The conspiracy thriller series has been hailed a “masterpiece” and left fans devastated when it was axed.
Utopia was devastatingly axed after two seasons (Image: Channel 4)
Television fans searching for their next gripping watch have been encouraged to discover a conspiracy thriller series being praised as a “masterpiece”. Utopia, penned by Dennis Kelly and featuring Fiona O’Shaughnessy, Adeel Akhtar, Paul Higgins and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, debuted on Channel 4 in 2013, with its second series arriving the following year.
The sci-fi drama centres on a group of graphic novel enthusiasts who become convinced that a comic book, The Utopia Experiments, foretold various catastrophic epidemics and significant global events including mad cow disease. They embark on a quest to locate a rumoured unpublished follow-up that might contain warnings about future mysteries waiting to unfold.
After one member of the group gets hold of a manuscript, he arranges to meet fellow online forum members in person, only to be murdered shortly afterwards. The remaining four manage to meet up and obtain the manuscript, but quickly find themselves entangled in a dangerous maze of deception as a shadowy organisation known as The Network pursues it relentlessly.
Operatives from The Network will stop at nothing to secure the manuscript, eliminating anyone who stands between them and their target as they search for both the document and an individual called Jessica Hyde (portrayed by Fiona). It later emerges that Jessica’s father authored the Utopia manuscripts, and she’s spent her entire existence evading The Network’s clutches.
As the group becomes entangled in The Network’s web, their lives unravel and the organisation’s true intentions emerge. Concurrently, they grapple with understanding the unfolding situation amidst a backdrop of terrifying global events, including whispers of a “Russian flu”, which has since drawn parallels to the Covid-19 pandemic, reports the Express. However, Kelly has firmly dismissed any connections, maintaining that his work is purely fictional.
Thirteen years after its initial release, viewers are rekindling their interest in Utopia. One Reddit user seeking recommendations for British thrillers wrote: “Hello there! I’m looking for some good British thrillers to watch. I really enjoyed The Day of the Jackal, The Capture, and Steal. Anything in that vibe would be great.” A fellow user promptly suggested: “If you like a bit of a conspiracy I recommend Utopia. In my view a underrated cinematic masterpiece.”
On Rotten Tomatoes, Utopia boasts an impressive 100% rating. One reviewer described it as a “Dark, creepy, disturbing, entertaining show. This is 2013 show, but looking through events current pandemic 2020 year, it may make you feel uncomfortable.”
Another hailed it as “the best show ever made” praising it as “thrilling, suspenseful, unsettling, tense.”
Another hailed it as “the best TV show you’ve probably never heard of,” gushing: “Utopia is a masterpiece! Not only is this one of the most intense and twisted shows I’ve ever seen, it’s also absolutely beautiful! The cinematography alone left me in awe and don’t even get me started on the soundtrack! This is not your typical TV show. In fact it’s a whole lot more than just a TV show. It’s an artwork that is being unfolded in front of your very eyes.”
One devotee described it as “devastatingly sublime,” claiming the series will “ravage your senses”. Others labelled it “a hidden and forgotten gem” and “mindblowing”.
A particularly passionate viewer declared: “This is my absolute favourite show ever. Everything is done to absolute perfection. Criminally underrated and such a shame they cancelled it.”
Viewers were left heartbroken when Channel 4 pulled the plug on Utopia in 2014. A network spokesperson reflected at the time: “Utopia is truly channel-defining: strikingly original, powered by Dennis Kelly’s extraordinary voice and brought to life in all its technicolor glory through Marc Munden’s undeniable creative flair and vision, the team at Kudos delivered a series which has achieved fervent cult status over two brilliantly warped and nail-biting series.
“It also has the honour of ensuring audiences will never look at a spoon in the same way again. It’s always painful to say goodbye to shows we love, but it’s a necessary part of being able to commission new drama, a raft of which are launching on the channel throughout 2015.”
Utopia can be streamed on Tubi.