incidental and Lito's sexuality isn't even revealed straight away. Nor are all the boxes ticked off. No bisexuals or asexuals or trans men etc. and that isn't a problem either.

I did notice that they made the white cop the more moral one, while the black cop was the one who was prejudiced against people in the ghetto. But it's a small quibble.

[Bakis]

What is up with the hazmat suits?
Its not as easy as saying they used it publicly to get less questions asked for a number of reason of which these stand out the most:

* Their verhicle are old shabby hippie vans, not in any way giving validity to hazmat merely being for show publicly
* Several scene where people in hazmat suits are mingled with people in ordinary clothes or work clothes (ep12 Iceland mostly)

I wondered from the first scene of it that I can remember the ghetto kid showing Will the pitures he took with his cellphone.
So what the hell is up with the hazmat suits, an oversight by the producers?

[eschatological]

I think it's just for public consumption, and to make people just non-curious enough to not go wandering into a building where Hazmat guys have been. As for the van - well, they had to rent them....people usually aren't that observant to point out that flaw, and in the U.S., those could easily pass for government vans, despite their "shabby hippie" appearance.

As for why they're in Hazmat suits in Iceland - who the hell knows? Maybe just another form of psychological control, on the people who work their (IE, validating the horrific things they're doing) or even over the patients, trying to convince them they're really sick. That's just me projecting my conjecture on the show, though.

[Deleted]

Now that I've finished the show I thought I'd give some general ideas/theories/speculations about where the show could be going next season. Spoilers:

As I've said, I think that the main arc will be Humans vs. Sensates. Jonas wants Sensate supremacy, BPO wants to secure Human's position by hiring a few traitorous sensates to hunt down their kin. Whispers is not the leader of BPO (and indeed BPO is likely just a front), he's just a puppet of the humans. Likewise Jonas may not be the leader of the Sensate supremacists. Yrsa (the icelandic sensate who interacts with Riley) is of a third faction trying to mediate things. According to Yrsa, Jonas used to work with BPO. Either he had a change of heart, he was a double agent, or he willingly works with BPO at times to eliminate dissident sensate clusters which he cannot manipulate.

Now that "our" sensates know the stakes, they will all become much more focused on the conspiracy, though they will still have their own personal stories. I think that it would be good, logistically that is, to trim the amount of locations down to like five, by pairing up some of the sensates. In Iceland, Riley looks after Will. The focus here will be on their romance and Will's past with the mysterious girl who died. This plot will mostly be on the backburner for the first half to two thirds of the season: Because he's made eye contact with Whispers, Will cannot safely contact the others. But late season he will enact a plan to use his connection to turn the tables and hunt Whispers down.

As Lito's sexuality comes to light, he moves north to LA and gets work in North American films which are a bit more tolerant of his sexuality. He becomes something of a gay icon and a champion for LGBT rights (you know there's going to be more LGBT themed plots and that's not a problem for me ). Nomi takes refuge in LA as well.

Capheus' story continues in Nairobi. Kala hooks him up with a supply of medicine for his mother and his story instead focuses on finding his sister. As being a sensate seems to be genetic, she could be part of a second cluster. I don't think Neets is Capheus' sister, she's too old. Meanwhile in India the pharmaceutical company Kala works with is revealed to be connected to BPO.

Wolfgang moves to Seoul to escape his Uncle's allies (not India - his relationship with Kala is pretty fraught at the moment). Sun is still in jail but the other sensates plan to get her out. Nomi's hacking and Wolfgang's street smarts uncover her brother's lies to the public and set Sun free. The Sensates now have a powerful company on their side. The korean mob could be involved, giving Wolfgang a could avenue to utilise his skills.

[eschatological]

My question still remains: What's the motivation for sensates to work with BPO? Like, why is Whispers hunting down sensate clusters, including people in his own cluster (Jonas, woman who birthed the new cluster), even going so far as to lobotomize one of his cluster and use him as muscle, essentially.

That's a story I want to know.

[ravenmoon]

My question still remains: What's the motivation for sensates to work with BPO? Like, why is Whispers hunting down sensate clusters, including people in his own cluster (Jonas, woman who birthed the new cluster), even going so far as to lobotomize one of his cluster and use him as muscle, essentially.

That's a story I want to know.

that is part of the mystery we look forward to finding out as they develop this further.

[Spraxle]

I went into Sense8 with an eh view on it. The trailer they released was really sloppy and while it didn't give anything away it also didn't make me want to watch it. But I had someone recommend it to me and so I gave it a view. The first episode or so was really strange and the pacing was all over, but it hooked me. I really enjoyed the different view points from transgenderism in western culture to 'caste hoping' in India. The show had a little something for everyone and the visuals were always amazing. The way the show would show you things was done in such a superb way.

I have a teacher who loves the show and she keeps arguing with me that the series is done. But the way it ended I feel like we'll get another season at least. And because of the way the sensates work they could do a season two that follows a different group of eight who run into this group of eight. A lot of possibilities although my idea probably won't be the route they go since the characters in season one were amazing.

[Deleted]

I don't see how you could watch this and think that the story is over. There's a tonne of loose ends. We don't even know that motivations of the main villain.

[grandpab]

Ya there's no way it's done. That first season basically felt like an entire introduction to me, it was all just set up.

[ravenmoon]

Ya there's no way it's done. That first season basically felt like an entire introduction to me, it was all just set up.

agreed, a great series to introduce people from all backgrounds to this genre.

[Skayth]

Sense8 just got renewed on the 8th of August. Funny thing is, that is the characters' birthday. Also, there is a making of on netflix.

[Deleted]

I was getting worried that this wouldn't be renewed. Very glad that it's getting a second season.

[Skayth]

I was getting worried that this wouldn't be renewed. Very glad that it's getting a second season.

As am I. I was also very worried, even though it has more views and better reviews than a few of their other original programs that got more than 1 season (some getting a third.) But I think they simply held out to that date, as it is an important date in the show.