After deciding to explore Peacock, I came across Brave New World. This utopian story is based on a 1934 novel of the same name by Aldous Huxley. It stars Jessica Brown Findley, Harry Lloyd, Alden Ehrenreich, Hannah John-Kamen, and Joseph Morgan. It tells the story of New London. Where everyone is assigned a class as a genetically altered embryo. There are three rules: no privacy, no family, and no monogamy. As they state “everyone is happy here”. Well, not happy. Hopped up on drugs constantly.
Slight Spoilers
When this show first started, I found the concept a little “too much”. Too cookie cutter. It was like Star Trek but in a very robot-like manner. No one behaved as a real person. The concept of sex was open. You may think this is a good thing. Be free with your sexuality. But, when it becomes a job, a distraction, and monitored, it’s not free. Just another way to control people. People are assigned as Alphas, Betas, etc. New London is meant to be a utopia. Yet, they’re more segregated than ever. Separated from forming actual human connections.
The first main characters we meet are Findley’s Lenina and Lloyd’s Bernard. Lenina is a Beta Plus, who works as the person who injects embryos with their class. Bernard administers “soma” – these mood-stabilizing pills. You may recognize Lloyd as Viserys from HBO’s Game of Thrones. Automatically, you’re suspicious of his character and believe he’s going to be the adversary in this story. Quickly, the show adds so many layers to Bernard. To his connection with Lenina. He may originally chide her for attempting a monogamous relationship with someone, but we find out he is the one who has a problem with developing these sexual relationships. The very ones that an Alpha Plus like him should be having.
New London is meant to be so far advanced. To the point where they mock old habits from the “primitive” “Savage Lands”. Aka America. Marriage? What is that? Having babies? Unheard of. In fact, New Londoners go to the Savage Lands as a tour, to laugh at the “backward” way of doing things. They believe it’s their monogamy that traps people. Makes them jealous. Angry. When in fact the New Londoners have policed that land – making it where these people must perform for them. And they can’t leave.
Where Everything Goes Bottoms Up
A trip to the Savage Lands puts Bernard and Lenina in a position they never thought they’d be in. The people living there have decided they no longer want to be entertainment. They want to be free. A rebellion later and Bernard and Lenina are relying on Ehrenreich’s John. Then, they’re taking John back to New London. This is where things really get interesting.
John being introduced to New London is an anomaly. He’s a “Savage” so looked down upon by the New Londoners. At the same time, they’re so bored with their meaningless lives that someone like John creates excitement. Something new. Everyone feels something new. John-Kamen’s Helm looks to dig deeper into feelings, as created by someone like John. Lenina sees what it’s like to think for herself. And Bernard faces his own shortcomings, as well as how to deal with the jealousy that comes from John persuing Lenina.
The Lowest Class Made The Biggest Impact
John has also touched Morgan’s CJack60. An Epsilon. Epsilons are pretty much mindless workers. Looked down upon by every class. And thought of as disposable. With John around, CJack60 and the others begin feeling things. Thinking things. It’s something that heavily plays out towards the end of season one. And one of my absolute favorite scenes is CJack60 discovering these feelings for the first time.
Brave New World reminded me a lot of Anthem, by Ayn Rand. A story about finding yourself. About finding your individuality and breaking away from a societal mold that wants you to be like everyone else. That teaches you that being selfish is a bad thing. John’s presence is disruptive, but a necessary disruption. Not only does he disrupt the societal body, as it’s called; but himself. One minute he’s integrating. Next he’s resisting. He cannot accept Lenina’s “role” as a Beta and cannot accept the polygamous society he’s in. He tries his hardest at times to integrate, but has no problem teaching Bernard and CJack60 how to be their own person. To think for themselves. To feel, instead of suppressing their emotions with drugs.
Why I Compared It to Westworld
There’s so many points in this show. So many that I would perhaps be called out on if I dared talk about them. Take the messages as you will. But, it does remind me slightly of Westworld. A world deemed advanced, perfect, and all at the disposals of others. For those deemed superior’s pleasure. Eventually, you’re going to wake up.
Brave New World touches upon what it means to be human. How flaws are needed. It talks about the dangers of A.I. It features revolutions. This show took many turns I never expected. I’m so incredibly happy I stuck with this show, as I believe it’s a solid piece of Sci-Fi. Perhaps some of my complaints would be that there’s a lot of eye touching – as everyone communicates via a microchipped contact in their eyes. It seems like no one cleans them. We never fully get an explanation as to what Soma is exactly. There were also some aspects of John and Lenina’s relationship that I disagreed with.
Rating: 4/5
Over all, I highly recommend this series. If you come for John-Kamen, you won’t be disappointed. What if you came for the Sci-Fi, well everything looks beautiful. If you want a out-of-the-box approach to a supposedly Utopian world, you got it. Also, pay attention to Lloyd. He’s much more than the terrible brother from Game of Thrones – he really was my main focal point this season. I hope to continue his story in season two.
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
