Electric Dreams

To be honest I am probably the last person in the world to be reviewing and discussing Phillip K. Dick’s stories as brought to life by Channel 4 and Prime Video.  I have never read one of the Phillip K. Dicks stories, well at least not that I remember.  I hardly remember any of the stuff we were forced to read in school.  So, it is very possible I read one or was supposed to read one back then.  I have Phillip K. Dick’s stories on my list of things to listen too, when I get back into listening to books.  Perhaps, I should just buy some of his short stories and read them and turn off the T.V. for a little bit.  For some one who loves to write, I don’t really consider myself super well read.... Probably why I am a hack blogger and writter.   

 

The moment I saw the first trailer for Electric Dreams, I said to myself that Amazon is ripping off Black Mirror just doing it with the Rock Star cast and crew from the get-go.  You come out of the gate with the stars like Bryan Crantson, Steve Buscemi, Terrance Howard, Anna Paquin, Janelle Monae, Liam Cunningham, Greg Kinnear, Benedict Wong, and Richard Madden just to name a few, you aren’t really messing around.  According to what I have read Channel 4 was trying to make up for its loss of Black Mirror to Netflix when they started doing this show.  In my opinion is this a rip-off of Black Mirror, well, yes and no.   Where I think of Black Mirror as the Twilight Zone of the computer age and it definitely deals with technology, androids, multi-verse, and alternative realities, Black Mirror certainly isn’t the only player in that market.  After all Dick’s works have been around for a long time and his works have inspired some really great movies:  Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049, Total Recall (Original), and Minority Report.  So, I could easily argue no it isn’t, but in the end does it really matter? No, what matters, I guess is did I find it entertaining?  The answer to that was “Yes”, it was a fun trip.  I am glad to have read the rumor that Sony Pictures is shopping around looking for a place to continue the show.  I am all for the cooler TV out there based on Dick’s great ideas the better.

 

Episode Guide:

Prime Viewing Order	Episode Name	Story based on	Synposis	Episode Notes/Review
1	Real Life	Exhibit Piece	Two Worlds one a dream and one a reality and our hero must figure out what is realy and what is not.	This was the first Episode on Prime and it came out shooting. I am a fan of split realities. I really liked Anna Paquin in this and Terrance Howard two actors I don't normally go out of my way to see. The episode kept me guessing and whenI thought I had it figured out, I was of course wrong.
2	Autofac	Autofac	The end of the world came and went and the world is still being polluted by a factory that is machine ran. The few remaining surviros must stop it to protect what existence they have left.	Another good episode Amazond definitely came out with two of the better episodes at the start. The characters here were compelling. The machines were intersting. Had a bit of Terminator meets Lost in Space aspect to it. I like to think I figured it out pretty early on in the episode, but I also think that is because they served it up to you in an obvious fashion. Either way entertaining and worth the watch.
3	Human Is	Human Is	A Loveless marrage is changed after the husband comes back from an off world battle and seems to have regained his humanity.	I think the show started off for me going 3 for 3. Another good episode with a great cast. A very intereting take on the future of our planet and some of the issues future man will have to face. Once more a good tail of what being human really means and what is really important.
4	Crazy Diamond	Sales Pitch	Boring man meets hot girl and hot girl and that is when his life goes to shit.	The acting was good. The story culd have been there, but this is the on time I felt the story just wasn't there. I found myself zoning out early on in the episode. I found the journey bit boring. It had some cool parts but overall felt underdeveloped.
5	The Hood Makder	The Hood Maker	The world is in a state of unrest. Telepaths are second class citizens and there is a divide between them and the normal people that is leading us down a dark and dangerous path.	Oh, Rob Stark (Richard Madden), how I missed you. I can't believe this is the first thing I have seen you in since the Red Wedding but it is. Madden was good in this, I like him and might have to be on the look out for some of his other projects (Oasis and Bodyguard, I am coming for you). I like the story between the Telepath's and the normals. I like the conflict it creates. I am all for post apocolyptic worlds on the verge of going into a deeper darker whole. This episdoe provides a little of all that so It was probaly my 2nd or 3rd favorite episode of the series.
6	Safe and Sound	Forrest, You're Dead	Small town technically chanllenged girl is moved to the big city and that is just the beginning of her not fitting in.	It is like watching some one have a panic attack and then ever slowly but surely inch closure, and closure to the edge of the cliff. You don't want to want to watch, you want to turn away but you can't. I watched this right before bed and it haunted me. I was actually furious at Dick, the writers and directors, but only because they all did one hell of a job.
7	The Father Thing	The Father-Thing	You’re a child, good friends, good home, and a Father you adore, then they came, and where did he go?	I really enjoyed this. I liked the main character, I liked him in Rim of the World. Greg Kinnear is always a joy to watch as well. Watching the father/son dynamic shift was fascinating. Definitely another favorite of mine.
8	Impossible Planet	The Impossible Planet	A rich women wants to see Earth, only one issue Earth has been long destroyed.	I thought this episode was compelling and a little sweet and much better than the folks on IMDb are givng it credit for. I think the old women and the young man have a unique bond and I find myself wanting more answers about what was really going on. Plus you had a wood looking C3PO type robot and robots in general kick ass. Then you have Benedict Wong in the mix, and who doesn't love them some Wong. I get excited every time I see him in something, I am a big fan.
9	The Commuter	The Commuter	A man with a troubled family meets a women who can take the pain away.	Any time you are dealing with concepts like this episode deals with you are going to have my undivided attention. I was a big fan of the episdoe but think that the story itself was cut a bit short. It left me wanting to know more about this world and its what's and why's. Overall a good episode that takes the man face to face with his own worst thoguhts and fears.
10	Kill All Others	The Hanging Stranger	A hanging man, a 1 party election, and a man who might be askign to many questions about both.	I am on the fence on this episode. I did enjoy it, so I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't love it or why I am not having something glowing to say about it? Perhaps b/c we live in Trump's American a place where asking questioins and speaking out incurs the rath of an unjust ruler? I don't know, I am not usually that political. Maybe because I find it when someone starts to have bouts with things going on in there head that some could call depression, or anxiety. The episdoe is definatley worth watching and from what I have seen most people enjoyed it. Maybe after watchign four episodes in one morning my brain is a little fried and I can't process. The acting was good, the story was good, the episode was good. I just don't feel the wow factor on it right now. I wonder if it could be all the civil unrest going on in our country today and this episdoe was about people who were speaking about against the government. Maybe when your leadership dismisses actions of the police, you sort of wonder if the overall message isn't Kill All Others?