Since I’m not a fan of lists but can’t seem to stop myself from enumerating the best that cinema and television often have to offer, I’ll try a more scholarly approach today mostly because I’m eager to make a distinction between ‘fantasy’ and ‘epic fantasy’ on the small screen. In a previous article, I discussed some of the greatest film franchises to come out of works penned by J.R. Tolkien and Frank L. Baum, to name but two luminaries of the literary genre we know as ‘epic fantasy’.

For the silver screen, the challenge of adapting such works was gleefully accepted and—on several occasions—stupendously met by talented and insanely brave directors. But as audiences worldwide evolve, so does our appetite for the consumption of ‘epic fantasy’ in larger formats. We want more, even if we get it in an episode-per-week ratio. Give us ten seasons of this marvellously detailed worldbuilding sprinkled with gasp-inducing intrigue, and we’re yours forever. Naturally, the demand for televised ‘epic fantasy’ has grown, forcing screenwriters and showrunners to adapt.

‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS’ (2002), ©NEW LINE CINEMA

Personally, I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but I do believe we’re coming up short on the ‘epic fantasy’ genre on TV. There are plenty of ‘fantasy’ series to binge on—‘Charmed’ (1998-2006) and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997-2003) certainly qualify as decent chunks of a starter kit. If you’re deeper into the scary side of things, the ‘American Horror Story’ (2011) anthology will deliver plenty of genuine goose-bumps and squeals. For anime fans, ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005-2008) is one of the best that the genre has to offer, and let’s not forget Bryan Fuller’s earlier masterpieces, ‘Dead Like Me’ (2003-2004) and ‘Pushing Daisies’ (2007-2009), both brilliant and equally ahead of their time. Yet we haven’t gotten to the aforementioned ‘epics’!

What does make a story epic, after all? Is it the worldbuilding? For that, I’m inclined to consider ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ (1995-2001), the infinitely more successful spinoff of ‘Hercules: The Legendary Journeys’ (1995-1999), as a worthy candidate. Lucy Lawless and Greek mythology combined was a good early recipe. Is it the willingness to cross boundaries and try something bold and modern? ‘True Blood’ (2008-2014) comes to mind—and no, I don’t think we’re ready for a remake yet. Then what is it? The fandom, perhaps, that raises a tale to such high-sounding standards? I would be willing to consider ‘Once Upon A Time’ (2011-2018) for task, then, or better yet, the cult darling ‘Supernatural’ (2005-2020), which boasts a spectacular fifteen-year run.

But no. We’re going elsewhere with this. We’re going farther than we have ever gone before, because the market of ‘televised epic fantasy’ has only just begun to blossom, and it’s mostly due to the sheer size of the oeuvres that are being adapted and repackaged for a broader and more patient audience. Developing such projects demands gargantuan sacrifices of time, money, and human resources—settling anywhere below will inadvertently lead to underwhelming, vapid fluff.

‘XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS’ (1995-2001), ©MCA TELEVISION

‘The Magicians’ (2015-2020): Surprisingly Epic

Learning plenty from her work with Eric Kripke on ‘Supernatural’, Sera Gamble teamed up with John McNamara to bring Lev Grossman’s novels to the small screen. When SyFy decided to invest in this show, they were probably aware of the risks—the raunchy magic tale works differently on the page than it does onscreen, yet even so, ‘The Magicians’ stands apart from the rest of the crowd. Sure, there are things I might have done differently with some of the narrative threads, but still…

Story-wise, it is daring enough to be awarded a tiny ‘epic fantasy’ badge. It’s basically ‘Harry Potter’ but with drugs, booze, ancient gods, and potty mouths. Its worldbuilding is complex and imaginative enough, borrowing elements of Greek mythology and quantum physics along the way. It also has a considerable fanbase to work with. Unlike ‘The Shannara Chronicles’ (2016-2017), which was bland and deservedly short-lived, ‘The Magicians’ survived for five seasons as it pushed its young protagonists into difficult situations that required tremendous sacrifices. In some cases, their choices came at a horrific price.

‘THE MAGICIANS’ (2015-2020), ©NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION

‘American Gods’ (2017): Neil Gaiman Done Right

I’m equal parts doubtful and eager whenever a Gaiman project is announced for television. It’s probably because of the emotional investment that I have in his work. Nevertheless, most of his adaptations have not disappointed, least of all ‘American Gods’, which is based on my favourite book. When it comes to ‘epic fantasy’, this story has every box ticked, albeit with one particularly worrying asterisk.

My only issue with the Starz-produced series is the studio’s inability to retain showrunners—thus losing important actors along the way. The first season, helmed by the brilliant Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, did a wicked job of transforming ‘American Gods’ into high-quality television art. But after budget-related conflicts, Fuller and Green were pushed out of the project, which led to Gillian Anderson and Kristin Chenoweth’s subsequent departure. Jesse Alexander of ‘Heroes’ (2006-2010) fame sort-of took over, though it’s still unclear as to the depth of his involvement—which didn’t last longer than the second season, anyway.

After another hiatus, ‘American Gods’ has finally returned under Charles ‘Chic’ Eglee, better known for ‘Moonlighting’ (1986-1989) and ‘The Shield’ (2004-2008), but even that isn’t without a harrowing loss. According to an expletive-laced video posted on Twitter, Orlando Jones (Mr Nancy) stated that he was fired from the series because the showrunner doesn’t understand his character. According to the actor, Eglee ‘thinks that Mr Nancy’s angry, get s—t done [attitude] is the wrong message for Black America’. Yet when I’m nervous about a Neil Gaiman adaptation, they tell me I’m overthinking…

‘AMERICAN GODS’ (2017), ©FREMANTLE/STARZ!

‘His Dark Materials’ (2019): Now That’s What I Call Epic!

Philip Pullman’s trilogy is one of the best works of fantasy I read whilst coming of age. It’s an ambitious story that follows two gifted children as they wander through a series of parallel universes and fight for freedom and survival against exceptionally dark forces. An especially appealing element is the daemon, a manifestation of the inner-self as an animal being.

Pullman once named John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ among the influences for ‘His Dark Materials’, abruptly rejecting any comparison to C.S. Lewis’s ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, which he characterised as ‘blatantly racist’ and ‘monumentally disparaging of women’. Needless to say, ‘His Dark Materials’ ascends among the better works of ‘epic fantasy’, and given the author’s direct involvement, HBO’s adaptation does a better job than its feature-length and stale-cotton-candy predecessor, ‘The Golden Compass’ (2007).

‘HIS DARK MATERIALS’ (2019), ©HOME BOX OFFICE (HBO)

‘Carnival Row’ (2019): An Absolute Original

As mentioned earlier, the majority of ‘epic fantasies’ come from literature: the story was first told in print, and there were plenty of pages in which to build an imaginary world with extraordinary creatures inspired by myth and folklore. Yet Travis Beacham and René Echevarria pulled off quite the number with ‘Carnival Row’, which blends the tenebrous murder mystery with a Victorian fantasy realm in a way that just… works without a source material.

Of course, the show wouldn’t have the same appeal without Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne—the latter having grown visibly as a thespian since ‘Anna Karenina’ (2012). Nominated for three Primetime Emmys, the first season has garnered a hefty round of applause, and I dare hope to see the second season exceed those accolades swiftly.

‘CARNIVAL ROW’ (2019), ©AMAZON STUDIOS

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011-2019): The Undisputed Champion

Regardless of what anyone thought about the final season, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s extraordinary ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ novel series is a masterpiece of both television and ‘epic fantasy’. It set a stellar standard to which few, if any others, might ever rise to meet. With such an ambitious source material and HBO’s deep pockets, part of what made the show work was the fearless casting—with the exception of several titular roles, most of the actors were young and fresh-faced when production started, with barely a credit or two to their names. The Stark kids had zero, for that matter.

The first five seasons brought the incredible story of Westeros and the seven kingdoms to life with exceptional detail and an overwhelming love of the cinematic craft—from filming locations to costume and set design, ‘Game of Thrones’ excelled and then some. Given the complex story and multiple main character arcs, the mere fact that D&D pulled it off with barely a hitch was an incredible accomplishment. The first five seasons, however, had the published books to rely on.

‘GAME OF THRONES’ (2011-2019), ©HOME BOX OFFICE/HBO

With extensive assistance from the author himself, the showrunners pushed through seasons six and seven mostly on their own, with an idea of how Martin saw the story evolving across the upcoming novels, ‘Winds of Winter’ and ‘A Dream of Spring’. The series didn’t fumble, managing its extensive load of characters with sufficient grace. Alas, with a fandom accustomed to nothing beneath exceptional writing, Benioff and Weiss self-sabotaged their grand conclusion by rushing toward the finish line. I wasn’t shocked by Daenerys’s psychotic twist—I paid attention since the first season when she didn’t even flinch while her brother had molten gold poured onto his head. I wasn’t disappointed by Bran becoming king, either, nor by Jon’s retreat into ‘the real North’. It sort-of made sense.

But the final season was… rushed. A few more episodes would’ve smoothed things over and tied up several important loose ends. I cried aplenty when Ramin Djawadi’s score, aptly titled ‘The Last of the Starks’, came on, and I bid the young wolves farewell, knowing their adventures wouldn’t end there. To this day, I have yet to watch anything remotely close to the production brilliance of ‘Game of Thrones’ despite its twilight flaws.

‘GAME OF THRONES’ (2011-2019), ©HOME BOX OFFICE/HBO

Of Epics to Come

Given the titanic success of ‘Game of Thrones’ and George R.R. Martin’s forays into ASOIAF-related prequels, it’s no wonder that HBO has been flirting with a couple more titles. Jane Goldman of ‘X-Men First Class’ (2011) repute was initially set to lead a successor show focused on Westeros’ descent from the bright Age of Heroes into the dreaded Long Night—there was even a pilot shot, starring Naomi Watts.

Alas, the higher powers scrapped the whole project and made way for ‘House of the Dragon’, which is due to air in 2022 and chronicles the Targaryen struggles throughout their 300-year reign since Aegon’s Conquest. So far, Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, and Emma D’Arcy have joined the developing project—the characters they’re set to portray belong to a particular conflict in the history of Westeros, better known as ‘The Dance of Dragons’, which nearly tore the kingdoms apart and decimated the Targaryen’s dragon population. Ryan J. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik will act as writers and showrunners, working closely with George R.R. Martin.

‘House of the Dragon’ isn’t the only project in the pipeline, either, as HBO has recently greenlit a TV series adaption of ‘Tales of Dunk and Egg’, a spinoff following Dunk and Egg on their adventures throughout Westeros before they became known as Ser Duncan the Tall, Commander of the King’s Guard, and King Aegon the Fifth. Little is known about the project at this point, but I’m certainly looking forward to it. I need an ASOIAF fix, stat.

‘HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’ (2022), ©HOME BOX OFFICE/HBO

Following the cinematic success of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, Amazon Studios decided to try their hand at a prequel by enlisting the talents of J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay to bring the Second Age of Middle-Earth to life for the streaming giant. It’s been in the works for a couple of years now, with casting that took place around the world and extensive negotiations with the government of New Zealand. Filming began last February in Auckland, listing Robert Aramayo, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Ian Blackburn, and Maxim Baldry among the actors involved.

Ultimately, these are exciting times… There is plenty of room for ‘epic fantasy’ in the land of TV. The stakes were set high—very high, actually, and that’s a wonderful starting point. May the upcoming series soar beyond what has already been aired and may no other showrunner ever rush and pull a D&D ever again.

If there is one thing that truly makes us unique among Earth’s creatures, it’s our ability to tell stories, to invent people and entire universes. I’d say we would be nowhere near as ahead in our evolution without this propensity to imagine, to dream wild dreams and then put them into practice. Yes, Icarus flew too close to the sun, but eons later in 1914, Tony Jannus conducted the first commercial airline flight between St Petersburg and Tampa. We’re crazy like that. Crazy enough to make it work.

Yet our society is not the only aspect that progressed over millennia. Our stories have grown, too, becoming increasingly complex and marvellously compelling. Starting with the Epic of Gilgamesh and the legends of Olympus, we have crafted incredible universes of heroic adventurers, capricious gods, knights and warrior queens, immortal elves and terrifying demons, fantastic creatures from beyond our animal kingdom, designing challenges that constantly adhere to one common thread in our collective consciousness: the hero’s journey.

It only got better when we started shooting these monumental tales on film. As with many of my mini-lists, I’ve had to limit my selections. While I will forever cherish gems such as Jim Henson’s ‘Labyrinth’ (1986), Matthew Vaughn’s ‘Stardust’ (2007), Wolfgang Petersen’s ‘NeverEnding Story’ (1984), Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006), or Rob Reiner’s iconic ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987), the latter a never-ending source of hilarious memes, I’ve decided to focus exclusively on the kind of epic fantasy that spawned entire franchises. I’m talking about the timeless works of cinematic art that made billions not only from the original films, but also from merchandising, spinoffs, and prequels. Movies with fandoms that span the globe and time itself.

‘THE NEVERENDING STORY’ (1984), ©CONSTANTIN FILM

The Lord of the Rings

This year marks two decades since the first part of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy came out, and we haven’t been the same since. It was epic fantasy done right. No, better yet, it was epic fantasy done almost perfectly! To this day, I am astonished by the faith that producers had in an otherwise inexperienced Peter Jackson. Many balked at the $300 million budget he was given to play with—but he didn’t just play with it. He built us a world and breathed life into it.

It all began with J.R.R. Tolkien, the celebrated fantasy author. ‘The Hobbit’, his first book, published in 1937, was an out-of-the-blue success. He had written it for his children, yet thanks to Susan Dagmall of George Allen & Unwin, it became a colossal bestseller beloved by younglings everywhere. Shortly afterwards, Mr Tolkien was asked to write a sequel. Excited by how his imaginary world of Middle Earth had been growing since he’d first penned ‘The Hobbit’, he eventually produced a complex mythological composition deemed too long and boring by the publisher. It was set aside and later revived, edited, and published by the author’s son, Christopher Tolkien, as ‘The Silmarillion’.

‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING’ (2001), ©NEW LINE CINEMA

Back to his writing desk, Mr Tolkien developed ‘The Lord of the Rings’ as a direct sequel for Bilbo’s adventures. It was a darker and more mature take on an otherwise magical world. It gained an adult audience, becoming a masterpiece of modern English literature. In 1997, New Zealand native and screenwriter/director Peter Jackson won the rights to film this epic fantasy. At first, he tried to work out a deal with Miramax, but their requirements of cramming everything into a single movie would have made a mockery of Mr Tolkien’s oeuvre, so Jackson signed up with New Line Cinema instead, enlisting Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens to help write the screenplay for a proper trilogy.

‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001), ‘The Two Towers’ (2002), and ‘The Return of the King’ (2003) were an incredible feat. Not only did Jackson exceed every possible expectation, he and his team revolutionized the high fantasy niche of cinema. Filmed entirely in New Zealand, the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy garnered a plethora of awards, with ‘The Return of the King’ accomplishing a record of its own—it was the first feature to win all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated. Thus, Tolkien’s legacy was brought to life after a rather disastrous animated attempt in 1978, setting the tone for many other filmmakers later down the road.

‘THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY’ (2012), ©NEW LINE CINEMA

Perhaps most would’ve expected to see ‘The Hobbit’ be made into a movie first, but it came later as a prequel trilogy, with Martin Freeman starring as the young Bilbo Baggins. ‘An Unexpected Journey’ (2012), ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ (2013), and ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’ (2014) were grand commercial successes, though none were close to the glory of ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Maybe the novelty had worn off by the time Jackson assembled his team and cast to bring more of Tolkien’s world to the big screen. Or maybe the focus stayed too much on special effects than on the actual story.

‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING’ (2003), ©NEW LINE CINEMA

Harry Potter

We all know the rags-to-riches story of how JK Rowling wrote and eventually published her beloved ‘Harry Potter’ series of magical fantasy. A struggling author and mum, she pushed and toiled and then pushed some more until after twelve rejections, her manuscript for ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ was finally published by Bloomsbury. The books were a worldwide phenomenon, stirring the imaginations of children and adults alike and causing queues to form outside bookstores in anticipation of upcoming volumes.

What’s not to love about the magic-imbued universe of Harry Potter? It’s got bits and pieces of everything tucked away inside an interdimensional pocket of sorts, a hidden reality to the Muggles’ world where wizards, house elves, unicorns and other extraordinary creatures live in relative harmony, with wizarding laws and order. There’s a ginormous academy of wizardry with a board of honoured professors equipped with the talent and knowledge required to shape the young minds of future wizards.

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE’ (2001), ©WARNER BROS.

The film series launched in 2001 (what a year that was, eh?), ending its exquisite box office reign with the two-part ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ of 2010 and 2011. Its young cast, composed of stellar talents such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Tom Felton, to name but a few, grew up along with their fans and captured the affection of many more along the way. Alan Rickman would forever be remembered for his performance as Professor Snape, and production companies would line up to fund the next big hits from the Potterverse.

‘FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM’ (2016), NEW LINE CINEMA

While Mike Newell, Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, and David Yates directed the film series, with scripts adapted by Steve Kloves and Michael Goldenberg, JK Rowling decided to take over as screenwriter for her next endeavour within the same fictional realm, the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ prequels featuring Eddie Redmayne as a young Newt Scamander. Of course, the everlasting charm of the Potterverse—even this version from seventy years before Harry Potter—was undeniable. Alas, Mrs Rowling’s screenwriting manifested as repeatedly insufficient and rushed, thus forcing David Yates, her director of choice, to deliver below the expected threshold.

Yes, the film scores are wonderful, the actual fantastic beasts are wickedly fun, and the flair of early 20^th century American wizards is unmistakably delicious, but the prequels have fallen short of the original ‘Harry Potter’. I’ve said this before. Few novelists make good screenwriters, and few screenwriters make good novelists. Even fewer are those who can tread the line between novel and screenplay with equal proficiency.

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE’ (2009), ©WARNER BROS.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Disney, now a streaming giant with ownership of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and everything Star Wars, understood the potential of epic fantasy since day one. Most of its empire is built on the work of Walt Disney, one of the forefathers of animation. The Disney Classics are an eternal presence on any kid’s watchlist, and their live action attempts weren’t half-bad, either—I’ll sneak a quick mention of ‘Peter Pan’ (2003) here, one of my personal favourites. But the studio’s greatest accomplishment of high fantasy brought to the silver screen is the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film series.

Inspired by Rob Kidd’s ‘Jack Sparrow’ children’s books and based on the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ attraction at Disney’s theme parks, this franchise gave us Johnny Depp as the swashbuckling maniac we’ve all come to love, alongside a ravishingly bold Keira Knightley and an even more handsome Orlando Bloom, who traded his elf ears for a sharp rapier and a pirate ship. The films were a monumental success, with Gore Verbinski, Rob Marshall, Espen Sandberg, and Joachim Rønning as directors.

‘PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL’ (2003), ©WALT DISNEY PICTURES

‘The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003), ‘Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006), and ‘At World’s End’ (2007) were box office gold. ‘On Stranger Tides’ (2011) left Ms Knightley and Mr Bloom’s characters behind, bringing Penélope Cruz centre stage as Angelica. Alas, the momentum began to wither away, and by the time Disney released ‘Salazar’s Revenge’ (2017), there wasn’t much that could keep this ship afloat, even with Knightley and Bloom’s return.

There was only so much to be drawn from the stories though. Despite not having any of the elves, orcs, goblins and other creatures that have become a staple of this genre, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ is remembered as one of the greats of epic fantasy. And let’s not forget Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. Everyone loved Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow.

‘PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES’ (2011), ©WALT DISNEY PICTURES

The Dark Crystal

Eighties’ kids will remember and appreciate Jim Henson’s ample foray into epic fantasy with ‘The Dark Crystal’ (1982), a puppet-animated film which he directed alongside Frank Oz. The story takes place on a fictional planet—as one might expect, where the damaged Dark Crystal favours the onset of an age of chaos. The Gelfling Jen is our main hero, determined to restore balance to the realm of Thra and overthrow the ruling Skeksis. It is one of the few stories written directly for the screen that built itself a titanic fandom within its genre. Such an achievement is worthy of the cinematic history books.

Alas, the film wasn’t a box office darling but rather became a cult legend. It never grew into a trilogy, yet it remained insanely popular over the years, so much so that Netflix decided to gamble and invest in a prequel, ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019). Armed with 21^st century CGI assistance, beautiful puppetry, and a genuine love of Jim Henson’s work, the series was led by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, receiving high praise from both new and familiar audiences. It may not be a giant, but it stands proudly among its peers.

‘THE DARK CRYSTAL’ (1982), ©JIM HENSON PRODUCTION

The Wizard of Oz

Unlike the above titles, L. Frank Baum’s series of high fantasy novels did not receive as much generosity from Hollywood, instead building its wonderful world gradually, one yellow brick at a time. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939) made history with Judy Garland as Dorothty—‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ became one of the most memorable musical pieces of the silver screen. Directed by Victor Fleming, the film was a roaring success, admired not only for its fantastic complexity but also for its brilliant execution and production design, then ultimately rewarded with two Academy Awards.

Mr Baum’s ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ epic universe was so adored, in fact, that it spawned other authors to try and further develop stories from its original pages. In 1995, Gregory Maguire published ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’, a gorgeous retelling of the original of 1900 but from the witches’ perspective. Elphaba and Glinda became overnight sensations, eventually cast in the ‘Wicked’ Broadway musical which brought Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel’s musical talents under the spotlight.

From there, the Land of Oz grew bigger with various film and television projects—some more memorable than others. Worth mentioning are ‘The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz’ (2005), if only to give Jim Henson another kind nod; ‘Tin Man’ (2007), a slightly more sci-fi take on Dorothy’s tale featuring Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cumming, and Richard Dreyfuss; ‘Emerald City’ (2016-2017), a fantasy drama with a dark twist starring Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Ana Ularu; and Sam Raimi’s ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ (2013), which saw James Franco taking over as the Wizard himself.

‘THE WIZARD OF OZ’ (1939), ©METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER (MGM)

There are many fantastical bodies of work besides those listed, of course. George R. R. Martin’s series made it to HBO in 2009, and despite the slightly fumbled final season, it is still one of the key points of reference when discussing the entire genre. Others, though extraordinarily successful in their novel form, never really got off the ground as feature films. CS Lewis, a fellow Inkling of Tolkien’s, for example, made his literary mark with ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’—yet the adaptations weren’t anywhere near Tolkien’s work and were mere shadows compared to ‘Harry Potter’. You may have noticed an absence from my list, and no, I have not forgotten about the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. However, since it is less high fantasy but more science fantasy, it belongs elsewhere.

Truth be told, one can flop by being overly ambitious with an epic fantasy tale, and there will never be enough special effects and animation technology to make up for weak characters and shoddy storytelling. In other cases, like Mr Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, the stories are simply too big for cinema yet perfect for a TV series. That’s something to discuss another day.

Or so I feel, at least, upon watching Aaron Guzikowski’s masterpiece on HBO Max. I have not been this excited about a sci-fi series since ‘The Expanse’ (2015), and for good reason. ‘Raised by Wolves’ (2020) is a story about humanity’s last chance at survival after nearly destroying itself. The root of the problem? Religious fundamentalism injected into an authoritarian state versus atheist militias that are willing to become the very monsters they fight against in order to defeat their enemy. But there is more to this than mere concepts of extremism and advanced artificial intelligence.

This is also a story about children, for they are the future.

‘Raised by Wolves’ follows two androids tasked with establishing a human colony on planet Kepler-22B. All they have is a space pod with advanced technology and a handful of human children they must raise in an atheist manner, much like the androids’ ‘creator’, Campion Sturges. While Father is a state-of-the-art service humanoid, Mother is a repurposed Necromancer, a veritable killing machine with a wide array of deadly abilities. Due to her reprogramming as a nurturer, however, Mother doesn’t remember her downright murderous past as a weapon in the hands of the Mithraic, the religious zealots who practically destroyed Earth. She does rediscover the aforementioned abilities, and so her character arc begins as she is tested in her mission to protect the children.

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Kepler-22B is not a welcoming planet. It is mostly arid, with freezing nights and deadly creatures lurking in the darkness. Worse even, the androids fail to raise all the children they brought over from Earth. Some succumb to incurable illnesses, while others perish in tragic accidents. Only one, named after Campion Sturges, survives. He becomes a key element as two different worlds begin to collide right in front of him, threatening to change not only his views but also how he perceives life.

The Mithraic have caught up, now docking their enormous Ark into orbit. They have resources, a military force and advanced technologies, and conflict quickly erupts when Mother retaliates and nearly obliterates the entire fleet while taking a handful of children away to replace the ones she lost. One can rarely observe a finer metaphor to address a mother’s grief.

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Enter Marcus and Sue, two Atheists posing as Mithraic soldiers, desperate to get their son back from Mother’s clutches. It becomes increasingly hard to root for them once it becomes clear that all Mother wants is to fulfil the original Campion’s dream of a better humanity—a world where no religion exists. Her sole objective is to raise children into worthy humans.

It becomes a battle for our very souls as we begin to see the flaws in our species, so eloquently portrayed by the Mithraic against the sweet and ignorant innocence of younglings. Between them, Mother and Father struggle to do the right thing, shocking us with their ability to learn, to protect, and to love. This complex series is insanely ambitious and downright mind-blowing on multiple levels, and I cannot recommend it enough.

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Aaron Guzikowski is no stranger to bold and compelling projects. Better known for penning the screenplays for ‘Papillon’ (2017) and ‘Prisoners’ (2013), the American director has been a showrunner before with ‘The Red Road’ (2014-2015), starring Jason Momoa. Through ‘Raised by Wolves’, however, one can see his spectacularly steep learning curve. It is an impressive accomplishment, to say the least, made even more important with the involvement of luminaries such as Ridley Scott, who also directed the first two episodes.

At the heart of every good film or series is a good screenplay, and it is truly a delight to follow ‘Raised by Wolves’ as it smashes through pretty much every barrier of its genre. Its rhythm isn’t frantic because the story has time to develop, easing us into this strange world much like Mr Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ from a few years back, but it’s not too slow, either. There is hardly a moment where one might get lost. Its threads are loose but gradually coming together in a splendid weave as the religious (Mithraic, worshipers of a deity named Sol), the atheists (Marcus, Sue, Mother, Father), and the non-religious (young Campion) are forced into a series of situations that bring about change on a deeper, fundamental level. When this is over, when we reach the final conclusion, no one will be the same again.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of ‘Raised by Wolves’ is how far the writer is willing to go with an AI’s ability to understand and experience love. For us, humans, it is a sentiment brought on by social interaction and hormonal reactions. What is it like for Mother, one wonders? Her feelings are clear and undeniable. Her emotions raw despite her otherwise strict programming. Mother’s journey from former villain to a hero for her children is truly a splendid feat of screenwriting.

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

The performances are simply out of this world. Amanda Collin and Abubakar Salim as Mother and Father, respectively, are the heroes that nobody saw coming. It’s impossible not to root for Mother when she is willing to sacrifice herself in order to teach Winta McGrath’s young Campion that violence—though a defining trait of her original design—is not and should never be an option. It’s hard not to love Father for how hard he tries to make everyone happy, teaching the children to survive in a harsh environment while figuring out ways to please his otherwise dangerous partner.

Travis Fimmel of ‘Vikings’ (2012-2017) and ‘Warcraft’ (2016) fame is a beautifully troubling and imperfect Marcus. Niamh Algar is Sue, who does the best she can with what she believes and what she is given. They’re both Atheist Militants pretending to be Mithraic after facial reconstruction surgery. They killed Paul’s parents and took their place on the Ark. It was the only way that they could survive. Prior to their arrival to Kepler-22B, survival and revenge had been their core objectives, but after spending thirteen years in a virtual simulation coma, both Marcus and Sue have become attached to Paul, sweetly portrayed by Felix Jamieson.

To make matters worse, not only has their ‘son’ been taken by a seemingly lethal Necromancer, but Marcus is hearing the god Sol’s voice in his head—this, in turn, bumps him up the hierarchical ladder within the surviving Mithraic cluster that is determined to turn Kepler-22B into another Earth, complete with churches and strict religious traditions.

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

The children stand out on their own, most of them torn from a zealous cradle and taught by androids, of all things, about compassion, fairness, and mercy. Each of them has a story to tell. Campion is confused by this concept of Sol as the supreme entity but eager to do right by others. Paul wishes to please the parents who have spent most of his life ignoring him, prior to the Ark. Tempest, brought to life by the talented Jordan Loughran, has to deal with an unwanted pregnancy after she was raped during her virtual simulation coma. Aasiya Shah’s Holly and Ethan Hazzard’s Hunter are more bound to the Mithraic than they are to their new android parents. Naturally, betrayal turns the tides and breaks many hearts as the viewers helplessly watch the past repeating itself.

Of course, none of this would be as profoundly arresting without the spectacular camerawork. Mr Guzikowski employs the talents of three stellar cinematographers for ‘Raised by Wolves’, each of them leaving an imprint on their respective episodes. Ross Emery, better known for his work on ‘I, Frankenstein’ (2014) and ‘The Wolverine’ (2013), is responsible for five chapters, including the pilot. Eric Messerschmidt of ‘Mindhunter’ (2017) and ‘Legion’ (2018) renown delivers a visceral vision through three episodes. A noticeable surprise comes from Dariusz Wolski, who has returned to work with Ridley Scott again after ‘The Martian’ (2015) and the epic ‘Prometheus’ (2012).

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Also from the ‘Prometheus’ era, Marc Streitenfeld signs the series’ score alongside Ben Frost, the latter known for his more sombre work on ‘Dark’ (2017-2020). Everything about ‘Raised by Wolves’ is meant to stir a certain set of emotions, and I dare say it’s a successful endeavour, considering that the opening theme alone is capable of encompassing everything good and awful about us in just a handful of lyrics.

With Tom McCullagh of ‘Game of Thrones’ (2011-2019) and Chris Seagers of ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998) signing off on the production design, alongside talented art directors such as Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson and Fiona Gavin, the world of Kepler-22B is as intense and as dreary as the writer intended. It was entirely shot in Cape Town, South Africa, with the production team taking advantage of the country’s breath-taking views, some of which are seamlessly incorporated into the setting. One can’t help but applaud the elegant minimalism of sci-fi elements against the wilderness of an unknown and fundamentally hostile realm. It serves as a metaphor for our condition, as well—try as hard as we’d like, with or without religion, we’re all but fodder for the stars.

‘RAISED BY WOLVES’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Ultimately, ‘Raised by Wolves’ may be perceived as polarizing by religious and atheist viewers alike, though perhaps more by the former than the latter, but the series only has our truth and our violent history to work with. Billions died and more keep dying in wars fuelled by religion and supremacy of one kind or another. Should a cataclysmic event appear on the horizon of our collective existence, how will we survive? If we’re given a second chance at life, what will we do with it?

In Mr Guzikowski’s extraordinary sci-fi drama, these are the very questions that Mother and Father are trying to answer. It’s a rather disappointing conclusion to say that I expect more from the androids than I do from the humans, but given the current climate in which our world festers, perhaps our greatest hope really does lie in our scientific accomplishments. The series serves as a clear warning about the dangers of extremism in every form, religious and atheist alike.

The ultimate threat to humanity, then, is not artificial intelligence like some great minds of the 20^th century have warned. Ideologies are.

HBO have truly outdone themselves this autumn. There are several shows I’m already raving about, of which some I will cover in heartfelt reviews over the next few weeks, but one has managed to stand out from the very first episode: ‘Lovecraft Country’ (2020). I waited until episode five so as not to get ahead of myself and fall for the good-for-the-first-three-episodes-only trick. The gods of television have been kind, however, so 2020 isn’t entirely in the gutter.

I’m a huge fan of genre storytelling used to explore the unpleasant parts of a nation’s history. Damon Lindelof did a splendiferous job of it with ‘Watchmen’ (2019), which recently garnered a record number of Primetime Emmy nominations—twenty-six! There is simply something about weaving elements of uncomfortable truth into a series otherwise designed to thrill people. It’s the cold shower that no one asked for, yet everyone welcomes at the end. In that sense, Misha Green’s ‘Lovecraft Country’ is an astonishing work of televised art.

Before I dig into what makes me love this show so much, I think a small disclaimer is required for those unaware of the series’ source material. While its title and genre melange bring up plenty of Lovecraftian references, the show doesn’t have much of the master of horror’s actual writings at its foundation. ‘Lovecraft Country’ is based on the eponymous book by Matt Ruff and can be considered an homage to H.P. Lovecraft, at best, as a dark fantasy experiment aiming to combine the depiction of racism in America with spine-tingling fiction and a handful of borrowed shoggoths. Critically acclaimed, the book was bound to reach the screen eventually, considering its multi-layered offer of magic, human nature, and blood-pumping frights.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

There were many ways in which the show’s narrative and overall performance could have gone awry. Its success might have something to do with Misha Green’s decision to collaborate with Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams on this project. The former has already made an indelible mark with deliciously frightful works such as ‘Get Out’ (2017) and ‘Us’ (2019), and the latter is a household name in everything sci-fi and utterly fantastic, best known for ‘Star Trek’ (2009), ‘Super 8’ (2011), and ‘Lost’ (2004-2010), among others. ‘Lovecraft Country’ therefore got off to a formidable start.

The story follows Atticus Turner and his closest friends and family as they grapple with the discovery of magic and occult brotherhoods in the midst of Jim Crow America. From the very beginning, we’re treated to remarkably strong and three-dimensional characters faced with insanely difficult challenges—and that’s before the monsters even show up. What I appreciate most is the apparent irregularity in the narrative thread: if episodes 1 to 2 gave us a thorough introduction into the Sons of Adam lodge and Atticus’s connection to them, for example, episode 3 focuses mostly on Leti and the haunted Victorian mansion she buys on Chicago’s North Side, while episode 4 pulls the story back on the Sons of Adam and Atticus’s determination to learn magic so that he might use it to protect those he loves, and episode 5 takes us closer to Ruby as she gets to experience life in the skin of a white woman. There are so many shades of weird and spooky, repeated viewings are a must!

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Where the writing is concerned, multiple influences can be identified in the series’ screenwriting. H.P. Lovecraft aside, I’m reminded of Alan Ball’s ‘True Blood’ (2008-2014), given the infusion of sex, mysticism, blood, and oh, so much gore. The story is solid, with good source material and excellent character development—I love each and every one of them intensely. Atticus brought ghosts of the Korean War with him back to America, distraught by the realization that he, too, is capable of inflicting harm and pain and death upon others. Worst of all, he’s more like his father than he’d thought, and that becomes his shadow. Montrose is a complex man, to say the least, struggling with a murky past, his own sexuality, and his lethal, desperate desire to keep magic out of his son’s reach, the very son he beat the living daylights out of as a child.

Leti is young, the element of arousing innocence that finds unexpected courage in the face of mortal danger. She’s the balancing force against Atticus’s rage, and the superb portrait of a strong black woman in defiance of America’s white dominance of the Jim Crow era. Ruby is the older sister, a spicy combination of resentment and deep emotional hurt—she has seen and endured plenty more than her lighter-skinned sister, and she has stories of her own to tell. Even Christina Braithwaite and William are fascinating forces of disruption, while Hippolyta and George Freeman bring a sprinkle of wisdom and maturity to the boiling pot, despite the tragic end to their decades-long love story.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

The performances are absolutely stellar from top to bottom. Jonathan Majors as Atticus Freeman is beyond compelling. Better known for ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ (2019), Mr Majors’s star is rising fast, and it is easy to see why as he breathes his whole life into Atticus. Jurnee Smollett takes everyone’s breath away as Leti Lewis, bold and perhaps a little reckless but eager to live a full life and do the right thing. Yes, the world is full of creepy and awful things—particularly people, though Leti pushes forward and does whatever is humanly possible to save herself and to help others.

In a spectacular contrast, Michael Kenneth Williams of ‘The Wire’ (2002-2008) and ‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2010-2014) gives Montrose a plethora of sides for the viewer to study. He’s the former abuser, the looming father figure that Atticus tried his best to step away from yet ended up being a lot alike. He’s the man learning to love another man after years of hiding his true self in a society that doesn’t look kindly on LGBTQ people. He’s the saboteur who knows more than he is telling us and will even kill to keep magic out of his son’s reach—not because he doesn’t want Atticus to have some kind of advantage against the white oppressors but because he knows… he has seen what such power will do. His apparent antagonism makes sense once you understand the trauma he survived prior to his rescue.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Aunjanue Ellis, better known for her role as Madeleine Hightower in ‘The Mentalist’ (2008-2015) and as Sharonne Salaam in Ava Duvernay’s ‘When They See Us’ (2019), delivers a rendition in ‘Lovecraft Country’ like nothing I’ve seen before. Her Hippolyta loves Courtney B. Vance’s George Freeman deeply, but she is forced to adjust to life without him practically overnight. She tries to understand what happened. And while Atticus, Montrose, and Leti do their best to protect her from the ugly truth, Hippolyta charges head-first at the problem. The truth is more important, regardless of its aesthetic.

Wunmi Mosaku is Ruby Baptiste. The Nigerian actress has several impressive credits to her name—among them ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ (2016) and ‘Philomena’ (2013), but it’s in ‘Lovecraft Country’ that one sees the full spectrum of what she has to offer: impeccable talent and a smouldering gaze that will burn a whole set down. Ruby is bursting with musical talent and the desire for a better life, for dignity and equality in a society that denies her purely because of her skin colour. Magic becomes a double-edged blade for Ruby. It takes her a while to realise that magic, unlike humans, does not see colour. It only gives its wielder the opportunity to do whatever they want, as Miss Braithwaite might say.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

‘Lovecraft Country’ is not Misha Green’s first foray as a showrunner. She brings plenty of experience to the table with ‘Helix’ (2014) and ‘Underground’ (2016-2017), along with an in-depth understanding of the source material and of the history of racial dynamics in the United States. One would need both to produce something so multifaceted and complex, so fascinating, so beautiful and horrifying at the same time.

Aside from its aforementioned Lovecraftian influences, the show is also a visual tribute to George Romero. It’s what horror filmmakers of the past century could only dream of. We have the constantly developing SFX technology and computer animation to thank for that. The mastery begins with the cinematographers in this case—namely, Robert McLachlan and Michael Watson. You’ll remember Mr McLachlan for his Emmy-nominated work on ‘Game of Thrones’ (2011-2019) and ‘Ray Donovan’ (2013-2020), and Mr Watson for ‘Underground’ and ‘Black Lightning’ (2018-2019), both capable of formidable imagery to accompany the equally exceptional production design, signed by Kalina Ivanov and Howard Cummings.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

Moving past the magnificent costume and set design and the production’s brilliant art direction, which when combined manage to easily submerge the viewer in 1950s Chicago, a tip of the hat is owed to the special effects—the result of Ms Green’s collaboration with Academy-Award-winning creative studio Framestore.

Truth be told, I’d envisioned the shoggoth monsters more along the lines of how H.P. Lovecraft had described them in ‘At the Mountains of Madness’: ‘Formless protoplasm able to mock and reflect all forms and organs and processes – viscous agglutinations of bubbling cells – rubbery fifteen-foot spheroids infinitely plastic and ductile’, but Framestore’s proposal in the ‘Sundown’ and ‘Whitey on the Moon’ episodes were just as frightening, if not worse.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

‘Lovecraft Country’ is full of such moments where dread is mercilessly induced, and a rapid heart rate is expected. Ruby’s metamorphosis continues to haunt me even as I write this review. George Romero would be giggling with sheer joy at this point, for Misha Green manages to make the viewer’s stomach churn while forcing them to keep watching—this is just too good to miss any of it, even the gooey, bloody, slimy and gory parts, proving that beauty exists in horror, too. There’s no shortage of violence and limbs flying, either, but they only serve as minor plot devices.

The true horror of ‘Lovecraft Country’ comes not from the monsters and the dark magic that it loves to play with in each episode. It doesn’t come from the many secrets still left to uncover about the Sons of Adam, either. No, the true horror of ‘Lovecraft Country’ comes from mankind and the terrible things too many people are willing to do in their quest for absolute dominance over the rest of the world and over those they foolishly consider inferior. The true monsters aren’t the shoggoths.

‘LOVECRAFT COUNTRY’ (2020), ©HBO/HOME BOX OFFICE

The true monsters are those who perpetuate racism to this day. The near-deadly troubles that Atticus and his friends deal with are basically what one too many Black Americans continue to face today, albeit at different levels and in varying circumstances. In that sense, ‘Lovecraft Country’ is a heart-breaking, compelling study of Black Americans and their painful history. I’ve seen enough to eagerly see this season’s journey to the end.