Utopia (Channel 4) [ Spoilers ]

robjones1981 · 19-01-2013 12:56am

Anyone want to give a quick run down on what this is about and what they think of it?

iguana · 19-01-2013 2:37am

I mainly agree with 2ndcomings assessment so far. I actually felt more connection to the guys in the comic book store at the start than I did to any of the main characters. But I am interested enough to keep watching, even though when it comes to eye torture scenes, give me a closing door any day.

stevenmu · 19-01-2013 5:27pm

robjones1981 wrote: »

Anyone want to give a quick run down on what this is about and what they think of it?

A group of fans of an obscure graphic novel, written by a patient in a mental institution, meet through an online forum. They stumble onto a conspiracy, one that others are willing to kill to protect. They must scramble to unravel the conspiracy before their lives are destroyed.

It seems like a pretty unique show, the best way to describe it so far is Stanley Kubrick meets Rubicon. It's probably too early to say if it's really good or not, depending on how the next few episodes go it will either be an amazing show or an utter pile of rubbish. But it's worth a watch once at least purely based on how different and unique it is.

cml387 · 20-01-2013 12:33am

Saw it in 4OD tonight.

Nice paranoid conspiracy drama with an ace soundtrack btw.

Torturer Lee bears a passing resemblance to Neil Tennant.

TheStook · 21-01-2013 9:44pm

When's the second episode out? I thought it was yesterday

Will I Amnt · 21-01-2013 10:02pm

TheStook wrote: »

When's the second episode out? I thought it was yesterday

Tuesday nights 22:00.

TheStook · 22-01-2013 1:41am

cambo2008 wrote: »

Tuesday nights 22:00.

Ah my mistake, cheers

ollie1 · 23-01-2013 12:06am

Enjoyed that second episode. The little boy is a great actor

mike65 · 23-01-2013 12:36am

Top stuff!

Daroxtar · 23-01-2013 1:10am

Any Idea how many episodes this is planned for? Is it a mini series or will it go on for a while? I'm very impressed so far but I think I'd prefer if it had a finite run, maybe 6-8 episodes max, tell the whole story nice and tidy. It has the feel of a good mini series, a long run could dilute it too much

Will I Amnt · 23-01-2013 1:14am

Bit of a ropey start to that episode, thought the Jessica charachter was a bit meh for a while but turned it around fairly quickly.
Really liking it and looking forward to the next one. The soundtrack is right up my street too.

Will I Amnt · 23-01-2013 1:15am

Daroxtar wrote: »

Any Idea how many episodes this is planned for? Is it a mini series or will it go on for a while? I'm very impressed so far but I think I'd prefer if it had a finite run, maybe 6-8 episodes max, tell the whole story nice and tidy. It has the feel of a good mini series, a long run could dilute it too much

There's 6 as far as I know.

Daroxtar · 23-01-2013 1:17am

Ya, I think I heard that, just remembered after I posted.

Just Like Heaven · 23-01-2013 10:07am

Enjoyed it last night as well. Wouldn't be surprised if there's a second season though.

mike65 · 23-01-2013 12:38pm

There might be a second series.

Sarn · 23-01-2013 7:43pm

Very enjoyable. There's a good sense of hoplessness and tension. It almost feels post-apocalyptic, like they're the only people in the world. The camera work is lovely, even the focusing on peoples breathing is a nice little touch.

Madam · 24-01-2013 12:10am

I didn't think I would but I'm loving this programme - very surreal in bits, hopefully it will keep it's momentum and it won't begin to drag half way through.

Tristram · 24-01-2013 6:44am

Really enjoyed the first two episodes. Didn't know anything about beforehand so had no expectations. Was pretty blown away by the production quality and the atmosphere. I agree with another poster who mentioned that at times it feels like a graphic novel. I hope they can keep hitting the same notes til the end of the season!

ibarelycare · 24-01-2013 1:29pm

Absolutely loving this show, top quality production and acting IMO. I'm loving the colours used, the blue and yellow/orange contrast that features in most scenes is really intriguing as well as the block colours of green/purple that are seen in some other shots.

Really gripping stuff, looking forward to the next episode!

Basq · 24-01-2013 1:54pm

Just watched the second last night..

.. excellent stuff!

C4 continue to impress with drama.. ITV could learn something from them (and don't talk to me about f*cking "Downton").

iguana · 24-01-2013 2:28pm

I liked the second episode much more, possibly because we're getting to know the characters a little bit more as we go on and, I feel really old and prim saying this, I preferred that it was less violent than the first one. My favourite bit was probably the Becky twist at the end. In hindsight it makes sense that one of the group would be some sort of spy but I didn't see it coming at all.

24-01-2013 2:48pm

The first episode wasn't great for me. Sure, it looked pretty, but it also smacked of more style than substance. The second episode has changed my mind - you can't beat villains that are actually really really bad. Plus as the twists and turns keep coming, it does start to feel like a proper conspiracy theory.

I do hope they just confine it to either one series or two.

TheStook · 24-01-2013 4:02pm

Yeah I agree with most that a nice tidy 6 or 7 episodes confined to one series would be the best way to go..

I enjoyed that second episode, it felt very tense and surreal throughout and a lovely little twist at the end..

Jessica's character is very interesting also

The graphics are fantastic at times, most specifically with the character's eyes. I've noticed that a few characters eyes seem to be glowing bright blue and I'm wondering if it has any meaning

Basq · 24-01-2013 4:18pm

TheStook wrote: »

I've noticed that a few characters eyes seem to be glowing bright blue and I'm wondering if it has any meaning

Becky's eyes are distractingly blue alright..

.. the scene in the kitchen where Ian and Jessica tell her that they're going without her.. it's all I could see.

EDIT: Good ol' 4OD.. screencap:

ibarelycare · 24-01-2013 4:22pm

Yeah they use a huge amount of colour saturation. My boyfriend reckons it's all because they want to give it a "comic book" feel.

TheStook · 24-01-2013 4:29pm

That Becky kitchen scene is exactly what I was referring to, her eyes were mesmerising!

jcsoulinger · 24-01-2013 6:11pm

I really liked the first ep, I was instantly hooked. I didnt think the second episode was as good it could be down to high expectations.
Did anyone else find the Jessica Hyde character a bit ott?, Ok old man must die, quick and painless then......No lets strangle him to death with some rough cord which causes friction burns to stranglers own hands.

Becky is playing a double game but I suspect her motives are for good and she has no connection with the bad guys.

cml387 · 24-01-2013 10:41pm

ibarelycare wrote: »

Yeah they use a huge amount of colour saturation. My boyfriend reckons it's all because they want to give it a "comic book" feel.

It's like Edge Of Darkness done by the producers of teletubbies.

And the final scene was really well done in that you knew what was coming but didn't need to see it. The first episode established Arby's "methods".

spiritcrusher · 25-01-2013 12:41am

Quite pleasantly surprised by how much of the plot was revealed in the second episode of a conspiracy drama. I was sure we'd spend most of the time trying to guess who was after the main gang and why, but no, we got plenty to get to grips with in about 20 minutes of this episode. And while I'm sure those answers are by no means the whole picture it was nice to get something rather than constantly just asking more questions.

Love Arby, he has a real menace about him. Reminds me a little of Gatehouse in The Shadow Line (played by Stephen Rea oddly enough).

Enjoying the Russian flu subplot too. Michael's a great character, find him very believable in such an OTT comic book world.

Only thing I didn't like was the CGI blood when Arby shot the CIA woman. It just never looks convincing and lessens the impact of the violence for me.

quad_red · 25-01-2013 11:42am

Really enjoyed the first two episodes.

The two hitmen are genuinely chilling. And now that we've seen what they're capable of, merely the hint of more is spine chilling

when he opens the garage door to find the family tied up and he takes the gas tank out of the yellow bag

Jessica Hyde - hubba. Very mysterious, very well played. Very outworldly.

And the twist at the end:

who did Becky call? The fact that she was trying to get funding to do a PHD in episode one makes it unlikely that she's working for the Network. She'd hardly be working to *bring* attention to the utopia manuscripts? So who is she working for?

Utopia (Channel 4) [** Spoilers **]

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Utopia (Channel 4) [ Spoilers ]