I started this series with very little to none expectations, and as I saw the first few episodes, I thought that my expectations were quite right.
But as the show goes on, it really caught me. This isn't some stupid teen-mystery show. Instead of focusing on the how, it focuses on the what-are-we-doing-now. It's kinda like an psychological experiment.
Last but not least, the fact that characters are NOT making stupid decisions really appealed to me.
So, you gotta give this show a chance, it's worth it! Just hope there will be a second season.
Add a Review
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lisichichi12 May 2019
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janine-7278412 May 2019Sure, there are comparisons to Lord of the Flies, and Under the Dome, and they're not wrong. But I binged this series and got quite hooked on the situation, the mysteries, the teenage angst etc. I thought the acting was pretty good. I hated the people I was supposed to hate, reasoned to myself why characters were doing what they were doing... all in all I found it sometimes campy, sometimes thought-provoking and sometimes stupid, but hey-what teen drama isn't the latter? If you think too much about it, there are plot holes, but I sat back and just let the series take me for an eerie ride. Rooting for a second season, or in lieu of that, an episode that tells us if their theories were right.
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lukandkilt18 June 2020Some reviews are so harsh when really, this show exceeded my expectations. Sometimes it gets a bit big for its boots with the political/philosophical commentary but all in all most of the story lines and characters are pretty engaging.
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heyitsanname26 September 2021I loved this series! In the first episodes I wasn't enjoying it much, but then I loved the developement of the characters. This whole "building a new socety" thing is crazy and the tension between the characters is believable.
I'm really mad that Netflix cancelled it, especially after leaving the cliffhanger at the end of the season! There are too many questions that need answers. -
hawkwind-8034914 May 2019Seems quite odd to me, that in all the writeups of this show, have not seen one person , mention the black and white dog! It appears in both worlds, and a couple of times in the new Ham, seems to be with someone else whom the dog runs after.
If the ONLY dog in the new Ham can go back and forth to the old Ham, there must be some kind of portal somewhere. :) -
It starts slow and I kept watching because of the interesting premise of high school kids trying to figure out how to create an ordered society.
However some items bother me:
1. Where is the electricity coming from? If I was stuck in the town for months I'd just follow the power lines to hopefully find civilization. Plus power stations are manned so without someone monitoring operations blackouts would occur.
2. How are they able to text and call each other? Cell phone towers require maintenance and it's improbable that somehow they can still run for 5+ months with nobody knowing where they are.
3. How did the bus leave the city and yet the city boundaries turn into woodland?
But still, despite those questions I continue watching mainly for the struggle to maintain a society. It's quite interesting how leaders appear and deal with tough decisions. Plus it brings up interesting points in how law really is arbitrary; we like to assume that laws are absolute but we really agree to follow laws.
I will be on the lookout for season 2! -
tbenson9730 June 2021This show was wicked good and I haven't seen one like it. I was so looking forward to the second season before Netflix changed their minds and decided to just cancel it cus of covid. It sucks viewers will never have real answers after that ending. Covid or no covid, Netflix always manages to cancel good shows.
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sarahtaliagrimm16 May 2019A bit soapy but it holds your attention especially after episode three. Like I said in the headline it's like if the show the 100 meets the novel the Lord of the Flies.
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racheljeannn16 September 2020This was one of the best shows ever to be released on netflix. and now its dropped? cmon Netflix everyone loves this show, BRING IT BACK
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mmevanille-5309714 May 2019This is Netflix's alternate to The 100 series. The premise is simple, dump 100 teenagers into a town in which they cant escape and watch the fun.
Welcome to a world where everyone is more interested in their small personal drama's rather than seeing a big picture. Where people blame each other for being related to someone who might have done something wrong. Where people don't have the foresight to think ahead, even in terms of basic projection and where these apparent pre-college students have about an average IQ of 80.
Unfortunately it all comes down to the writers. A show like this is indicative of the intelligence of the writers. It definitely shows that they have chosen drama writers, not science fiction ones to spearhead the plot. And even the drama is shallow, the characters seem bland and often don't have any actual character development.
The worst part about it is that it was a great premise, I think the actors have done well with what they had to work with, direction and cinematography is all in order. But the writing especially in regards to characterization is awful and plot is predictable. . -
rubyabdulaziz3921 May 2019All the teens seem so wrapped up in their stupid irrelevant problems that they're not even as scared or concerned as they should be about what's going on around them.
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acedj31 January 2020Think Lost meets the 100 meets Lord of the Flies. This is a story about a group of high school students that are to go away on a class trip. They are forced to turn around and when they get back to town, everyone else has disappeared. The first season deals with all the issues one might expect in this situation; How do kids that are suddenly left to their own devices behave? What to do about a limited food supply? Who should be in charge and what is the best way to determine this? How do you deal with criminal behavior? Like every television series, there are some flaws and weak points, but all in all this is a great series. Clearly it is not for everyone, but what is?
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boggie475810 May 2019At first I thought oh brother another lame teen series. It is something like under the dome but not quiet and you will find out why in episode 6. I like this better. I hated under the dome but really this one isn't all that bad. The teenage actors are better actors in this series. I am on episode 8 now and it got better as it went along. I plan to watch it to the end. If it doesn't get a second season I won't be all that heart broken but it really isn't all that bad.
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saadgkhan25 August 2020The Society - C+ (Flawed but Worthy)
The creators of the show played viewers like a fiddle. Over ten episodes, ten hours, no answers were given and series finale ended on a convoluted mess.
The news of Cancellation of the show after approving for 2nd season is a Karma for egoistic creators. You should not wait for another season to tell your story, you should try to tie the loose ends and then thread more to be explored.
Not surprised, Netflix finally Axed the show. -
colleencriswell15 June 2020To me it is a very interesting and new take on The Pied Piper of Hamlin fairytale.
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Binged this in about a day. Yeah yeah, its mainly only teenagers this season (because that's the plot line y'all) and while that may not be everyone's cup of tea (i'm looking at you low-voters complaining about the age of the characters), its realistic that a large group of teenagers being stuck in a world alone together are going to have teenage problems, they're not adults so don't try to treat them like they're supposed to be. Also, I find it unfair to rate/review a series until you have finished the full thing. Its just a little pretentious to have such strong opinions about something you didn't put any time or effort into finishing.
Its not just rich kids/poor kids, popular kids/unpopular kids, its a full range of characters with different viewpoints and personalities that many times clash. I find that when comparing the range of characters to the nine alignments (lawful good, chaotic neutral, neutral evil, etc), you can find at least one character that fits into one of the alignments, creating an interesting dynamic throughout the group and storyline.
The story was all together interesting and entertaining to watch. While they give you clues throughout the episodes about what may have happened to them the last episode leaves you with even more questions. I am certainly eager to know what happens and hope that it does get a second season.
All in all, if you're looking for something entertaining with a dash of mystery, definitely give it a watch. However, if you're not at all a fan of shows with a primarily teenage cast and that is a show ruiner for you, skip it. -
siani_hall20 June 2019This show made me realize I am too old for teen dramas.
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gideonzack11 May 2019The first 3-4 episodes are slow to many viewers. You'll probably say to yourself..."come one let's get going here." But saying that after episode 3 I believe the slow slow slow burn ends and it gets much better. Some of the acting isn't Oscar material but some is quite good including the lead female character.
I recommend this if u like mystery drama slow burns with some character development and interesting sub plots. I'll give 4/5 stars. Enjoy! -
bfcbrum11 May 2019All the reviews leaving ones or twos clearly didn't know what to expect when going into this. It's the usual Netflix drama like 13 Reasons Why or Riverdale S1 with a great (unoriginal idea not included) story of events, good twists and a really good use of a sound track. Its not gunna be a 10/10 but if you like these types of shows then you should love this, it's easy to watch and has some good plot events.
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Being a political buff, I was immediately sucked into "The Society". It shows a glimpse of what absolute chaos can look like if government is put into the wrong hands. Some episodes were slower than others, but after the fifth episode the first season gets really interesting. A system put forth by the President of the School Body represents a type of socialist rule that is deemed necessary for survival. As the partying comes to a halt and reality comes into play, the Student Body President makes rules for the surviving class to clean up garbage, protect and enforce the rules ("The Guards"), manage food supply and ration food by counting inventory, and to create committees such as a committee to explore how they got to the place they were at, and why their parents had disappeared. But not all locals agree with the Student Body Presidents rules, and one night, she is shot down and killed. After her death, things become to unravel. People stop showing up for work, garbage piles up, people begin to rob each other and violence is initiated. Her sister is then asked by multiple people who were in the Student Body Presidents committee to step up and take control to enforce the laws again. At first, her sister Allie is reluctant and doesn't want any part of it. But she then decides to join and enforce the rules again. She makes clear that appointing her basically puts a target on her back but she will do it for the town. Allie's rule is a little different, an even bigger divide is created when people really begin to become tired of Allie's continued rules and newly enacted rules. When Allie finds out who killed her sister, she sets up a mock trial to make it a fair trial for the murderer. They get lawyers, questions are asked, but they are proven guilty. Which Allie makes the decision to punish by firing squad. After the killers execution, people become VERY hesitant about her rule. She starts getting called a dictator. So to make it fair, she says there will be an election for Mayor and a new City Council. After a debate with three candidates including herself, a coup is formed with members of the local government against Allie and they claim to the whole town that Allie was planning on rigging the election so she could win. They jail Allie, and the election becomes nothing more than the other two candidates working together as Mayor and Vice Mayor. I REALLY suggest watching this show, its shock value is brilliant, and acting is prime, and its so binge worthy!
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aboalhyjaa10 May 2019What could have been an intriguing story has been ruined by a terrible script and even more terrible acting, not to mention a ridiculously over-the-top attempt at political correctness.
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cmrnbshp13 May 2019The Society- An Unbiased Review
SPOILERS!!
5/10 stars
Before getting into all the bad things that trickle within this series, I want to focus on what was done well, and there was truly a lot that was executed well.
1. I enjoyed the character arc of Campbell, (Toby Wallace) throughout the season. I thought his reveal of nature was interesting, as well as his relationship with Elle, (Olivia DeJonge). I believe the writers really had a strong connection with this characters portion of writing, putting a lot of focus on Campbells scenes and dialogue. It read well for me, except for at the end of the season which I will discuss later.
2. The sound editing is spot on! The song choices were superb and never missed a beat. They were suspenseful when needed, and slower in other portions. This is a strong sound engineer!
3. I really liked the set up! I think I found myself very interested and intrigued about the whole situation the kids were in, even though it's been done before in countless other adaptations, i.e. Lord of the Flies, the Gone book series, etc. I loved how throughout the show, they really highlighted government as an important aspect of society, and these portions of the season were done extremely well!
4. I loved Griz, (Jack Mulhern)! This was probably the most impressive performance for me. He never missed a beat in his performance and he felt genuine. I never questioned whether or not his character would do the things he was doing in the show, and that is very impressive considering the script he was given. There is a scene in the last episode where he is reading a book that Sam, (Sean Berdy) gave him, and he reads a few portions out of it. This moment was so powerful. He has such expressive eyes. I can't wait to see more from this young, almost unheard of actor.
5. The mystery was well paced. I feel like this was the main fighting factor of what made me keep watching, and it was slowly talked about more and more as the episodes went on. This was a smart decision. The writers did a good job of holding suspense just enough to where it still kept me interested to watch.
6. It has everything a teen drama needs. I wasn't expecting a "Lost" type quality series here, and it didn't live up to those expectations... and that's okay. This show hits exactly where it intended to hit. It keeps the viewer interested and does a good job relating to their YA audience.
Now onto the things that I felt were bad. Although this is how I felt about the series, it is not in any means an attack on the show. In my own opinion, these are the areas that were not executed well.
1. Writing. It most instances, not all, the writing feels soulless. What I mean by this is that it has no actual direction. It doesn't have a soul. If you look at a show like "the Handmaids Tale" or "This is Us" I see a clear, defiant writing style that serves and acts as an art style within the series itself. It speaks its own message. It allows me to se multiple sides of situations and plot elements in the show without losing important plot aspects. "The Society" doesn't give me that. It doesn't have a message underneath for me. It doesn't have plot devices that can make me feel multiple ways about a situation. Instead of figuring out my own form of thinking in the show, I'm told what to think. This was sad for me to see in such an interesting world with mind boggling characters that the writers have imagined.
2. Helena, (Natasha Bordizzo). Oh Helena... I swear she has some ulterior or underlying motive. I don't believe this character for a second. She feels completely unreal with no dimension. What is her drive? From the beginning, she has set herself up as a wonderful Christian, god fearing women, and then she chooses moments in the story that do not reflect her chosen character traits at all. Although it is a writers choice to make a statement about religion or status, it truly works against the writers in the long run. Helena felt fake to me, and when the writers established this for me in the early episodes, it was very hard to watch her for the rest of the series, which she actually played a significant role in.
3. Smart, yet stupid characters. Once again, I feel as if this issue could have been solved in writing, but I will talk about it separately. From the beginning of the show, we see characters such as Harry, Helena, Cassandra, Sam, etc. that are set up as top students. There were even lines in the first or second episodes that I remembered specifically stated that Helena was to attend Stanford or Harvard when she got out of high school, and that Cassandra was to attend Yale. Huh. These smart people must be very dumb. There is one scene when all the students are in the cafeteria after Cassandra gets killed, and these two kids pull out their guns and threaten to shoot. This entire situation is just dumb. It was this and countless other choices and mistakes that just really aggravated me. It made me feel disconnected to the characters. I was told and lead to believe that these people are smart, top level thinking people. When it turned out that they weren't, it disconnected me from the series.
4. My last point has to do with motivation. This is what killed me the most. In the last two episodes, I had no inclination of why anyone was doing what they were doing other than Allie, (Kathryn Newton), and Will, (Jacques Colimon), and that's only because the writers forced me to know what their motivations were. Characters like Harry, (Alex Fitzalan), and Luke, (Alex MacNicoll) I had to no clue what we're thinking about in the final episodes. I get that Harry was being blackmailed by Campbell for drugs, but did that really give him enough motivation to start a revolution? To threaten two innocent people's lives? Even if drugs is enough of a reason for motivation for this character the writers should have known better to create other sides to his motivation. There were so many options they could have pursued in Harry's overall motivation and I feel like they settled with one that was just "good enough". With Luke's character on the other hand, there is no excuse. I have absolutely no idea why he is standing up for Harry and Campbell at the end. Why is he doing this? I know he's no just scared of the guard because the writers showed me for 9 episodes before episode 10 that Luke was almost fearless. What is his motivation here? Why is he betraying his friends? It just does not work for me at all, and this really put a damper of an ending on the show for me. It was hard to be connected with theses character the whole season, and then finally see them make choices that just felt untrue to them and untrue to the audience. I felt leaving disconnected to almost everyone on screen.
Overall, the Society is a good teen drama show that has everything you want in a good drama. It has some good acting and really good sound and editing choices. What it lacks for me is good writing, and solid character arcs for every character all the way through. I wish I could know who every character was in this show, but I truly don't. And this is because of writing that gives characters zero motivation for most things that occur in the plot. For these reasons, I am giving the Society a 5/10. Thank you for reading this review! -
In my opinion , this series isn't as bad as I thought it would be . I've finished it in 2 days and i enjoyed it . No idea why all the harsh low ratings though!?
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markinsac15 May 2019I had a different experience watching this than some of the more negative reviews. I like the concept of the show, how it began and how season 1 ended. As I watched, I was asking myself questions about what I would do in the various situations.
Pros: Good story setup. Interesting characters. Suspense. Thought provoking for viewers (What would I do?). Great ending to season 1.
Cons: Very much like a CW show full of teen angst. Obviously poor and non believable decisions in life is on the line survival scenarios. Lots of political correctness (which may be realistic in the situation but too obvious and forced on the television). Story lines seem familiar to other shows.
Hey don't they have a couple of dirt bikes they can try to ride East in one direction towards where the next town or ocean is supposed to be? -
brucekirkland-2987917 May 2019There does appear to a possibility of an interesting story. However this thing just drags along with never happened conversation and once in a great while some plot. I think the whole series could be done in one 45 minute episode.