Electric Dreams (2017–2018) User Reviews (150)

Almost great

[citadeluk · 7/10 · 30 September 2017]

Philip K Dick's stories have been shown by films like Bladerunner and Minority Report to be brilliant source material to make great screen adaptations. Black Mirror has shown how great a science fiction anthology series can be. The first two episodes of Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams hint at how great the series could be.

There have been many adaptation's of P K Dick's stories into movies. The makers of Electric Dreams would do well to study those carefully. They would learn that the closer film makers stick to the spirit and intention of P K Dick the better the end product is.

Electric Dreams feels half true to the originals. As a spoiler free example of where they stray, the first two episodes change the endings of the stories. P K Dick is a master of the plot twist and the original endings are not only shocking but made you think. His signature themes make you question the nature of reality, of memory and whether people really have what they want. In the show, these themes are muted: replaced by the writers' own hackneyed ideas and messages.

The first episode looked really cheap. It could have been a cop show set in the seventies. There was no sense that it was the future. The second show was far better and looked believable as a vision of the far future. As a writer, P K Dick doesn't delve to much into how things look or the minutiae of individual's character's. There is so much space for film makers to fill with something incredible as Ridley Scott did in Bladerunner.

I'm excited to see the coming episodes and I hope there are future series. Most of all I hope the makers quickly learn that, as is shown by the first two episodes, P K Dick was a great writer and the further you veer from what he was trying to say with his stories, the weaker the adaptations will be.

Worth it

[pmoreino7 · 8/10 · 14 January 2018]

I've read several critics' reviews comparing this show to Black Mirror as if it fails in comparison. I don't think that's accurate. Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams is visually, thematically and, most importantly, narratively interesting. What is real or normal? What makes a human? Meanwhile, there are at least 2 episodes from S4 of Black Mirror that don't measure up to what I've seen so far in Electric Dreams, and apparently I've been watching the dud episodes, per critics' reviews.

Does everything need to have some heightened level of abstraction to be interesting? I don't think so; straightforward storytelling with very good actors set in a world that's different than my own that makes me think is good enough for me.

Worth your time.

Now That's What I Call Dystopia

[steeleha · 8/10 · 18 September 2017]

There can be no denying that on first look this episode of Electric Dreams borrows heavily from the likes of Blade Runner, Black Mirror, Children of Men... etc, but of course the source material for this provides inspiration for the aforementioned titles, and so it's get an originality pass in my book.

A key feature for me with sci-fi is the dealing with the creation of alternate universes, where key events change the course of evolution. On this front the episode succeeds within that premise. There have been many mediocre sci-fi presentations that have come and gone - set up with weaker writing and concepts, and possibly better acting (though I will give a special exception to Holliday Grainger, who put in a very good performance). If the future world is unconvincing, however, it drags the performances down. I felt it was convincing enough here.

In summary, is definitely worth a watch, and look forward to other episodes within the series - it's a short story and it's designed to make you think where the themes could possibly go within the world that's been created. And as such, it's succeeded. A test of it's success is that I'd have been quite happy seeing where the world would have progressed after the end scenes. A solid start.

Philip K WHO?

[chazwyman · 29 October 2017]

I've enjoyed the whole series of stories. Well acted, great sets, great effects, good design. I have also enjoyed reading the works of P K Dick. The short stories are excellent and introduced many of the key ideas upon which all sci-fi was based. However watching the shows and reading the stories are two different things.

There is barely anything to compare them except perhaps a single key idea. The situations are changed, the characters are different, the settings, to time-frame, just about everything in the TV series is altered.

Are today's writers so devoid of ideas, that they have to take ideas some of them over sixty years old? Or is it that the TV corporate entities are such poor judges of writing talent that they dare not fund a series unless it has some big name at the top of the bill to exploit.

I'd hope that Mr. Dick, were he alive would enjoy the series, but I can't help thinking that he would not recognise his own story were is name not plastered over the top of the credits, and if it were not he'd be saying ' "oh I think I had an idea a bit similar to that in 1958"

good

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 10 April 2021]

This is an anthology series based on the works of futurist sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick. It's ten episodes switching back and forth between American production and British. Despite loving the Blade Runner franchise, I don't think I've ever read his work. This has a darker tone. Some of the British ones remind me of Black Mirror which was probably the original intent. It's a murky hit-and-miss proposition. I don't know about the Philip K. Dick part. His name is useful for selling this. It has some good sci-fi ideas. I like the darker tones but the lighter tones is awkward at times.

Interesting stories, very well shot, great cast

[youwishyouwerefunny · 9/10 · 13 January 2018]

I'm going into this without much knowledge of Philip K Dick and the whole Black Mirrors series (and really enjoying it). I have to say I really like this show. It has interesting stories, some could probably use a little more than 50 minutes to get a better grasp at the characters and the story to really make an impact. But with how they are, they are well done. The cast is amazing, full of well known actors and actresses. The episodes were beautifully shot, so from an aesthetic stand point, it was nice to watch. The stores are interesting sci-fi, leaving me with something to think about, rather than just thinking "well that's pretty cool." I think if you go into this not comparing it to Black Mirrors, you will enjoy it. If you compare, you will more than likely be disappointed, well, because it's not Black Mirrors. Both shows, in my opinion, are very well done, so I won't say one is better than the other. If you love sci-fi and the Twilight Zone feel, you will like this.

Losing my mind

[Lejink · 7/10 · 22 September 2017]

I'm not familiar with Philip K Dick's work although his writing has always intrigued me, especially when I think of the several movie adaptations of his work, from the obvious "Blade Runner" to "Total Recall", "Minority Report" and others.

This latest 10 part Channel 4 series dramatising individual Dick short stories felt like a good way to make myself better acquainted with his work as well as hopefully seeing some good-quality TV science fiction.

I did enjoy this first tale set in an alternative world where the population is split into "Teeps" (telepaths) and "Normals" (non-telepaths) who naturally distrust each other and can't get along. When a female telepath offers her services to the security forces against her own kind, her main task is to locate for the Normals the inventor of a special hood which negates mind-reading of the wearer by a telepath and to do this she's paired with a hard-bitten male detective.

Filmed in a grainy, greeny filter depicting a world where people drive what we'd call today vintage cars and still use typewriters it has the look and feel of one of the tougher 70's TV cop shows (like "The Sweeney"), a look I'm very comfortable with. I liked the way story eventually narrowed down from a who-and-where-is-he manhunt to the relationship between Teep turncoat and cop working up to an inconclusive, make-your-own-mind-up ending.

Particularly memorable was the early scene where she "mind-raped" a captured hood-wearer for information on his confederates, but the whole production was well staged and acted. One niggle though for me was the poor sound quality, making it difficult to pick up dialogue even as I appreciate there was a lot of background whispering going on.

Otherwise this episode set a good standard for what will hopefully follow.

Fantastic Sci-Fi but don't expect Black Mirror-esque twists...

[gattonemichael · 9/10 · 27 January 2018]

Each episode is it's own sci-fi feature, and they are all acted and shot consistently and incredibly. Out of the 10 episodes, four of them for me are remembered as average plots with interesting premises (2,3,4,10), still great television but not incredibly memorable. Each of the other 6 episodes was grade A television. So good that I went to see what people had to say about it on IMDb, and then had to write a review because this show is not getting anywhere near enough credit. I think because Black Mirror, which actually got me to watch this show, has spoiled us with fantastically creative twist endings and foreshadowing. Electric Dreams is not about twist endings, its about the story itself. DON'T EXPECT TWIST ENDINGS. Just enjoy the ride through some excellent adaptations of ingenious short stories.

The episodes do not take place in the same universe and aren't all set in our own reality, and so aren't always as relatable as Black Mirror. If your'e looking to dip your toe in try episode 5 (Real Life, an action packed story of VR and dealing with grief) or episode 7 (Kill All Others, fantastically tense political tale about an everyday guy who notices something).

Expected something better

[bazookamouth-221-898097 · 6/10 · 7 May 2018]

Out of the 10 episodes only 2 episodes were actually interesting to me, Episode 3 The Commuter (Timothy Spall) and Episode 4 Crazy Diamond (Steve Buscemi) much due to the actors mentioned in the episodes. As the series progressed it got worse and worse.Some episodes were really boring, some didn't make much sense. Bryan Cranston couldn't save Episode 6 which is a similar to Episode 7 with a much aged Greg Kinnear just different venues. Nothing close to Black Mirror this series. Some episodes seemed like 1 hour 30 minutes rather than 45 minutes. Really disappointing series.

old

[djcatsgc · 10/10 · 6 October 2017]

I must be very old. I have seen the first three episodes and I have loved every single one. this is what Mr dick was about. weird / strange/ and (insert own ) The acting has been great. the story telling has been great. I thought I knew Mr dicks stories.....but this has brought to me a whole new (insert) Enjoyment for the Pre-milamiums

it's ok and thats about it

[sasquach1 · 6/10 · 24 January 2018]

I've watched 5 episodes and don't really feel there is much to them. Great cast, just seems not all that well thought out.Story lines seem confusing, it's as if they thought of the conclusion and or theme but didn't know how to cohesively tell it in an hour

Poor Show Old Chep

[omendata · 6/10 · 17 September 2017]

Just watched the first episode and what can i say but dull dull dull.

I think everyone may be expecting Bladerunner like effects and story but the first story is nothing remarkable and just one we have seen many times before - perhaps the stories have been surpassed by modern technology and other authors stories over the years or perhaps its the film makers inability to put book to screen!

The Scottish guys acting was poor but then i come from the same area as he is from and the Glasgow vernacular like his always grates on me as it always reminds me of the drunks and low lifes on the local Glasgow bus at night and hearing it on TV just makes me hang my head and grate my teeth - funnily though the English and Yanks find it sexy grrr If you lived up here in Glasgow its anything but sexy folks its kinda like the Liverpool accent signifies to Everyone ie Chav,Ned etc! Poor, as was just about every single actor in the first episode or was it the poor script, poor directing, dreary sets - I am not writing it off yet based on one episode but after all the fanfare to put the first episode out as this very poor example is extremely remiss of the programme schedulers. I just love how people like to bang out the old Dystopia word to describe anything that is dark, dreary and dull but bears no relation to the meaning of the word at all - this was not it!

If you want to hook an audience then the first episode should at least be one of the better ones - hopefully the rest will be way better than this boring, tedious, cheap looking effort.

It has its moments but is ultimately disappointing

[gquinn-photography · 5/10 · 4 November 2017]

I was really excited to watch Stan's original Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams but after watching the series I feel like they should have taken PKD's name out of the title.

After realizing they changed a lot of the endings to his original stories it made sense why the plots of the episodes felt misguided and confusing. PKD is a very clear cut writer, granted his novels such as Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep? are a little "Inception-Like" in that some things are left a little unclear but for the most part he has very concise and clear endings to his stories because he's trying to convey a meaningful message.

Many of the episodes of this series use his source material extremely loosely and seem to use the film adaptations of his books as inspiration more than his actual books making them feel more like general sci-fi themed stories than true PKD ones. I also can't help but think of Black Mirror while watching and it feels as though they're simply trying to recreate the feeling of that.

I appreciate the way they use 70's iconography and keep the future looking gritty and focusing on the negative applications advanced technology can have as well as the benefits. The bleak outlook he always had on literally everything especially relationships is also quite prominent. On a whole it sort of does feel like Philip K. Dick but it really could have done a lot better if it had simply stuck to the source material and kept the endings true to them. For instance "Impossible Planet" had a much better ending in his story than the show tried to come up with, I get that the creators want to have some fun but if you're taking directly off of a master and then only changing a few things around you're going to fail since it was already great to begin with, that's why it's so well known. As they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

It Needs More to Fascinate

[pontram · 28 September 2017]

The first episode reminded me, like others here, of Brazil, mostly because of the female main character, who has a (not so small) resemblance to 'Jill'. The story is quite interesting, though the topic itself is somewhat outworn. But there simply isn't enough time (or too slow pacing) to convincingly elaborate a multifarious story and setting, it's only a snapshot of a world where oppressed and demeaned "telepaths" (called "Tees", would you believe that ?) are beginning to revolt, when the public anger against them and their abilities is also raising to dangerous levels, and when the government seems to be (deliberately ?) helpless.

At this point, I would say, the makers of this episode have failed gloriously with what they tried to achieve , but they succeeded rather good in producing a solid dystopic SciFi episode without feeling the necessity to care about its possible further developments.

The second episode was, after an interesting introduction, quite a disappointment for me. Geraldine Chaplin is without a question a great actress, but not even she could carry alone the weight of a script that leads (literally) to nowhere - seen from the rationalist's point of view. An enthusiast would object, of course, and would suggest a proper use of imagination, but there aren't enough hints for me to go there.

This episode failed for me not as glorious as the first episode, since the story obviously does want to escape with us from a (our ?) pointless existence 600 years in the future, with someone who vaguely has a clue about the great old days - that should ring some bells - to the mythical land called 'Carolina', and the escape goes not as wonderful as planned, if one doesn't want to die for that experience (yep, that was my spoiler).

Or I misinterpreted that story, however.

In the coming episodes there will also be some big names, but as I already said, even the greatest actor and the best team cannot overcome a rather unformed script, so let's only hope for improvements.

Barely 6 Stars for the high artistic and intellectual claim (= Ph.K. Dick) of the show that it cannot fulfill for me.

This episode failed for me not as glorious as the first episode, since the story obviously does want to escape with us from a (our ?) pointless existence 600 years in the future, with someone who vaguely has a clue about the great old days - that should ring some bells - to the mythical 'Carolina', and the escape goes not as wonderful as planned, if we do not want to die for that experience (yep, that was my spoiler).

Or I misinterpreted that story, however.

In the coming episodes there will also be some big names, but as I already said, even the greatest actor and the best team cannot overcome a rather unformed script, so let's only hope for improvements.

Severe 6 Stars for the high artistic and intellectual claim (= Ph.K. Dick) of the show that it cannot fulfill for me.

Still not the Dick we're looking for

[rokikko · 7/10 · 2 June 2019]

Barely passable but here's my issue with this Electric Dreams show - too much artificial mystery and no payoff for the viewer. So unfaithful to the short stories too. If you're putting Philip K. Dick's name on anything, make sure you're actually telling HIS stories, not 2nd-rate knockoffs. Yet again, most of these film adaptations are so frustrating for the ardent PKD literary fans.

Much better Black Mirror than 4th season of Black Mirror

[dinko9 · 9/10 · 20 January 2018]

I'm not familiar with Philip K Dick stories so I can't comment on that. But if I compare this series to awful dark 4th season od Black mirror I can say that I'm enjoying myself much more watching PKD Electric Dreams. It's futuristic and diverse. Maybe a bit more drama then BM. Can't complain with casting Steve Buscemi, Bryan Cranston or Anna Paquin.

It grasps something... only to lose it

[fredfas · 6/10 · 18 May 2021]

All episodes left me with the feeling that they could have been good. The stories have nice beginnings but fail to develop the universe they try to convey. Not a single episode didn't feel rushed, with an abrupt ending.

It's not just a matter of having little time do tell a story. Take Love, Death & Robots, for instance, they manage to do in 15 minutes what this show couldn't accomplish in a whole hour.

(Sweet) Dreams are made of these

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 17 May 2021]

You and I might disagree ... but then again we all have our own taste, our own beliefs and our own want. In this case you get served a lot of Science Fiction mixed with Horror and thriller and some action to boost with too. The show could have gone longer if you ask me - a shame it only made it to 10 initial episodes - but with what a cast? Incredible people in front of the camera to say the least.

And the stories may wary to a degree that you will like some more than others, but overall the quality is there! Well acted, shot and edited, they give you what you want .. sometimes that may be no answer to any of the question it raises - or answers you have to make up for your own pleasure. Many open endings in the sense that you can end the episodes any way you like in your mind. All episodes are told in under 60 minutes ... so a quick pleasure trip ... sometimes even literally.

Similar to Black Mirror or Twilight Zone but slower.

[parkmanjohn · 6/10 · 23 April 2019]

The acting is great, and stories are interesting. Just too slow and becomes more drama than sci-fi.

Promising start

[wbx-228-38678 · 8/10 · 22 September 2017]

The Hood Maker was an episode inspired by - but very different to - the short story by Phillip K Dick but the world created on the screen was one I recognized from both Blade Runner and the many short stories Dick wrote from the 1950s onward.

It was dark but laced with a cynical, dry humour - Dick's forte - and was complex and adult - even hard to watch in places - so well done on not copping out on the darker aspects of Dick's work, even for a mass TV audience.

For those who complain about the show changing the stories (but keeping the themes), try comparing Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner: Dick's imagination was possibly too wild for any scene-for-scene adaption of his work, as his radically different movie adaptions suggest.

Overall, I was very encouraged by the first episode and look forward to the rest of this intelligent, visually enticing series.

Entertaining short sci-fi stories

[pietjejantje · 7/10 · 13 December 2020]

So this is basically a collection of short sci-fi/mystery stories, like The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror, and some stories are a bit weak while others are great. There is quite a bit of cliché virtue signaling, you know, everyone is strong but white men get the roles of the weak or bad. As the series was made by two white men, you can almost smell their fear and see them checking boxes, haha. It's not done well like Game of Thrones where everyone can be strong/good/weak/bad and it's much more real. Some A-list actors, but surprisingly not in the best stories. I'll excuse the one with Bryan Cranston, as that one was just a bit of unpretentious, campy fun as an ode to a classic B-movie, he must have enjoyed that one. While some stories and premises are a bit simple or not original, I still give it 7 stars because I was still entertained and because there were some real gems in there as well to counter my criticism. I especially loved The Commuter, it's original and the sci-fi is just a tool to tell a very moving, human story. That is how you do it.

Don't expect Black Mirror

[ovc89 · 10/10 · 14 April 2022]

I feel like people who like Black Mirror better than this are either looking everywhere BUT the stories, or they just want to be depressed, nihilistic, and pessimistic all the time.

Electric Dreams has good stories, great actors, good production value, and does a good job of exploring interesting ideas and keeping you entertained with each episode. It also won't make you sad like Black Mirror.

We all have enough problems nowadays as it is, I don't want a show to make me feel worse. I honestly enjoyed Electric Dreams much more than Black Mirror.

Sure, there's a couple of episodes where the costumes and visual effects aren't great, but the stories are. I hope they produce more of it in the near future, bc I loved it.

Moments of brillance marred by narative incoherance.

[foxcool · 7/10 · 17 August 2021]

It's like the writers had the beginning of a great idea but then don't know how to end it or write a complete story.

The best analogy I can make is: imagine the movie Martian, after he was left on the planet alone and left to die, he suddenly takes off his helmet and was breathing normally, then he was suddenly on the moon. And then the movie ends. With out explaining anything.

There's some interesting plots in some of the episodes but temper your expectation of a satisfactory ending or a coherent story.

A Greatish beginning/bad representation/good production

[marinovotsofia · 5/10 · 18 September 2017]

Great atmosphere & good acting. The only regrettable thing is that they could have chosen a much more interesting short story to film but anyway it's certainly not regrettable that this picture exists. I can't believe the review where the person says PKD is a so-so author. I guess either he is lobotomized or just likes space soaps. Waiting for the next episodes! Edit: I had to remove 5 stars after my initial euphoria not because the series is bad but because it is badly represented. this is not Philip dick. in most episodes so far the interpretation wildly misses the point of the source material and is often transformed beyond recognition. the production is great actors, plots etc and i would give it a high rating if it didn't parade with the name of Philip dick. it's like saying the matrix or dark city is based on Philip dick sure they resemble his style and philosophy but it is not something he has written. still the series is worth watching if you know this from the start: not "Philip k. dick's electric dreams" but "electric dreams inspired by Philip dick"

Not Strong Enough for Standalone Episodes

[KTnarnia · 20 September 2017]

The first episode was like a very dull pilot. It felt old and under budget. The sound editing was awful. And with other standalone shows like Black Mirror as competition, this one doesn't stand a chance. It was a major yawn-fest. The actors gave it their best, but the first episode just felt unresolved, leaving it too weak to stand out as a solitary episode. The plot was too confusing and - of the discernible plot - cheesy. A very poor representation of the masterful works of PKD, for sure.