Should You And Eight Strangers Watch Sense8?

[Primetimer]

Cops and DJs and Daryl Hannah, oh my!

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[jbk]

The DJ doesn't smoke meth- she smokes DMT. It is explained early in the first episode in the discussion of Limbic Resonance (the episodes title). Smoking DMT is what causes her to connect so easily with the others during the episode's final scene. It's important because this chemical is what provides a non-mysical / non-magical element to the linked phenomenology that inspires the name of the show (sense8).

[Chaos Theory]

I liked Cloud Atlas haven't watched Jupiter Ascending but it is in my Netflix Queue. I like high concept stuff so I will probably like this.....probably.

[isalicat]

Watched the first episode last night and very definitely did not fall asleep - in fact, I thought it was quite brilliant and engrossing and especially appreciated that it is "dense". I recommend this very highly if you have a reasonable attention span and don't need to have everything spelled out for you in giant bold letters like the usual TV show or movie.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I've watched the first three so far, and it's holding my interest. 

 

They pushed Will the "good cop" a little too hard for my taste. I'm not a big fan of police culture, but does he really have to stand out so much compared to all the others just to establish him as a decent person?

 

Wolfgang is the least interesting to me so far (and not just his safe-cracking).

 

I thought Kala's reasons for her being unhappy with her upcoming marriage seemed like something out of a mediocre American rom-com. It's an odd choice given the many real issues in India with arranged marriage, caste restrictions, dowry etc., which the show seems to say are not factors here.

 

The scenes with Nomi in the hospital are genuinely terrifying, I think a lot of that is Jamie Clayton's excellent performance.

 

I did like how the links between the sense-ates builds at first, with sounds and other sensations leaking through to the others.

[Sobriquet]

I've watched the first three episodes too. It is better than I thought it would be! I also think that Will is being shoved down our throats.

[Chaos Theory]

Will is a great character maybe not the most interesting but I hardly get why anyone would feel that he is being shoved down our throats.<br /><br />I think this is the most diverse cast I have seen in a long while so why pick on the white guy?

[Sobriquet]

I just wasn't feeling the boy scout cop storyline. I'm on the fifth episode. He is getting much more interesting. This was never an issue about race.

[FiveByFive]

After finishing the entire series ....

 

Yes, I was totally with the reviewer of the show before the third episode when it suddenly became interesting. I do hope we get more episodes. The show managed to also write a ton of characters into every episode whereas so many other shows would fail at this task or shaft people completely for a few episodes at a time.

 

Yes, some of it was total cheese. The Pride speech Nomi gave made me tear up but everything about the event was like an after school special.

 

• Sun, "Van Damme" and Daniella ended up being my favorite characters during the run of the season. 
• Lito's story was cheese but I think that was the point because he was, "the telenovella actor." So that's exactly what his story seemed like.
• Kala and Wolfgang were so far removed from the plot it was ridiculous. 
  But I was happy there was PENIS!!!!!!

• "Van Damme's" storyline was my favorite out of all of them in the end. There was a great mix of drama and humor and action ... almost like ... a Van Damme movie! 
• If they turned this into the "Sun Bak" show I would be completely okay with that. 
  Especially since you just know she's going to go all Kill Bill next season.

• Will was hot and great at first and then they did a couple of things I absolutely hated. 
  Making the white guy the unofficial leader and focus of the group is so unnecessary in an "international show." I just knew they were going there. Also his relationship with The DJ just seemed unnesssary. Didn't we already have two love/relationship plots?

• Freema kept slipping out of her accent and it pissed me off. They could have just let the character be British. There was no reason to make her American.
• It was great having a trans woman play a trans woman in a relationship on a sci-fi TV show.
• Jamie Clayton did well except for the fact that everything ... she ... said ... always ... had ... the ... same ... inflection. That's an acting issue. It worked with the computer nerd speak but not anything else. Do you have any feelings NomiBot? 
• The entire time I kept thinking, why are you here DJ Girl? What is your purpose? Can you die and be replaced with a sassy French Canadian dancer? 

 

Overall I enjoyed this more than Daredevil which was "solid" but ended up not making me really care if it came back or went away forever. 

Edited June 8, 2015 by FiveByFive

[mustbekarma]

I binged watched the entire 12 episodes this weekend, and I loved it. I really fell in love with it because of episode 4. I loved by the end how Sensate8s were helping each other out. I have a hard time picking out a favorite character. In some ways, it was like all eight of them made a completely new person. I definitely think Sun was the MVP of the group. Van Damme was definitely the most courageous. I'd love to see where this story is going.

[mizminnie]

I've watched the whole thing. I was VERY sceptic at first but it totally won me over. I like the fact that it is all so character-driven and the fact that it moves in an almost hypnotic pace. You learn about the different players at the same time as they learn about each other and themselves .... the trick is that the way it is filmed it pulls you in and makes you feel like part of the cluster. By episode 8 I thught: HOW are they gonna pull this together? But it worked ...unhurriedly and quite naturally they started working together. And by Episode 12 when they are working hand in hand to protect and save each other ..you just want to highfive Sun and Wolfgang and Gorsky! I hope they give it a season 2.

[DEM]

 

Sun, Lito, Kala, and Capheus get shafted while we're treated to a solid fifteen minutes of Wolfgang meticulously breaking into a safe.

If I could choose one thing and one thing only to change about the series, it would have been this: Even out the amount of screentime across the sensates.  Here was a show aspiring to be something bold and different, but it settled into the same old storytelling format and character hierarchies.  The 8 characters were clearly in 3 ranks, and after saying to myself things like, "Why is XXXX so disconnected from the Big Bad story/everyone else?" once too often, I was displeased.

[Trixie Belden]

We're up to episode 9 now and it took us until episode 4 to really get into it. I'm not a big fan of Jamie Clayton's. I think her acting is pretty wooden and flat, so sometimes her scenes take me out of that "zone" I can get into while binge watching a great show. I can't wait for my husband to get home tonight so we can finish it up.

[dewrays]

I have never binge watched a show without getting bored midway , or losing interest. This show made me watch all the episodes. Love it. Van Damme seems to have nice romantic chemistry with Kala and the Icelandic chick. The DJ didn't have much romantic chemistry with the cop IMO.

[Chaos Theory]

If I could choose one thing and one thing only to change about the series, it would have been this: Even out the amount of screentime across the sensates. Here was a show aspiring to be something bold and different, but it settled into the same old storytelling format and character hierarchies. The 8 characters were clearly in 3 ranks, and after saying to myself things like, "Why is XXXX so disconnected from the Big Bad story/everyone else?" once too often, I was displeased.

Because Whispers doesn't know about him. The show is cut into 3 acts. Act 1: Save Nomi. Introduced all the main cast and their lives while trying to stop a so far unknown bad guy from hurting one of them. Act 2 was the character development of all the main cast and I think the show did a fine job with it. I don't see the inequality unless we are playing count the minutes game. Act 3: Save Riley was the where the show had all the main cast work together for a common goal and against an enemy they are only starting to understand. I think if there is a season 2 it is then we will dig deeper into the mystery of who is hunting Sensates and why.

[dewrays]

I am not sure which episode this is in. Before Wolfie kills his uncle , he says that his uncle knew what his father was doing to him. Is it implied that Wolfie's father was sexually abusing him ? Do they show it ?  Did I miss it.

 

[DEM]

Because Whispers doesn't know about him.  The show is cut into 3 acts.

 

('Him'? I assume this was meant to be 'them'?)  This seems to me to be basically circular reasoning.  "The story was mainly about Nomi, Will, and Riley because the story was mainly about Nomi, Will, and Riley."  Again, I don't think it had to be that way.  There's no law of the universe that says the multi-protagonist characters have to be split into primary, secondary, and tertiary roles.  I liked the series; I simply think it could have been better on the development of some of the 8 characters.

Edited June 8, 2015 by DEM

[Boundary]

I don't see the ranking problem here DEM. In terms of minutes, Will probably had less than Van Damme. In terms of personal crisis, except a lingering cold case Will had less baggage. However, Jonas did appear to him and Nomi and so the myth arc flows through them. So I don't think Lito or Kala's personal crises were less central than Riley's but when the mythology is revealed via Nomi and Will, and by extension Riley, it doesn't mean the others have a lesser stake in it. Will became important because

he physically travelled to Iceland but he was hardly the hero flying in to save the day, the others chipped in at crucial intervals. However, with Whispers now in Will's head, it seems he will have a similar role next season.

[ahisma]

I am not sure which episode this is in. Before Wolfie kills his uncle, he says that his uncle knew what his father was doing to him. Is it implied that Wolfie's father was sexually abusing him ? Do they show it ? Did I miss it.

I think it's just that his father was beating the crap out of him. The uncle even admitted that his brother used to pull the same thing ("There's only five things ..." then punch) with him. To do it when they were both kids is mean. For a grown man to do it to his little boy is criminal, but the uncle did nothing to stop it.

[Ronin Jackson]

I rather enjoyed the show and a bit surprised the response has been so lukewarm overall. It has its hokey moments for sure but I dug many of the characters and appreciate the ambition of a show set and shot in so many different countries. There's been some criticism about the show being confusing.... Really? I didn't find it confusing at all and grasped the concept pretty quickly.

[Boundary]

I think the reviewers expected a super-hero show, with rules explained clearly and early. The vagueness threw a lot of people off but if one pays attention the mechanics get explained, especially in episode 9. I also think that the payoff in seeing the sensates working together is much greater if we've spent time getting to know the characters. Otherwise it's just another sci fi show using familiar tricks we've seen before.

[Captanne]

I'm past the orgy and slowly binging this during a work week.  (Last night I got the "are you still watching?" question from Netflix, LOL.)  This show is fucking fascinating and I love what I'm seeing.

 

Is there a point to it, though?  Is the plot figuring out if there is a plot?

[debi49]

I really liked it. It's still on my mind. I hope it comes back.

 

To any Babylon 5 fans, this really had a JMS feel to it. His hokey but beautiful dialogue, flawed characters to root for, the sense of prophecy and destiny that made B5 so compelling......its all here in a different package.

[Chaos Theory]

I'm past the orgy and slowly binging this during a work week. (Last night I got the "are you still watching?" question from Netflix, LOL.) This show is fucking fascinating and I love what I'm seeing.

Is there a point to it, though? Is the plot figuring out if there is a plot?

The majority of season one was watching the cluster incorporate their new abilities into their lives. These are normal people with normal problems (well mostly). And it is fascinating to watch Capheas chase down a bunch of thugs and then have Sun beat the crap out of them. Why does he do this? They stole medicine his mother needs. These new abilities of course bring complications and new enemies but I think the major story arcs will happen slowly and in season 2. Bringing in the evil forces of evil too soon would have been a actiony and fun but we would have lost some great emotional undertones that I loved. Edited June 10, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Captanne]

It's just that the whole series seems to be watching them discover what they have together and being surprised by it.  There is no concept of even asking why, yet.

 

Which, I suppose, is exactly what the audience is experiencing.

 

So, the plot is to discover the plot.  We do that along with the cluster members.

[90PercentGravity]

Even though I ultimately enjoyed the show, I thought the writing was really bad at some points. I was literally rolling my eyes at how over-the-top perfect Rajan was. "Oh, a group of zealots killed my father? Oh well, he shouldn't have been there anyway. We're still getting married right?"

[Boundary]

The writing does get hokey at times and the dialogue not always the best. The violence in Nairobi, for instance, was totally over the top (maybe in war zone with a drug influenced mob on the loose but in Nairobi it's hard to see how the police can ignore a machete massacre in a warehouse) but the conceit was to show how a Korean woman can come to the aid of her African friend and for that to work we needed to spend time and fall in love with all the characters. I think the second season will improve as a result of the time invested in characters this season.

[Ronin Jackson]

Even though I ultimately enjoyed the show, I thought the writing was really bad at some points. I was literally rolling my eyes at how over-the-top perfect Rajan was. "Oh, a group of zealots killed my father? Oh well, he shouldn't have been there anyway. We're still getting married right?"

I'm actually glad they avoided the easy stereotype of having Rajan be a totally unsympathetic brute... he's actually by most standards a better guy (from what we know so far) than Wolfgang, and it would have been real tempting for the writing to flip that. I do wonder if we'll learn of Rajan's dark side if they actually get married.

The writing was definitely cheesy at times but I found myself letting it slide because I found other aspects of the show engaging. I'd probably have a more negative reaction otherwise.

[Captanne]

I have found this show so fascinating that I lose track of time while I'm watching.  It's been a long time since a television show had that effect on me. 

 

I'm binge-ing and I don't even notice the credits roll from the end of one episode to the beginning of another, really.

 

That impresses me.

[dewrays]

I don't know why most critics are calling this show confusing. They probably are watching just one episode . The show isn't all that complicated at all. 

[FishyJoe]

If it weren't for fast forward, I'm not sure I could make it through this show. While I do find it interesting enough to want to know what happens, there are parts that seem to drag on forever. 

[jhlipton]

Making the white guy the unofficial leader and focus of the group is so unnecessary in an "international show." I just knew they were going there. Also his relationship with The DJ just seemed unnesssary. Didn't we already have two love/relationship plots?

 

Do we still need spoiler tags in this thread?  I suppose people might come here before watching any episode...

 

I didn't feel that Will was the leader. If anything Nomi was the one telling people where they had go.

 

To any Babylon 5 fans, this really had a JMS feel to it. His hokey but beautiful dialogue, flawed characters to root for, the sense of prophecy and destiny that made B5 so compelling......its all here in a different package.

 

I didn't care for B5, so I was wary of JMS's input. I think he and the Wachowskis balanced each other pretty well. 

 

So, the plot is to discover the plot.  We do that along with the cluster members.

This show is that very rare creature, the character-driven show. So the plot is to introduce the characters, to us and to each other, and see how they interact. There is a plot (Whispers vs Jonas vs Yrsa) but it is minor compared with watching 8+ fully realized people (the 8 plus the other continuing characters like Hernando, Daniella, Rajan, 'Netta, etc). I'm happy with that.

[BK1978]

We're up to episode 9 now and it took us until episode 4 to really get into it. I'm not a big fan of Jamie Clayton's. I think her acting is pretty wooden and flat, so sometimes her scenes take me out of that "zone" I can get into while binge watching a great show. I can't wait for my husband to get home tonight so we can finish it up.

 

I agree, she was like that on the two episodes of Hung that she was on.  She is just very wooden and bland when she talks. Which is odd because I have heard her talk in interviews and she seems to have a great personality, I just guess she is not able to translate that over to her onscreen roles.  Beautiful woman, who is not that great of an actress.

[Enero]

Even though I ultimately enjoyed the show, I thought the writing was really bad at some points. I was literally rolling my eyes at how over-the-top perfect Rajan was. "Oh, a group of zealots killed my father? Oh well, he shouldn't have been there anyway. We're still getting married right?"

I have to agree. Though I'll be disappointed if they turn Rajan into the cliche nice guy who we'll eventually learn has a dark side, I've found him to be way too perfect. But then again really not perfect at all because he seems to be so focused on HIS love for Kala. And because of that focus fails to realize (or is purposely ignoring) that she's not even luke warm about him.

ther was beating the crap out of him. The uncle even admitted that his brother used to pull the same thing ("There's only five things ..." then punch) with him. To do it when they were both kids is mean. For a grown man to do it to his little boy is criminal, but the uncle did nothing to stop it.

I don't know though, I got the impression that Wolfgang's anger was about more than just being beat by his father. As horrible as the beatings were I could easily see him and his family seeing those as a way to toughen Wolfgang up, him being a boy and all. However, his palpable anger, disgust and bitterness towards his uncle and the brutal way in which he killed his father makes me wonder if there was also some sexual abuse going on.

[Richard]

I got a sexual abuse vibe from the Wolfgang story as well. I hope the show goes there because that's a story that doesn't get told enough.

[ToxicUnicorn]

"Van Damme's" storyline was my favorite out of all of them in the end. There was a great mix of drama and humor and action ... almost like ... a Van Damme movie!

If they turned this into the "Sun Bak" show I would be completely okay with that.

If I were to rank the characters, I'd rank them as follows:

Sun, Nomi, Lito, Capheus, Will, Riley, Kala, Wolfgang

 

I loved Van Damme's story because its setting was so different from the others' worlds. 

When he was watching the fireworks, and when he was at the concert, I was so delighted for him.  To imagine him being transported from such a stressful existence to pure, safe, luxury really touched me.

 

If I were to rank the characters, I'd rank them as:

Capheus, Lito, Sun, Kala, Nomi, Wolfgang, Riley, Will

 

If I were to rank the actors, it would be:

Lito, Sun, Capheus, Riley, Kala.  There would be some supporting characters mixed in, too, before the other 3 would register.  I've thoroughly enjoyed those first 5, and it doesn't hurt that they are all stunning.  Kala, especially, is breathtakingly beautiful.

Edited September 12, 2015 by ToxicUnicorn

[romantic idiot]

I think Wolfgang is quite good, and not that fond of Riley. But YMMV of course. 

 

I got a sexual abuse vibe from the Wolfgang story as well. I hope the show goes there because that's a story that doesn't get told enough.

I hope you are being ironic here. If there is one well that many a creative mind has gone to often and in depth it is child sexual abuse. 

[Hamatron]

Is it? No sarcasm, I'm just curious. I don't know that I would want them to go that route (and I don't get that vibe), but outside of procedurals I don't know that I can think of too many shows that actually explore the aftermath years later of surviving sex abuse.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Hamatron

[Captanne]

Oh, my Lord, watch any BBC show ever (including one with vampires, ghosts, and werewolves.)

 

Yes, that well is drawn from routinely.  I agree with romantic idiot.  

 

That doesn't mean it isn't a worthy subject -- it's just that treatment of it needs to be handled with finesse because it is wickedly cliche.  Which doesn't denigrate the tragedy -- it just gets over-addressed on television.

[Hamatron]

Huh. I do watch a lot of BBC shows. Many of them have werewolves, ghosts, and vampires. I don't know of any where a main character deals with sex abuse years later as an adult. I guess I am not watching any of those particular shows then. Whatever they are.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Hamatron

[jhlipton]

Oh, my Lord, watch any BBC show ever (including one with vampires, ghosts, and werewolves.)

 

Any episode about prostitutes or strippers, too.

[Hamatron]

But those are guest stars, right? With Sense8 we would be talking about a main character, not the misc. sex worker of the week/person with a three-episode arc.

[Mindthinkr]

I know that nobody's posted here in a long time and keeping with the thread...

i have tried to get some of my friends to view this show but often they start it and then can't get into it. Granted I wasn't completely invested in it until S1 E3. I began crying over the 'What's Going On' song and been an enthusiastic watcher ever since. The thread is about getting people (8 strangers) to watch this show with you. I'm not a big SM person and I'm also wary of strangers but really would like to enjoy the finale with someone else who has watched this show and can discuss it with me. I'd even be willing to cook an international dinner beforehand.  Any suggestions? 

I'm not on Facebook 

[ahisma]

On 12/10/2017 at 6:01 AM, Mindthinkr said:

I'm not a big SM person and I'm also wary of strangers but really would like to enjoy the finale with someone else who has watched this show and can discuss it with me. I'd even be willing to cook an international dinner beforehand.  Any suggestions? 

Are there any places in your area where likely fans might be found? I'm thinking indie coffee shop, feminist bookstore, gay bar or cafe... Talk to the employees/owners to see if they'd host a viewing party. And/or post a flyer with your email saying that you're looking for a cluster to watch with.

[MizStaken]

I recommend this show to anyone who asks for something good to watch. Problem comes when they ask me what it’s all about and I have to try and explain it to them. Probably comes out sounding way more convoluted than it actually is. How do you guys describe this show? 

[Mindthinkr]

10 hours ago, MizStaken said:

I recommend this show to anyone who asks for something good to watch. Problem comes when they ask me what it’s all about and I have to try and explain it to them. Probably comes out sounding way more convoluted than it actually is. How do you guys describe this show? 

Lol. I run into the same problem. It's so complex. Try saying it's about 8 ppl whom are interconnected and can jump into each other's lives and effect change. That's probably too simple but I'd run the risk of being long winded if I tried to give you more of an answer. Good luck and if you come up with something better please let me know. 

[possibilities]

I also don't want to spoil it, because when I watched, the moment it dawned on me what was happening was really fun.