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Sci-Fi is slowly becoming one of the most saturated markets in entertainment, with new additions like Amazon's The Peripheral holding out a mirror to a society that is increasingly becoming tech-dependent. The new series, which is set in a believably distant future, is perhaps Amazon's answer to Netflix's Black Mirror and HBO's Westworld but is not so deep into the dystopian version of the genre.
This visually stunning show from creators Jonathan Nolan, Scott Smith, and Scott B. Smith deals heavily with VR gaming and dual reality. The first episode of The Peripheral showed plenty of promise and almost served as a tiny film, setting up the premise for the rest of the series.
The Peripheral season 1, episode 1 review: A lesson in world-building
The Peripheral begins with an elongated credit scene that excels in both visual and auditory depictions of a dystopian future. It soon jumps to a scene set in 2100 London before jumping back to a much more plausible timeline, perhaps 2032.
Not long after, the series reveals itself to be centered around VR gaming and alternate reality.
At the helm of the series is Flynne Fisher (Chloë Grace Moretz), a 3D print shop worker who has excelled at gaming by playing her brother's video games. Her brother Burton (Jack Reynor), an ex-marine, is also a crucial part of the story, as is evident from the premiere episode. He is handed a game for testing, which sets off the central crisis in the film.
The exact crisis, however, is not clear in the first episode, which is a good thing. Despite not revealing enough, the first episode leaves behind an important cliffhanger, enough to probe viewers to watch the next episode.
The presence of two connected realities, a virtual one and a real one, is an interesting debate that has been around for a long time. So far, The Peripheral seems to be exploring this in detail while also navigating some greater debates in the process.
The show excels in technical aspects too and has invested enough to give viewers a completely immersive experience, rich in cinematic value. Right from the opening sequence, the colors in every frame are soothing, and the imagery is picturesque.
This is further aided by some sharp editing and great sound. The score is a little on-the-face, but that is not a problem in a genre like this. Rather, it helps elevate the scenes to new heights. The acting is also convincing enough, and all the characters seem to be in the right place.
It is too early to say if The Peripheral is going to live up to the likes of Westworld, but it certainly looks promising. So far, nothing in the series warrants criticism, and over time, it may go on to become an exceptional sci-fi show.
The first episode of the show is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
