The Power

This is one of my favorite books, and I generally have very low expectations of any adaptation, so I went in to this with that mentality. It isn't perfect, but it feels like it's coming from the same place as the book, with the same themes driving the plot and characters (who are very well cast).

The source material covers a lot of ground, literally and figuratively. I've only seen four episodes, but I have been pleasantly surprised at the world and character building. I'm a little more concerned about how they will handle later events, as the story continues and women take power over the new world.

All in all, it's better than I expected and I'm excited to watch the rest.

What an intriguing show! I started watching it around the time that episode three came around, so I binged 1-3 and then read a bunch of reviews thinking that some of the reviewers had previewed the entire thing. Nope. And I'm happy I stayed along for the ride. It takes awhile to get to know the characters and for their interconnections to start snapping into place, but it is a seriously intriguing, joyous, nail-biting, terrifying and horrific ride along the way.

The ensemble is excellent, too. Toni Colette is an actor's actor. And I have a soft spot for Toheeb Jimoh (whom you may recognize from Ted Lasso) as Tunde. Even some of the smaller characters are given some depth by story and cast.

I will be deeply upset if there is no season 2.

The show is brilliant. I was shocked how low the rating is overall here. The acting is really great, it's well written and filmed, and plays almost like a documentary in its realism. The allegory that the show is telling is super important I believe. I feel it's one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. It's entertaining but also meaningful.

I definitely recommend it. Perhaps see for yourself and check it out if you like stories that have something important to say about the world. I feel uplifted and inspired watching this series.

I have seen the four episodes currently available, and I am very much looking forward to watching how it plays out.

My review is based on the first two episodes.

The show is beautifully shot.

Despite the many characters, the story is easy to understand and the actors portraying them are delivering strong performances. All around the production is delivering everything I can ask from a show.

But unfortunately its fails to ask any interesting questions in regards to the shows premise, at least so far.

The obvious question being, does might make right?

Instead it seems to have already settled on an answer that "Yes, might makes right" meaning that a societies moral standards are defined by those in power. It portrays a world in which the powerful are categorically unempathetic to the plight of the powerless and cannot be persuaded by logical arguments, and therefore should the roles be reversed, they wont deserve any empathy either.

Frankly it is awfully black and white, with good people and bad people and nothing in-between. The universe seems like a oversimplified representation of the world we live in, juvenile, boring and unimaginative.

I look forward to the day shows are written by people who are smart enough to come up with creative solutions to problems - but with American productions it's always the same; Violence is the answer. Every genius in a superhero movies seem intent on creating easier ways to kill things. Doesn't matter if the hero of the story is a man or a woman, black or white, old or young - and in a story specifically about oppression and for one named The Power, it seems to spend awfully little time questioning how such power should be wielded. I get it might not be the first question, but at this point it should have come up. Its not believe able that so many characters would just roll with it.

I wonder if this show will end up looking like a CW production after a season or two.

I assumed when reading through other reviews that there was going to be a mixed bag. People praising it because it flips gender power dynamics on its head and those who bash on it for the same reason. What I didn't expect was people claiming that the show is slow?? Yes, they take their time in order to introduce a large and diverse ensemble. Having just come off the Last of Us though, this show is a piece of cake (although I loved that show too). The only thing that stood out to me was some of the dialogue, especilaly with the teens, seemed a bit clunky.

There are quite a few characters, all with very interesting backgrounds, all unified by the Power. I am currently on episode 3 and can already sense the imminent collapse as people become trigger-happy naysayers out of fear and anger. Not that its too far fetched given how some world leaders reacted during the pandemic (and continue today).

Overall, the premise is interesting, the pacing steady, and I can't wait to see how they further develop the plot and characters.