[can’t pitch the story without spoiling the end of the first episode !]
Cal Bradford, President of the United States of America, has been murdered. This crime would already have been extraordinary three years ago, before the end of the world. But here, in a bunker under video surveillance, where a few gazillionaires think they’re protected from everything, it’s inconceivable. This is why the authorities in charge decided to lie to the 25,000 residents. After all, they’re pretending to have a normal life, while outside, the world has been destroyed. Denial has become a way of life, so one more lie is probably best to avoid panic.
Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond, head of a group of ultra-rich people, is behind the project. While scientists predicted a chain of cataclysms, she put together a team capable of building an underground city, making it self-sufficient and choosing its residents. Everything has been designed to give a sense of normalcy: fake clouds, recorded insect noises, a restaurant with vegetarian meat. If necessary, a psychiatrist is available. And just in case, a security team too…
Xavier Collins, the agent in charge of the President’s security, discovered the body and can’t let the crime go unpunished. He leads his own investigation, at the risk of destabilizing the small, privileged community.
Purgatory…
There are some good elements in this series. Its aesthetics, first of all, with warm beige colors that reinforce the feeling of a false sweetness of life. The small town is reminiscent of “the village” (an old 1960s series!). The decor captures the feeling of suffocation, despite the luxury and calm. Then there’s James Marsden, charismatic as the lonely president, and the only truly engaging adult character in the story -there are young actors too, forunately. Finally, a perspective-reversing element is revealed at the end of each episode.
And that’s it. I was excruciatingly bored during the first episode, gradually finding interest as the series drew to a close. From my point of view, it’s a shame that the plot doesn’t really progress until the last five minutes of the episodes! I also find that overusing flashbacks is no substitute for good storytelling.
The main characters are cold and monumentally selfish. Sinatra asks if she’s a monster? Definitely, yes. Collins makes a big deal of the fact that his wife died on the day of the cataclysm. Hey man, billions of people died, sorry for you but look a little further than your navel.
Finally, and unless season 2 remedies this, there’s some absurdity in the city’s design. No guns, no animals, so be it. But in the midst of these millionaires, who collects the garbage and who cleans up?
So yes, I will watch season 2, but I hope it will be better.
1 season, 7 episodes (50 mn), 2025 – , on Disney+
WITH : Sterling K. Brown as Agent Xavier Collins, James Marsden as President Cal Bradford, Julianne Nicholson as Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond, Krys Marshall as Special Agent in Charge Nicole Robinson, Sarah Shahi as Dr. Gabriela Torabi, Nicole Brydon Bloom as Agent Jane Driscoll, Aliyah Mastin as Presley Collins, Charlie Evans as Jeremy Bradford, Jon Beavers as Agent William “Billy” Pace, Gerald McRaney as Kane Bradford, Matt Malloy as Henry Baines