Scavengers Reign [HBO Max]

pixelburp

Shared only cos wow, that art style is absolutely gorgeous and very obviously (?) inspired by famous french artist Moebius... it's an adaptation of a short film, and looks delightfully bizarre.

https://youtu.be/JOsZVmVPn4E?si=bz5mDohrZ-SaxdMC

Here's the original short:

https://youtu.be/1TRzemJbUsw?si=TqAeRveD_2o3YlV4

cdgalwegian

Nearly finished this. Slow but intriguing. A very imaginative look at how evolution might play out with a non-terrestrial ecosystem, showing how the universe and the evolutionary process doesn't care about piddly humans - nor anything else, anywhere. Dubious goings-on concerning some matters consciousness, but intriguing nonetheless. Quite enjoying it overall. Stakes are getting higher with the big bad as it reaches the denouement, so looking forward to the finale.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121626248#Comment_121626248

Ha, I saw this in my feed and was - OMG, someone showed an interest. Honestly I'd been meaning to talk more about this - but it also feels like something got ignored Stateside bar niche SciFi circles; and obviously isn't available without the usual paths taken. It should definitely get more eyes 'cos I thought it was utterly fantastic stuff.

I don't think I've watched something that has so brilliantly nailed the idea of a totally alien biosphere that was at once beautiful, completely inscrutable and yet broadly apathetic to humanity - even while being utterly lethal for humans at the same time. With the exception of one character's fate, nothing on that planet seemed to care about humans or how we might be different; while the sheer imagination on show outlining the ecosystem and how it interacted with each other was just heady stuff. Everything seemed dangerous, but also quite intoxicating too - that was some trick to play

Also surprised how attached I grew for the characters. Wasn't expecting much from them TBH but they all had personality & all made me really care about them getting to that ship - and constantly worried some random little graze from a plant might be the death sentence hanging over their heads.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121628116#Comment_121628116

i didn't find much investment in the characters, except obviously for the lead, but in the back of my mind I wondered if this was partly the reason for the anime format rather than a live action version, aside from the CGI cost. The world-building in terms of the predator/defense/survival strategies - alien as well as human - seems to be the main thrust of the shows energies and narrative. Assuming hopefully that there will be a second season, I'd imagine the backstories will expand along with the adversaries to crank up emotional investment.

The show reminds me a bit of an Adrian Tchaikovsky book I read a while back - it was a bit too anthropomorphic for me in its world-building with its spider pov, but in contrast, this is a cold objective look at what sci-fi can be really good at; what it's like to be human, by moving them into space. In space, no one can hear you scream, as it were. Ideas about our special place in the universe are quickly extinguished in these harsh realities.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631450#Comment_121631450

I think it was just a stylistic choice in the main, cos the use of Moebius' art style was quite unique and really gave everything a distinct look... but for sure it was always gonna be cheaper to let your imagination run riot on an alien ecosystem without worrying about green screen or cost. Indeed with some of the aliens I'm not even sure how you would do them justice in live action - they kinda worked as animated creatures, not sure so much live action. I think it gave them an even greater sense of the uncanny.

I read that Tchaikovsky book, I remember its attempt at a different alien perspective and not one for arachnaphobes. But this series just nailed the idea of something completely inscrutable and lacking any terrestrial analog to wrap our brains around. You compare it with something like Pandora in the Avatar movies; those were cool too but still quite relatable with its creatures - and had a kind of "tourist" smell about its locales.

I think the short film I shared about went a little crazier than the final series did with its creature ideas - alongside a more despairing climax when we learned what all those interconnecting actions and animals were used for.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121634840#Comment_121634840

I watched the short film a while back after finishing the series, but I don't remember learning "what all those interconnecting actions and animals were used for". I was either underwhelmed, or must be a bit thick - probably the latter. Thinking about it, (no spoilers) the fate of the 'big bad' was a bit ridiculous for me - which probably feeds into what the purpose is supposed to have been. I must re-watch the ending of the series and the short film again to test this out.