Somehow—I have no idea how, b/c Netflix always sends me alerts when they add a new SFF series (b/c Netflix is the god of gluttony and lives inside my head and knows my weaknesses)—but somehow SENSE8 completely escaped my notice when it joined the cast of Netflix original series last May.
So when the trailer of the 2-hour Christmas special took up residence at the top of my profile page, I was like:
Then I binge watched the entire first season while wrapping this year’s hoard of Christmas presents.
I have to tell you . . . It was phenomenal. If it was a book, I’d’ve given five stars, and I’m pretty sure I only gave one new-to-me (rereads don’t count) book five stars this year.
BUT.
I’d’ve given it five stars despite several things that for me were technically less than perfect.
This is one of those occasions that the whole was so amazing, so fantastic, so spectacular, etc. that a few paltry unanswered questions and graphic nature of several of the episodes . . . I let it go.
Which brings me to my next point: WHOA HOLY, that was graphic.
You: Umm . . . What’s that mean? o.O
Me: Umm . . . Which time?
You: O_____O
Me: Yeah, I don’t think I would’ve gotten through it had I been giving it my undivided attention.
Am I the only one that does that?
There’ll be a show that in premise I really like, but sometimes there’s a little more sex, a little more nudity, a little more blood and guts then is comfortable, so I play mahjong, scroll my Instagram feed, wrap Christmas presents at the same time, so that I’m paying enough attention to get the gist, but not so much attention that I’m getting an eyeful of blech, iiiirgh, nnnnnnngh.
The blech/iiiirgh/nnnnnnngh in this case being group sex. It wasn’t pornographic or anything, but still . . . that much skin is displeasing to mine eyes.
It’s like a cacophony of limbs . . . Nnnnnnngh.
I should probably note that while the group sex isn’t pornographic, there is full frontal nudity of a certain hot German. I guess that sort of thing is becoming more common, but it’s still a shock for this girl when it happens.
That’s the nnnnnnngh. The iiiirgh is the multiple births episode. It wasn’t as bad as the day I had to watch THE MIRACLE OF LIFE twice (once for developmental psych and once for . . . I can’t remember what the other class was, but iiiirgh), however, it was probably the multitasking that made the difference.
And now that I’ve done my due diligence—you have been warned—back to the awesome.
The basic premise is that there is another breed of homo sapiens that exists beside the rest of us, and this separate breed falls under the Extra umbrella.
The Extras are “born” in clusters, this one numbering eight, and they exist as a hive mind once their extraness has been awakened in adulthood.
BUT.
They don’t just share thoughts, they also share abilities . . . Which means that the individuals of this group are all at need: a hacker, a liar, a streetwise safecracker with mob boss potential, a ninja, a cop, a deejay, a scientist, and a bus driver with the heart of a lion, all of whom collectively speak seven languages.
And considering they’ve got one hell of a Bad Guy out to capture and experiment on them, all of that is a Very Good Thing.
I loved the slow progression of their awakening. The initial fear and the belief that they were losing their minds that grew into a reluctant acceptance that allowed them to begin discovering the extent of what they were capable, all the while tightening the connections that bound them together.
I fell a little bit in love with every single one of them.
Highly recommended, but only after the kiddos are in bed and your phone is fully charged.
My name is Jessica and I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’m trying my hand at writing, but mostly I read. My favorite genres are Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, and the YA versions of those genres, but if there is a book of a different color getting lots of buzz, I’ll read it too, just to be informed. If I’m not reading or writing, I’m probably on Goodreads or Pinterest or baking blueberry pies because I love them.
I LOVED this series. BUT. I never recommend it to anyone, because of all the reasons you listed above. That stuff…made me extremely uncomfortable. When I watched the Christmas special so many months after the first season ended, I was immediately cringing in-between the awesomeness, so much that I am considering not watching the rest of the show. Even though I really, really love the story. 🙁
This may sound strange, but part of the reason I was able to get past it was b/c of the multiple births episode. If it had been just group sex and Wolfgang’s man bits, I would’ve been annoyed b/c it would’ve come across as trying to shock us with the show’s overt sexuality. BUT. Nothing sexual about giving birth. Or maybe everything sexual about giving birth, but in a gritty, this-is-the-circle-of-life-deal-with-it kind of way, which while still being gross, I can respect. Maybe.
Or maybe it was the deliberate distractions, LOL. I don’t know. What I do know is that I truly loved every single MC. And I don’t think that’s ever happened.
I haven’t watched the Christmas special yet. I started it while I was in Canada, but I was too paranoid about one of my nephews running downstairs, so I stopped. I am worried about . . . Umm . . . Can’t say it here b/c spoiler. PM!
I have seen this one there but wasn’t sure about it, but it sounds interesting. I am glad I am not the only one who distracts themselves when too much flesh or other things I am not wanting to look at are on the screen…lol.
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I’ve come to expect a certain level of nnnnnnngh in Netflix original series, but this one is another level. Since you’re like me on the distraction front (HOORAY! Not alone! 😀 😀 😀 ), I def wouldn’t attempt this one without a good one, but I loved it. LOVED it.
I know what you mean, when they took over my favorite show Longmire I was a little afraid they would add some of that nnnnnngh stuff but so far it hasn’t been too bad, a bit more cussing, and only one butt scene and that I can handle. 🙂
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Hmmm I’ve never even heard of this one! I think my husband wouldn’t go for how SFF it is, he tends to prefer things a little more “realistic.” But I might – I just watch so little TV without him, because it’s often watch tv or read. I also do things to distract myself from shows that are a bit too much though! Thanks for sharing, I’m going to add it to my queue.
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My husband and I binge watched over the holidays as well. We were both cringing during the birth scenes. I hid my head under a blanket and he checked his email.
I’ve been wondering about this one, because I keep hearing great things, but I started it once and was just confused. Thanks for the graphic-ness warning. Yes, I do that too, all of the time! Some shows are better if I only give them part of my attention.
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I gave up :/
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Part of me thinks, hmmm sounds good, the other part thinks: nope not for me.