Linda (Demi Moore) looks dishevelled in 'Brave New World'Image via Peacock
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Billy Fellows
Published 3 minutes ago
Billy is a Senior Features Author for Collider. Having written over 300 articles in just over a year, Billy regularly covers the biggest TV shows and films releasing while also analysing some of the most underrated properties that may slip your attention.
Having studied for an MA in Screenwriting at UAL in 2023, Billy honed his writing skills and also developed his ability to critique the work of other creative minds.
Before that, Billy studied politics at the University of Nottingham, which helped him to bring nuanced and scholarly analysis to the frameworks within which filmmakers and writers have framed their thematic messages.
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Science fiction has advantages that few other genres possess. It can create fascinating worlds completely different from our own, and use this removal of real-world contexts to explore fascinating issues surrounding free will and dystopian societies. From Paradise to The Handmaid's Tale, Black Mirror to The Running Man, the genre keeps on producing quality narratives that thoroughly entertain audiences with thought-provoking concepts. If you're looking for your next binge in this realm, there is no better place to look than Peacock's Brave New World.
Based on the novel by Aldous Huxley, this 1-season sci-fi miniseries explores a world divided into those trying to live in a homogenous society without any privacy, and others trying to maintain the old ways of the world. Brave New World creates an incredible world that feels fully realized and one of the more creative projects in recent memory, most likely greatly assisted by Huxley's original novel, contrasting both dystopian themes and colorful sets. On top of this, Brave New World fills this world with a wide range of characters played by A-listers, giving some of their best performances, communicating the complex reactions people would have to such a world.
What is 'Brave New World' About?
Brave New World's central premise is that the world has been divided into New London and the Savage Lands. In New London, as the opening text of the pilot episode explains, has no privacy, no monogamy, and claims that everybody is happy. This satisfaction is enforced through drugs and intimidation, and private relationships are seen as selfish, with children being grown in labs, rather than being born naturally. In the Savage Lands, there are remnants of what is known as "before." This includes a commitment to monogamy, and people are not on state-sponsored drugs. However, while New London is a paradise, the Savage Lands indeed live up to their name, as a desolate wasteland akin to Mad Max.
The two worlds are separated by a blue barrier that only emphasizes the division in society. Rather than trying to help the Savage Lands, New London citizens view them as a lesser species, not understanding why they commit to monogamy or a more individualistic society. When the Savage Lands begin a rebellion focused on destroying New London, members on both sides of the conflict begin to doubt their own way of life. With sex being a key aspect of Brave New World, with multiple orgy scenes, it examines whether sexual relations can be purely hedonistic and not lead to love and whether that love truly leads to peace, or just increases the chance of jealousy and strife.
'Brave New World' Contrasts Dystopian Themes and Beautiful Sets
Lenina (Jessic Brown Findlay) looks out over New London in 'Brave New World'Image via Peacock
Arguably, the most important measure of a sci-fi show is how impressive the world-building is, and that is something that Brave New World nails throughout. In New London, almost every aspect of life is given a futuristic lens that also contains dark undertones. With everyone having to wear optical lenses that track and record everything, which actually penetrate the pupil to do so, featuring pop-up menus and digital emojis that wearers can project at each other, Brave New World doesn't just tell its audience that there is no privacy; it shows them.
On top of this, the societal hierarchy is given a recontextualizing in this world, as not only are children grown in a lab, but from conception, they are designated a status from Beta to Alpha Plus, which their heads-up displays constantly show next to everyone. This makes every interaction a focus on power dynamics, whether it is two alphas talking or a beta being rude to an alpha. Even the Savage Lands are presented through beautiful cinematography. While it is clear that it is desolate, the expansive nature of its desert and bright colors make the world feel full of passion and emotion, contrasting New London's overly clean and cold presentation.
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Posts 9 By Jeremy Urquhart Dec 18, 2024The mystery of what is known as an Epsilon, essentially a human worker-bee bred to do whatever they are told, killing themselves, is a fascinating subversion of the typical detective mystery. Bernard (Harry Lloyd) is the first on the scene and uses the technology of the world to see the worker's memories, giving him a personal attachment to the suicide that drives him to search for the truth. It is similar to I, Robot in how Brave New World can incorporate its sci-fi elements into not just the world-building, but the story and character arcs themselves.
'Brave New World' Features a Stacked Cast of Fascinating Characters
Demi Moore in Brave New WorldImage via Peacock
Brave New World populates its incredible world with a wide range of characters who all question whether their society is the correct one. In New London, Lenina (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Bernard struggle with the enforced happiness and refusal of monogamy, yet their patronizing view of the Savage Lands makes them complex characters who know no better than to make fun of a way of life most viewers live themselves. In the Savage Lands, John (Alden Ehrenreich) and his mother, Linda (Demi Moore) feel stuck in the middle of the conflict, trying to better their lives in a world that has little place for good people.
This conflict makes Demi Moore's character particularly fascinating. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Moore called her character, who is an Ex-New London citizen, a "bridge between the two worlds" as she dreams of her son leaving the Savage Lands for a better life in New London. Yet, her cold and even dismissive attitude toward John makes her a layered presentation of motherly love.
In the end, Brave New World is certainly worth the binge. With 9 episodes and a myriad of twists and turns, Brave New World runs at a high pace that keeps the audience guessing where this terrible conflict will go next. There are few worlds as detailed and well-thought-out as Brave New World's, and the stacked cast keeps the audience engaged even in scenes where characters are merely exploring the world, whether that is listening to music from "before" or watching a pantomime-like performance of a conflict-filled marriage ceremony. While some scenes contain graphic sexual content that may make you want to look away, it's worth noting that every detail in Brave New World is intriguing and deserves your attention.
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