With one month to go until the second season of The Wachowskis’ Sci-fi drama “Sense8” hits Netflix, it’s time to look back on the show so far to prepare for the next phase. Kicking off the series is “Limbic Resonance,” in which eight different people from around the world suddenly start experiencing shared senses, memories and lives.
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Being the first TV series from the Wachowskis, it was obvious from the outset that “Sense8” would be anything but simple. A globetrotting, interlaced character study with science fiction tissue tying it all together, this series is brain candy in a way that makes for compelling television.
It’s not without its’ faults, however. After an engaging opening depicting the suicide of the mysterious Angelica, the show introduces us to the “Sensates” in rapid fire succession: Riley, an Icelandic DJ; Will, a Chicago cop; Wolfgang, a career safe cracker; Nomi, a transgender woman living happily with her girlfriend; Kala, an Indian woman forced into an arranged marriage; Lito, a popular Spanish actor; Sun, an elusive businesswoman; and Capheus, a bus driver with a sick mother.
The problem is obvious: There is no way on God’s green Earth that all these characters can be defined in one hour. A few get spotlights, notably Riley and Wolfgang, who take up most of the last half of the episode, but Kala, Capheus and Lito vanish off the episode’s radar for far too long. Fortunately, this is a TV show and there’s 12 more hours to flesh these people out, but for a first impression, the pilot will no doubt leave you asking questions.
Of course, that’s how the Wachowskis want it and that’s why you come back. Aside from the opening, the true nature of the Sensate’s connection is not spelled out, which gives the viewer somewhere to go. The characters who are highlighted are interesting and their individual stories are compelling to watch. While “Limbic Resonance” is clearly part one of a larger story, it fulfills the need of getting viewers talking about what will happen next.
Season 2 of Sense8 premieres May 5 on Netflix.