Bold, sexy, ambitious – and one of the most expensive streaming series ever made as the cast move across the globe from Mexico City to Seoul, London to Chicago, Nairobi to San Francisco, Berlin to Mumbai. It’s a globe-hopping mix of sci-fi, action and melodrama – but also a deeply sincere cry for acceptance of difference.
Eight people of exactly the same age but of hugely different values and experiences suddenly discover themselves to be linked emotionally and ‘telepathically’. They share each other’s experiences unseen by others around them – as Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) is confronted by the latest Berlin gangland war, he suddenly finds himself inside the home of Kala (Tina Desai) planning her forthcoming wedding into a wealthy Mumbai family. A stoned Riley (Tuppence Middleton) will see the same event as Chicago cop, Will Gorski (Brian J. Smith).
Confusion reigns supreme for the eight but San Francisco transgender activist Nomi (Jamie Clayton) and non-sense8 girlfriend Amanita (a superb Freema Agyeman), through their combined hacking skills, start to unravel events around them. Sense8s are seen as a threat to homo sapiens and there’s a multi-national, BPO, out to find them. Other clusters of sense8s dip in and out to help or hinder as the group find their united skillsets and set out to eliminate BPO and, in particular, the obsessed surgeon, Whispers (Terrence Mann).
Sexuality, gender, race and other sociopolitical issues raise their head as the intrigue and sense of sheer adventure escalate. Shoot outs galore, occasional gruesome surgery, orgies, drug abuse, raves – with the innovative Wachowskis at the helm, the whole builds to a daring two and a half hour crescendo in ending the two-series yarn.
Rating: 85%
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