Sense8

[GeneChing]

From the Wachowski siblings & Netflix

[GeneChing]

...and a Bollywood angle.

So I'm 4 episodes deep and still hanging with it. The Korean businesswoman is a kickboxer. It's a little absurd, and of course, the kickboxer is the Asian, but the Wachowskis are still very visual in their storytelling so I'm engaged in it so far.

And then, there's JCVD bus, which is hysterical.

Review Wachowskis' 'Sense8' on Netflix is a stylish if still murky vision
Robert Lloyd
Los Angeles Times
robert.lloyd​@latimes.com
@latimestvlloydRT


Naveen Andrews and Daryl Hannah in Netflix's "Sense8." (Murray Close / Netflix)
The Wachowskis take their stylish visions to Netflix in the promising #Sense8
Does Wachowskis' #Sense8 make sense? Give the Netflix series time to expand its consciousness

"Sense8," pronounced "Sensate" — which appears in its entirety Friday on Netflix — is the first television series from the Wachowskis, Andrew and Lana, who made the "Matrix" movies, "Cloud Atlas" and "Jupiter Ascending," among other works of high-flown science fiction. Co-creating co-writer J. Michael Straczynski, whose credits include "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" and "Babylon 5," is their inside guide to making TV.

The Wachowskis like to Think Big, and their series, like their movies, is not immune to pretentiousness or ponderousness, nor to a certain fanatical stylishness that can interpose itself between the viewer and the viewed. (You may find yourself rueing the day that slow motion was invented.) And yet something human and daffy breaks through to the light.

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FOR THE RECORD:
"Sense8": In the June 5 Calendar section, a review of the new sci-fi series "Sense8" on Netflix said that a character played by Naveen Andrews, an actor familiar from an earlier, similar TV series, "Lost," is potentially the "sansei" of "Sense8." The intended word was sensei, "teacher" in Japanese.

It begins in a ruined church awash in post-production blue light, where Daryl Hannah's mysterious, sexy mother-figure at the end of her rope undergoes a violent transformation, or transformational violence, that (I guess, maybe, probably) ignites the expanded consciousness of the series' eight main characters. (Ergo: "Sense8.")

This octet of sympathetic resonators are a Chicago cop (Brian J. Smith), an Icelandic DJ working in London (Tuppence Middleton), an Indian woman unhappily engaged to be married (Tina Desai), a held-back Korean banker (Doona Bae) taking out her frustrations in martial arts, a Nairobi bus driver (Aml Ameen) caring for a sick mother, a transgender blogger in San Francisco (Jamie Clayton), a closeted Mexican movie star (Miguel Angel Silvestre) and a Berlin safecracker (Max Riemelt).

They are all having dreams and seeing visions; sometimes they see through one another's eyes, sometimes, by some collective unconscious mechanism, they have the skills they need to get out of a tight spot. Not by accident, all are young and extremely good-looking.

Among TV series, its closest cousin is probably "Lost," another epic of mystification and fate whose meanings are murky but whose moments are surely rendered — an impression amplified by the presence of the earlier show's Naveen Andrews as someone who knows something. He is potentially the sansei of "Sense8."

Will it make sense, this "Sense8"? On the larger scale, it appears headed toward a familiar sort of face-off in which slowly comprehending, initially reluctant heroes must defend themselves against and eventually take down a cold-blooded machine that requires their destruction — a dichotomy that encompasses hippies versus straights, young versus old, generous versus the selfish, commune versus corporation, David versus Goliath, Neo versus the Matrix.

More immediately, it does things that movies do, with practiced efficiency. There are action scenes, there are sex scenes, there are a few scenes in which characters have a more or less regular if brief conversation. There is the reliable chill of spooky entanglement at a distance: a character in Mumbai feels the rain in Berlin, a chicken in Nairobi suddenly appears to a character in Seoul.

"I'm getting married, not lobotomized" one character says, as another may be in actual danger of one. There are stabs at humor, but — although it could use a few more chickens — comedy is not what you will watch this series for or get from it.

Shot on location in London, Seoul, San Francisco, Chicago, Reykjavik, Mumbai, Berlin, Nairobi and Mexico City, the series looks great if sometimes also like an Apple ad. The well-used local color anchors the loopy tale and fills in the blanks for the characters, most of whom are for the moment only (well-played) sketches.

They will have plenty of time to develop, if they develop, this being essentially a 12-hour movie — twice the length of all three "Matrix" films combined — and, at that, only the first volume of an indefinitely longer saga. The global setting also allows the Wachowskis to fold in homages to Mexican melodrama and (charmingly) Bollywood musicals.

It wants to be an experience as much as a story, and for better or worse, it is — mostly better. I more than kind of liked it. And whatever you think of the Wachowskis' vision, whether you find it simplistic or sophisticated, half-baked or heavy, they do have one.

robert.lloyd@latimes.com

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'Sense8'

Where: Netflix

When: Anytime, starting Friday

Rating: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17)

[GeneChing]

I really enjoyed this. Engaging characters, great soundtrack, stunning locations, and a little of the ol' ultravi. I hope they make a second season.

[GeneChing]

Like with The Get Down, I don't know if I'll even bother with Season 2 now, knowing that it'll probably end in a cliffhanger and that will remain unresolved.

JUNE 09, 2017 12:57pm PT by Jackie Strause
Netflix Apologizes to Viewers: 'Sense8' Is Still Canceled
"The reason we've taken so long to get back to you is because we've thought long and hard here at Netflix to try to make it work but unfortunately we can't."


Murray Close/Netflix
Brian J. Smith (third from left) with his cast in 'Sense8'

"The reason we've taken so long to get back to you is because we've thought long and hard here at Netflix to try to make it work but unfortunately we can't."

Netflix has more bad news for fans petitioning to bring back Sense8.

After canceling the original series last week, many viewers of the sci-fi drama have been up in arms, flooding social media with a #RenewSense8 campaign and petition to bring back the show for a third season. Netflix has heard the call, but the decision remains.

"To our Sense8 family...We’ve seen the petitions. We’ve read the messages. We know you want to #RenewSense8," said the streamer in a message posted to the show's official Facebook page. "We wish we could #BringBackSense8 for you. The reason we've taken so long to get back to you is because we've thought long and hard here at Netflix to try to make it work but unfortunately we can't."

The message was signed with the hashtag #SensatesForever: "Thank you for watching and hope you'll stay close with your cluster around the world."

Co-star Brian J. Smith, who had helped to circulate the #RenewSense8 movement when rumors of the cancellation first began to circulate, also posted his own lengthy letter to fans in hopes of further giving them peace about Netflix's decision.

"Since you've been so extraordinarily passionate," he began, "I feel it's only fair that you get more than lip service or a silly tweet from me." The actor, who makes up one of the eight starring "sensates" who are part of the show's "cluster," said he was given the same reason for cancellation that viewers were: viewership. "It may not seem fair in the face of such passionate fan backlash, but it always, ALWAYS boils down to numbers.

"As far as I'm aware there is no shady court intrigue that contributed to Netflix's decision, and I know that a lot of very smart people had to reach a consensus in order to pull the plug on a show that they had already invested an insane amount of capital in, even if that meant the story would never get an ending," he writes. "I think the saddest part of finishing a show this way is knowing that future audiences will never pick up a story they know has no resolution. It's seems like such a waste."

Netflix canceled Sense8 shortly after canceling Baz Luhrmann's The Get Down — two of its most expensive series. Though the streamer does not reveal ratings information, the Sense8 news came one day after Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings said the streamer should be taking more risk with its content and have a higher cancellation rate. He counted the breakout success of 13 Reasons Why as an example.

Sense8, hailed for its inclusiveness, was an ambitious offering from creators Lana and Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski that came with a big budget, as the series shot around the world. The series filmed in 13 countries during its two-season run to tell the stories of eight global strangers who find themselves to be emotionally and mentally connected. The ensemble cast was made up of Toby Onwumere, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Riemelt, Miguel Angel Silvestre and Smith.

Read Smith's full note below:

I just wanted to take a moment to personally thank all of you for the love and support and fight you've put up the last week or so. In the wake of such bad news it was heartening to know that what Sense8 stood for meant so much to so many people.

And since you've been so extraordinarily passionate I feel it's only fair that you get more than lip service or a silly tweet from me.

Guys, there are no secrets here. I've been given the same reason for the cancelation that you have: viewership. As far as I'm aware there is no shady court intrigue that contributed to Netflix's decision, and I know that a lot of very smart people had to reach a consensus in order to pull the plug on a show that they had already invested an insane amount of capital in, even if that meant the story would never get an ending. I think the saddest part of finishing a show this way is knowing that future audiences will never pick up a story they know has no resolution. It's seems like such a waste.

However -

Do you remember when I tweeted on May 30, in response to a fan's concern that the show might get canceled, "This might be a good time to start making some noise"? I had a pretty clear idea by that point that Netflix had made their move, and I also knew from previous experience that once a cancellation is announced there is no going back. It is absolutely final, and the fans are left feeling helpless and angry. I stepped out of my lane and preempted the official announcement because you, our cluster, deserved to have your voices heard. And you came roaring back in a way I wasn't expecting. It was beyond awesome. I guarantee you, you were seen and you were heard.

Please know that the fight you all put up in trying to save something that you loved will forever be the "final season" of Sense8. YOU have given the show the ending it deserved. Even if that fight didn't have a happy ending, it meant something. Don't ever forget that.

Our Netflix producers Peter, Cindy and Tara were fans of the show from day one. They partied with us, encouraged us, supported us unconditionally. I do not envy the position they are in here. Netflix is a relatively young enterprise and these kinds of growing pains suck. But please remember that they made this strange, gorgeous, unconventional show possible in the first place, and the show would have continued if only the viewership justified the expense. It may not seem fair in the face of such passionate fan backlash, but it always, ALWAYS boils down to numbers.

There is no anger or bitterness in my heart. This boy from Texas got to see the world, got to work with the Wachowskis and that amazing cast and crew, many of whom are lifelong friends; got to meet so many of you. I think you can tell that I've grown a lot as an actor between seasons one and two. That's all I could ever want out of this experience. The rest is gravy.

You can all rest easy knowing that even though the show won't continue you've made a difference. You put up a good, hell no, a friggen GREAT fight. I will forever consider Sense8 to be a kind of Unfinished Symphony, a reminder to never take the things we love for granted. I'm going to miss the show and I'm going to miss Gorski, but I'm going forward and I'm never going to be the same.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

[GeneChing]

...maybe I will tune in now.

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Death doesn't let you say goodbye. 2 hour finale episode in the works. Tell your cluster.



11:39 AM - 29 Jun 2017

[GeneChing]

And one was even a cover story.

7 Netflix Shows Cancelled For Ridiculous Reasons (And 8 That Are Next)
James Scrawler 06.19.17 Entertainment



There was a long stretch of time when Netflix was the greener pastures of television productions. Really, it still is, but things are a changing. For a while, no shows got cancelled. These days, it’s still rare that a show gets cancelled once they’ve been started on the streaming platform. But, we should expect more soon. According to Netflix’s CEO, Reid Hastings, the platform’s cancel rate is too low. This statement has several meanings. For one, he believes that the cancel rate is bound to increase, which will force them to cancel more shows. He also wants his team to take more chances with the material that gets green-lit. Yes, the other side of that coin means more failures and more cancelled shows, but it also means bigger successes.

Lately, we’ve seen some Netflix shows go down. This is a new turn for the company, but we should start to get used to it. At this point, seven shows have gone down. We wanted to explore the reasons why these seven shows in particular got the axe. There are also some shows that haven’t been renewed that we’ll discuss. Lastly, we want to look at which shows are next in line for cancellation. We know the axe is going to fall again and probably soon. We listed the six shows that we’re sure are next. Sure, we could be wrong on these predictions, but we’d be surprised if any of these shows last for their entire runs. If you’re a fan of one of the shows on this list, any reasons for it being cancelled would sound ridiculous. Depending on your perspective, the reasons for cancellation may be ridiculous. Or, the reason the show was cancelled was because it was ridiculous. Here are 7 Netflix Shows Cancelled for Ridiculous Reasons and 8 Others That Are Next.

15. Marco Polo – Cancelled



After a first season that was plagued with poor reviews, Marco Polo had a very steep uphill climb to try and make it work on Netflix. When the show was greenlit, everyone expected big things. Harvey Weinstein, one of the producers, bragged that the show would be “one of the most expensive shows ever done for pay TV.” It was. The budget was incredible. Yet, after spending at least $180 million over two years and shooting all over the world, Marco Polo was struck down after two disappointing seasons. Actually, most who stuck around for season two were more pleased, but the show had lost too many viewers by that point. Truthfully, the show was just boring. The most successful shows in the historical drama realm are successful because they infuse a strong and powerful narrative into a historical setting. Marco Polo seemed intent on focusing on history and forgot about story and character. The result was one of the most dreadful efforts put forth by Netflix.

...

10. Sense8 – Cancelled



Since we don’t get to see a detailed report of Netflix’s viewership numbers, we can never be sure about who watches what. By the loud outcry of fans that voiced their displeasure with the recent cancelling of Sense8, it would seem that there are plenty of viewers, but that’s not what Netflix makes it sound like. Call it ridiculous all you like, but the real reason that Sense8 was cancelled is because it was a niche show with an enormous cost. It’s been reported that it cost $9 million per episode to make. That’s insane. Plus, if you’ve ever seen Sense8, you would know that the first season dangerously borders on being incomprehensible and mind-numbingly boring. While this show is one that would really benefit from multiple seasons, it lost far too many viewers between the start of the first season and the second season to be ever be considered worth the exorbitant price tag. Just to be clear, we’re not saying that the show’s cancellation is ridiculous. We’re saying the reason it was cancelled—the cost—was ridiculous.

9. The Get Down – Cancelled



Much like Sense8, Baz Luhrmann‘s The Get Down was axed because it had a ridiculous budget. Estimated at around $12 million per episode, the shooting budget for this show is something usually set aside for major shows with incredible special effects. The budget for Game of Thrones season six, for example, was roughly $10 million per episode. The Get Down was a musical drama. Sure, it was incredibly stylish and vibrant, and, at times, it’s almost brilliant. But again, like Sense8, it’s a mess. It’s narrative bounds all over the place, and, even aided by binge-watching, this is troubling for audiences. There’s no doubt that if the production costs were a fraction of what they were in reality, this show would find a suitable audience and thrive. At the ridiculous price tag of $12 million an episode, this show would need to be one of the most popular on television to make it worthwhile for any business.

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6. Iron Fist – Prediction: Cancelled After Second Season



It would shock us greatly if Iron Fist was actually cancelled outright. That would require a lot of effort from Netflix, so we’re going to suggest something else. While the other shows in the Defenders series will likely get several independent seasons, we think that Iron Fist will only get two. Even now, the second season for Iron Fist hasn’t been greenlit, but we’re certain the announcement will come soon. The show will get a second season. It will be better than the first, which will be easy considering that the first was one of the worst seasons in Netflix history. But, it won’t be enough to make a third season make sense. There’s just too many good shows on television, Netflix included, for people to waste time watching bad shows too.

Marco Polo
The Get Down
Sense8
Iron Fist