Utopia: Series One, Episode Two – Dork Review

After two weeks, we’re getting into a comfortable groove with Utopia. We know who everyone is, have a feel for how they relate to each other, and there’s this girl wandered out of The Matrix. Oh, and a mention of a rabbit – hopefully it will be a major cast member next week.

Spoilers may follow, so catch up on 4OD if you’re easily angered by them. Now, let’s head down the rabbit-hole.

Insert Wide Shot Of Car Here

Last week, I complained (just for a change) this show felt a little all-style-no-substance, and this time, now the introductions are done, we get taste of some characterisation. The 18-rated slaughter continues – any named character outside the core gang will die soon –but now we know who our heroes are, time to know them a little.

The aesthetic loveliness continues, though. If you’re making a show which flirts with excessive flash, you need to nail the glossy trendy shooting, and this is a sweet looking production. This week: lovely wide shots of people walking away from vehicles all over the place.

Doesn’t seem we’ve advanced far in the conspiracy plot, but fair enough, that’s not really what this one was for. The only thing you can ask in regard to that is the writers know where it’s going, rather than leading us into a Lost-style black hole of nothing.

The Emptiness Of The “Bad-Ass” Lifestyle

The only “new” character this week is the oft-namechecked Jessica Hyde, and she’s all bad-ass moments and deep-sounding quotes in smug tone – in short, an escapee from The Matrix. Which is fine for now, I assume we’ll get to see her suffer later. She should keep Michonne from The Walking Dead in mind as a case study of how a one-note bad-ass can get repetitive over time.

Still, a decent second episode, more directed than the pilot. The plot is advancing, rather than cutting away to randoms with headache inducing frequency. Do I exactly care about any of it yet? Well, maybe not – I certainly didn’t go “OH MY GOD NOT BECKY” when she was probably evil at the end – but I’m intrigued. The scenes with Grant were good fun too. Back again next week!

Nick Bryan

Nick learned to read and write at an early age. This has developed into an unhealthy need to either write stories or consume them for later dissection. He reviews film and TV on Dork Adore and The Digital Fix, lives in London and enjoys a nice white beer.

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