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

wildefalcon

It's curious (to me) that the horsemeat "scandal" has broken at the same time that this program is being aired.

Also, I think that Becky has

the same disease that her father died of (if that's true), her clumsiness with the cup of fanta, and the pills she takes every day could be a degenerative nerve disease.

frag420

wildefalcon wrote: »

It's curious (to me) that the horsemeat "scandal" has broken at the same time that this program is being aired.

Also, I think that Becky has

the same disease that her father died of (if that's true), her clumsiness with the cup of fanta, and the pills she takes every day could be a degenerative nerve disease.

I was thinking the same regarding the current horsemeat scandal!!


Weird huh!!

whitetrash

TheStook wrote: »

Lads can someone give a brief summary of what's going on, I've been getting interrupted the past two episodes and don't really want to re-watch.
Who is Arby's "dad"? The guy that they took at the end? I though he was the Prime Minister?

Arby's 'dad' was the geneticist who wrote the utopia comic. They guy they took at the end is the head of that corvat (or however you spell it) corporation.

quad_red

whitetrash wrote: »

Arby's 'dad' was the geneticist who wrote the utopia comic. They guy they took at the end is the head of that corvat (or however you spell it) corporation.

Have they ever confirmed either of them?

Letts tells Arby he has no parents/family.

Letts appeared to be the one in charge at the beginning but more and more his butler guy appears to be calling the shots. Letts appears to have some sort of discomfort about doing what 'needs' to be done (ie. the school killing etc.). Whilst the butler guy is dead behind the eyes.

I reckon that they got Arby from an orphanage, hence having no parents or family, and "building" him to become this unfeeling killing machine to do whatever they might command. It's why Grant referred to the little boy in the comic book, who was tortured. Arby was probably one of many, with Jessica Hyde being the only actual daughter, who was probably raised right, but was made an unfeeling killing machine through circumstance (she mentioned that someone had taught her everything she knew pretty much).

After Arby's only friend was killed and he felt nothing, he began to question everything about himself. When faced with Jessica, he probably saw everything he could have been and felt powerless for the first time in his life, hence almost reverting to a default state of "Where is Jessica Hyde?"

Of course, this is all just assumptions and probably wrong.

whitetrash

quad_red wrote: »

Have they ever confirmed either of them?

Letts tells Arby he has no parents/family.

Letts appeared to be the one in charge at the beginning but more and more his butler guy appears to be calling the shots. Letts appears to have some sort of discomfort about doing what 'needs' to be done (ie. the school killing etc.). Whilst the butler guy is dead behind the eyes.

That's why I put dad in quotation marks. I assumed they were reffering to the geneticist as his 'dad' since he is who made him as he is.

The thing with conspiracy shows is (if they're ongoing, rather than movies or mini-series) the person who seems in charge for a while always has a boss, then that boss turns out to have a boss etc. Unless Letts is Mr Rabbit, then he's not the boss.

saintsaltynuts

Any chance of a Season 2 or that's that?

mike65

last one next week.

mike65 wrote: »

Arby and Jessica are part of the same machine, I think they are linked either biologically or psychologically at some level.

So now we know!

Daroxtar

Series 1, does that mean there'll be a season 2? :eek:
sorry for the big pic

pixelburp

Aha, figured Becky's apparent double-dealing wouldn't simply be with Corvadt(sp)

I thought Arby was particularly chilling this week. His scenes in the cafe with Jessica really made it clear that his mind is still that of a childs, which just makes his murders all the more disturbing really. At first I thought the actors movements and expressions were just way too pronounced for the sake of eccentricity, but looking at it now it seems like he was trying to play a child in a mans body (feels like the entire show centres around broken children, or adults with broken childhoods)

Also: be completely honest now - who gave the masterplan some thought and figured "you know, it's utterly reprehensible, but it's not without some sense". It's all very Children of Man, but given that the population is set to hit 10 billion in our lifetimes, it's a scary thought we might start to starve because of this.

Daroxtar

pixelburp wrote: »

Aha, figured Becky's apparent double-dealing wouldn't simply be with Corvadt(sp)

I thought Arby was particularly chilling this week. His scenes in the cafe with Jessica really made it clear that his mind is still that of a childs, which just makes his murders all the more disturbing really. At first I thought the actors movements and expressions were just way too pronounced for the sake of eccentricity, but looking at it now it seems like he was trying to play a child in a mans body (feels like the entire show centres around broken children, or adults with broken childhoods)

Also: be completely honest now - who gave the masterplan some thought and figured "you know, it's utterly reprehensible, but it's not without some sense". It's all very Children of Man, but given that the population is set to hit 10 billion in our lifetimes, it's a scary thought we might start to starve because of this.

I've been sayin for years that we need a massive war/pestillence/comet strike. Just so long as I survive.....

Skerries

yeah we no longer have a black and white divide between the players and can actually see the other sides point of view

whitetrash

Skerries wrote: »

yeah we no longer have a black and white divide between the players and can actually see the other sides point of view

Even if you agree with the goal, they're going about it in a pretty evil-icious way. I can imagine them having footsoldiers with skulls on their uniforms.

DuckStab

The Utopia Inquiry on the C4 website is a nice addition, good to know we're most likely buggered as a society no matter what "solution" we choose!

I really hope they do a special edition of the DVD that includes a copy of the graphic novel/manuscript pages. They clearly went to the trouble of creating a good few intriguing images at least, so even if it didn't make any sense it'd be nice to have!
Anyway great show, looking forward to the conclusion and, perhaps, a second series next year.

mike65

As regards a possible second series, unless there is a genuinely brilliant plot development next week which opens up a proper new angle that the screenwriter has already fully worked up, I really hope it comes to a close.

cml387

I thought it was gripping this week in particular.

Who would have thought that the Arby character from Ep 1 could become the poignant lost child we saw in this episode.

TheStook

I gots me a new wallpaper!

quad_red

TheStook wrote: »

I gots me a new wallpaper!

The ultimate digital anti-fapping solution.

Skerries

Where is Jessica Hyde's ...breakfast?

Neil Maskell, the guy that plays Arby, is a wonderful actor. Was such an unnerving thing to see this guy who, in previous episodes, slaughtered innocent kids, families, and a mother in front of her daughter, then transform into someone who has such a childlike innocence to them. Was extraordinarily well done.

Basq

I'm 3 episodes behind in this.. am thinking a re-watch / bumper marathon at the weekend.

I do love the music.. I've the closing credit's theme as my ringtone. Superb!

The Gnome

Basq wrote: »

I do love the music.. I've the closing credit's theme as my ringtone. Superb!

Same here, from what I've read it was made with human bones and and rhino turds for the percussion. Where'd you manage to find the outro theme? Been looking for it everywhere but can't find the full piece.

Basq

The Gnome wrote: »

Where'd you manage to find the outro theme? Been looking for it everywhere but can't find the full piece.

Snipped audio from an episode gotten via 4OD..

.. can't find full theme either!

Best I could do.

The Gnome

Basq wrote: »

Snipped audio from an episode gotten via 4OD..

.. can't find full theme either!

Best I could do.

Never thought of that, excellent. The artist said there may be an album released once the season is over.

His site

Basq

Yep, he posted this yesterday on his YouTube..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh6OW0oeN1g

Very good!

From 3.40 onwards particularly seems to be very remiscent of the closing credits.

TheStook

If that dvd picture is legit then surely it means there will be a second season? I don't see why else it would have "season one" written on the box if its just a one time mini series?

Skerries

yeah it's legit as they showed it after last weeks episode

wildefalcon

They are really playing to the conspiracy crowd in this episode - the freemason symbol repeated on the ceiling in the room where they kept Letts, for example. No doubt there are other examples for those who have the time to freeze frame the entire series!

Robert Anton Wilson (Arrgh! - just spotted this) would be proud!

TheStook

Skerries wrote: »

yeah it's legit as they showed it after last weeks episode

So on that basis I'm assuming there's gonna be a second season, happy days

Will I Amnt

wildefalcon wrote: »

They are really playing to the conspiracy crowd in this episode - the freemason symbol repeated on the ceiling in the room where they kept Letts, for example. No doubt there are other examples for those who have the time to freeze frame the entire series!

Robert Anton Wilson (Arrgh! - just spotted this) would be proud!

And they've bitten as usual. There's a thread over in the conspiracy theories forum...