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TV Show GAF: I want to introduce you to a show called 'Utopia'

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This is a criminally underrated and under-watched British TV show which is likely to become more popular when it finishes/is cancelled. It's something I think deserves a much larger audience and presence on GAF (OT thread here - relatively small presence on GAF). It's largely non-existent as far as the American audience goes. It's quite difficult to find many quality British shows nowadays. There are only 6 episodes per season and only two seasons.

It's currently midway through its second season and David Fincher is already planning an American remake set to air on HBO.

The story follows a small group of unconnected people who find themselves in possession of the manuscript sequel of a legendary graphic novel called The Utopia Experiments which is rumoured to have predicted the worst disasters of the last century. Their lives brutally implode as they are pursued by a shadowy and murderous organisation known as "The Network", which they must avoid to survive. Using the manuscript, they must uncover the meaning hidden in its pages before the disasters depicted become reality.

Series 1 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3gxwIqqzB4
Series 2 Trailer (spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI5h8yvHIJQ

It is a dark thriller which has lots of twists and turns layered with a comic book flair in some of its characters with a Tarantino level of casual violence. It's an absolutely gorgeous looking show too with great cinematography and shot composition (being the mirror opposite of Hannibal in the colour palette). None of the pictures below really do it justice.

I would recommend giving at least the first episode a watch and see if you like it.

Where can I watch it?

It's available on Netflix UK and 4oD. Non-UK viewers can easily access it via Hola Unblocker, MediaHint or ZenMate.

 

ramyeon

Member
Definitely criminally unknown and overlooked. Wouldn't say it's underrated, most people I know who see it love it. Watch it.
 

L1NETT

Member
TVGaf, watch it before HBO remake it so you can say the original is better :p
which it will be

But seriously, watch this goddamn show. Best thing on TV in YEARS
 

Gaz_RB

Member
The trailer didn't interest me at all, but I trust you guys, so I'll watch the first episode and report back
 

deli2000

Member
1) How violent/explicit is the content?

2) Where can I watch it legally online for free?

Thank you!

1) Lot's of swearing, some gore, very disturbing scenes, pretty much no nudity

2) It's available in the UK on 4OD. Outside the UK you may need to use something like Media Hint or Hola.
 
1) How violent/explicit is the content?

Thank you!

I'd say it's quite violent (people being shot in the head very frequently, one person has their eyeballs tortured and there's a disturbing school shooting but the camera cuts away for that a lot) but it is not grotesque in any way and it fits with the tone of the show.

Have a look at this page for a description of the violent content: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2384811/parentalguide

TVGaf, watch it before HBO remake it so you can say the original is better :p
which it will be

But seriously, watch this goddamn show. Best thing on TV in YEARS

I'm actually looking forward to seeing what David Fincher does with it, especially the cinematography. And HBO is a very good match for it.
 

malyce

Member
Why are the colors so vibrant? Makes me want to move to the UK and walk around asking random people "where is Jessica Hyde?" Everything looks so pretty.
 

maxcriden

Member
Haha, wow. Thanks for the info, guys. Show is definitely too intense for me based on that content advisory. I'm glad I asked, though, and I appreciate the info.
 
This show is really, really good. I saw it mentioned on some site a couple weeks ago, and watched the whole first season last week. Really violent too, wasn't expecting that at first. The scene that really fucked with me was the, SPOILERS:
school shooting
, and to a lesser degree, the
torture scene
.
But yeah, great show. Loving the story.
 

KarmaCow

Member
I'm curious how the HBO remake will turn out since the majority of the appeal of the show to me is overall look and feel. I don't really care about the characters themselves but I can't imagine someone else pulling off Jessica Hyde nearly as well.
 

Akahige

Member
Watched the first season recently and goddam this has some really high quality writing, cinematography, direction, editing, production design, acting and digital intermediate.

The music is fantastic too, reminds me of NIN's Ghosts and The Social Network score.
 

Slowdive

Banned
Hmm gonna have to find out where I can watch this as an American.

Use something like Hola to watch it on Netflix UK (series 1 only) and 4oD which has both series right now but there's only 11 days to watch episode 1 of series 2 then it gets taken off, then so will the others since they're only up for 30 days.
 

I spent ages searching for this gif and eventually gave up.

Why are the colors so vibrant? Makes me want to move to the UK and walk around asking random people "where is Jessica Hyde?" Everything looks so pretty.

The show as a whole has a comic book vibe to it so the vibrancy of the colours goes very well with that. I think the reason it's so good is because so few films or TV shows do it so it's quite a fresh thing. The closest I can think of is Hannibal and Pushing Daisies but they both stick to highlighting dark and sunny colours respectively, whereas this plays with both.
 

ЯAW

Banned
I need to give the show another shot. Michael Dugdale was the most interesting character, story revolving around him was the only thing kept me watching it (for 3 or 4 episodes). Rest of the cast was mostly annoying and the crazy ass twist and turns were just stupid. Visuals and music were stunning and if the story won't keep me at it next time, maybe the visuals will.

For some reason I'm more excited about the US remake. Too bad it's not going to look good as the UK version, but I still have hope for it.
 

Chris R

Member
Looked this up last time there was a TV Show suggestion thread and was bummed that it isn't on US Netflix or Hulu yet. Bummer!
 
Really want to watch this next, but Hola hasn't been working for me. Haven't even been able to watch Rectify this week because of it. Might have to try zenmate
 
there's a lot of shots in this show that give a wes anderson vibe

interested to see fincher's version of this for hbo. it should look equally amazing imo, perhaps even better.

Yup, should be good. It's nailing the casting and tone that I'm worried about for the HBO adaptation.
 
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