Long before the premiere, the series aroused considerable interest, which has remained almost at the same level for several weeks. The voices of both critics and ordinary viewers are divided, which raises the question – is the production worth watching?
Religious conflict
In the distant future, two powerful factions – atheists and followers of the god Sol – fight for influence on a chaotic Earth. The most powerful weapons of Sol’s followers are the so-called necromancers – androids programmed to murder atheists using sound waves. Advanced technology is rapidly spinning out of control, leading to the destruction of the Earth’s ecosystem. The surviving remnant of humanity is forced to flee in specially prepared spaceships in search of a new home. One of the potentially safe places is Kepler-22b, a harsh climate with many terrifying secrets.
The first to reach her are Mother and Father – a pair of gentle androids, whose task is to create and care for a new, extraterrestrial colony of humans. When their unfrozen embryos grow into healthy children, the couple raise them to be atheists and pacifists, according to the wishes of their creator. Unfortunately, the unfavorable climate of the planet and the unexpected arrival of Sol’s followers destroy the peace of a small colony. As a result of sudden events, the Mother discovers powerful powers that transform her from a meek caretaker into a lethal weapon.
Strength in community
Raised by Wolves is undoubtedly not a series created for a wide audience. In a way, it is out of date in content, reminiscent of SF novels and films from the mid-twentieth century. As viewers, we deal with concepts such as the feelings of androids, isolation in space, or the ethical aspect of killing – that is, popular, not to say worn-out motifs. However, this is not a weak point of production, but even its advantage. Ridley Scott skillfully manipulates well-known clichés, creating a unique work that pays tribute to the classics of the genre, and at the same time brings something more to it. We will not experience spectacular fight scenes and hundreds of explosions here, although Raised by wolvesThey look perfectly visually. It is primarily an intimate experience that focuses on showing the relationship between the characters, their emotions, desires and crises of faith. A distant planet and modern technologies are really only a background for deep, philosophical reflections on the idea of humanity and the development of the human soul.
Undoubtedly, there is a clear thread of the religious conflict on the front of the plot, which can be related, among others, to the present day. However, there is no distinction between right or wrong faith, just as there are no unambiguous figures, because in the struggle for survival, the line between good and evil is often blurred. Everyone is trying to protect themselves or their community and are ready to take the most radical steps to this end. Lost heroes often switch sides, make brutal attacks, or even lose their minds. In order to achieve the desired goals, they must face not so much enemies and dangerous beasts as internal demons.
The Mother seems to be the most rational individual in history, but even she often makes decisions whose unexpected results bring only more problems. Both caring for children and ruthless towards Sol’s followers, the android is constantly tormented by human emotions that interfere with her logical thinking. Torn between her beloved charges, the Father and the recurring memories of the creator, the Mother is lost in the world no less than others. Despite her good intentions, she can be cruel and despotic, which hurts the dearest people, including her male companion, mainly during quarrels resembling typical marital quarrels.
The human representation of the Mother can be found in the figure of Marcus, the leader of a small group of Sol’s followers, who seeks to rescue the children from the hands of the androids. Driven by noble motives, the man gets drunk with power and succumbs to disturbing, destructive forces. However, unlike Mother, who is sober, Marcus descends deeper and deeper into the darkness to lose himself irretrievably in it.
A journey into yourself
The slowly developing plot, harsh climate and specific themes of Raised by Wolves may discourage many, even the most die-hard science fiction fan. Instead of exploring space and planets, the creators of the series explore the deepest recesses of the characters’ minds in search of universal truths. Despite the stark contrasts, the behavior of humans and androids at some point merges into one, which forces you to face the question: “who is really more human here?”
The same applies to the question of faith, good and bad, and even life and death, between which the divisions are gradually disappearing. The series, however, does not respond directly to it, and leaves the viewer a lot of room for interpretation. Everyone can get something of their own from a screening, and this is where the greatest strength of this production lies. Therefore, it is definitely worth turning a blind eye to the more boring scenes in order to be able to reflect on the philosophical problems offered to us by the creators.
