Overall I liked this show. I like how it hit on a lot of political ideals and ideologies that we're seeing today without even trying. I honestly think a lot of people do not like this show because it directly points out hypocrisies that we see everyday in society, and points directly at them and their ideologies. We tell ourselves it will never be like that, it's too far out there. Example, This book was written in 1931 and while it's still not truly real life because our scientific technology isn't there....yet. But, you can bet if it was you'd see a society a lot like this one. It's scary / crazy to think that it is a possibility in the near future and it's even crazier to think that people can't see it coming like a freight train.
Either way the show was pretty great. Good acting followed by some not so good directing and producing. Meaning it still felt like a TV show at times. cutting corners on certain things like character development, or simply just trying to hard to be edgy. I do appreciate the fact that they didn't go overboard with the sex and nudity. Not that I don't like those things but at a certain point I just want to watch a good show, not soft core.
Hope they make a season 2!
334 Reviews
Don't judge by the Pilot
the_musicbox1321 July 2020
You'll notice a lot of the negative reviews come from people who didn't make it past the pilot episode. The pilot isn't reflective of the series as a whole and if you find your way to the end of the next episode, you'll be hooked. Having read the book, don't expect a like for like adaption but the series is still rewarding with some great acting talent, intriguing characters/plot and some lovely visuals. Well worth a watch.
Forget the naysayers, enjoy the show
meduzahollywood16 July 2020
What gives with all of the negative reviews -- most of which appeared within minutes of the show dropping? There is no way the reviewers could have seen all 9 episodes. Maybe they just want to complain that this is not a transcript of the novel but rather a loosely-based adaptation.
Great production design, sound, music make this a terrific viewing experience whether you agree with the story choices or not. Excellent cast - Alden Ehrenreich is always a pleasure to watch as John the Savage, a far cry from Hobie in Hail, Caesar. Even though I know the story (at least Huxley's version), I found myself having to keep binging episodes to find out what happens next. I'm glad I did.
Great production design, sound, music make this a terrific viewing experience whether you agree with the story choices or not. Excellent cast - Alden Ehrenreich is always a pleasure to watch as John the Savage, a far cry from Hobie in Hail, Caesar. Even though I know the story (at least Huxley's version), I found myself having to keep binging episodes to find out what happens next. I'm glad I did.
One of the best shows I've seen
alexwebb325 September 2020
The dialogue, the acting, the camera work, the visual effects, the soundtrack, the sets and costumes, the seamless editing. As a film student, I'm blown away. One of the most engaging series I've ever seen. I was absolutely shocked when I saw the negative reviews. Did we watch the same show? Then I realized: unlike me, these people have read the book. They expected the series to follow the book, and got upset when they realized it didn't. I, on the other hand, had no expectations, I just knew it was gonna be a sci-fi story. And I enjoyed every minute of it. It makes me really sad to see people ruin its rating with 1-star reviews because they can't accept adaptations doing their own thing.
Good Sci-Fi. Wrong title.
jmoseschua21 July 2020
It's not as simple as it seems
m-s-barendsen28 July 2020
Many people seem to dislike it for various reasons.
My answer to that: they missed the point.Go watch it again. Find the (many!!) clues.
It is truly a little masterpiece, disguising as what seems a shallow, empty, simple story with 'dumb' and 'unbelievable' characters.
A Brave New World is a bittersweet story, about people living "their" lives, with true irony at it's centre.
Give it a chance and think big.
A Brave New World is a bittersweet story, about people living "their" lives, with true irony at it's centre.
Give it a chance and think big.
Some classics
twittkamp15 July 2020
Are better left alone. I don't understand why they don't make something new and give it its own name. This is so loosely based on the book, I feel the people behind it read the wiki plot summary and that's it. And even that summary was mostly ignored. Most of what made Brave New World so significant as a work of fiction was lost here.
As a sci fi show it isn't even half bad. If it would stand on its own, I would give it a 7 or 8. But as an adaptation of Brave New World, it's a 3 and that is generous.
As a sci fi show it isn't even half bad. If it would stand on its own, I would give it a 7 or 8. But as an adaptation of Brave New World, it's a 3 and that is generous.
On episode 3 and it's intriguing
Wheredoiknowherfrom16 July 2020
I read the book 20+ years ago, so I didn't totally remember the plot and I can't speak to whether or not the show follows the book plot. I'm sure there's more drama and violence in this show to capture a modern audience's attention. So far it's pretty good! I think when you watch sci-fi, you have to disengage from reality a little bit, sit with the weirdness and discomfort of things different from our familiar world. This world is in the 2500s, a time we can't actually imagine any more than people 500 years ago could imagine 2020 (or covid, but I digress). Obviously people are going to complain, because everyone's a critic and people hate it when you mess with classics, but you can't please everyone. Right now some of the other available shows to watch are a reboot of Unsolved Mysteries or I don't know, Fuller House, just some real schlock. I chose well. This is good. I'm into it.
Better than Average
robert-wagers15 July 2020
All these snotty reviews from supposed literary critics? Yeah, it isn't as good as the novel, but movies rarely are. Yes, the writers changed some of the relationships and really messed up the origins of John Savage and his character. Maybe I don't require much of television. I felt drawn into the story and the characters instantly. The atmosphere was drawn well. I only have watched the pilot, so maybe it gets much worse, but I'll give it a shot.
Needed dystopian sci-fi and less sex.
Mykle_Ykle16 July 2020
I'm on the fence with this show. I have not read the books so I might be wrong. I would've liked if the scope was larger and if there was more sci-fi, politics and universe development. What do the world leaders do? Is this only happening in New London? I understand that promiscuous sex is a big part of the story, but I felt there was a lot of time wasted on sex scenes and soapy love interests.
It's absolutely amazing. AND IT'S MY FAVORITE BOOK
jscholl-876628 August 2020
I read the book. They take creative decisions but it all absolutely works. I was captivated and left feeling "wow." You know that feeling when you finish a tv series or a book or a film and feel like you just had a life experience, you stare at the now black screen for a solid 5 minutes to digest everything, and then there's this emptiness...so you turn to the internet to see what everyone thinks... that's this show..
Honestly, I have no idea wtf these negative reviews are on about. I thought it followed the book pretty closely except for the ending. They took some creative liberties but god dangit I liked it. It really embellished a story that was already incredible. The acting is amazing, the set design is superb.
Just wow.
Honestly, I have no idea wtf these negative reviews are on about. I thought it followed the book pretty closely except for the ending. They took some creative liberties but god dangit I liked it. It really embellished a story that was already incredible. The acting is amazing, the set design is superb.
Just wow.
Not Brave New World
krissa751 December 2020
Fans of the book can happily skip this. It might be loosely based on Aldous Huxley's groundbreaking book but it never manages to have the same impact as it. Making a 9 episode series out of a book that has a little bit over 300 pages, while avoiding the most thought-provoking parts of it, also didn't help.
There are things to like: good actors, the sets are gorgeous and the first three/four episodes are interesting enough.
There are also things to dislike: the writing is not always on point, the subject matter is watered down and after a promising beginning it becomes a soap set in a dystopian future. Especially episodes 6, 7 and 8 are just filler with an abundance of (modest) sex scenes and character development that feels forced.
There are things to like: good actors, the sets are gorgeous and the first three/four episodes are interesting enough.
There are also things to dislike: the writing is not always on point, the subject matter is watered down and after a promising beginning it becomes a soap set in a dystopian future. Especially episodes 6, 7 and 8 are just filler with an abundance of (modest) sex scenes and character development that feels forced.
I love it
play-633-95537118 July 2020
This is great entertainment. It may not be as good as the book but it has me riveted. What can I say. It's kind of soapy and superficial but it has good actors, adventure, drama, romance, visually attractive and a philosophical message.
I don't know why people are so down on it. At this point in my day and the way the world is right now this is perfect.
They kept the names...
addams-bogdan28 December 2022
I loved the background scenery of the show. It really looks as what I would imagine a futuristic city to look like in a SF movie.
Apart from that, at least they kept the names. I'm not that mad about the plot. It seems a bit more dynamic than the book and I understand that some of the changes might have been needed to attract more people, not just the readers of the book.
However, my issue comes from all this political nonsense and feminism activism. They have turned some male characters into female, and they have made Bernard, basically, an idiot, while Lenina--the female, was able to act quickly, save the day, and even emphatize with the people she was conditioned to look down upon.
Holluwood, could you just stop the activism? It's getting really idiotic.
Apart from that, at least they kept the names. I'm not that mad about the plot. It seems a bit more dynamic than the book and I understand that some of the changes might have been needed to attract more people, not just the readers of the book.
However, my issue comes from all this political nonsense and feminism activism. They have turned some male characters into female, and they have made Bernard, basically, an idiot, while Lenina--the female, was able to act quickly, save the day, and even emphatize with the people she was conditioned to look down upon.
Holluwood, could you just stop the activism? It's getting really idiotic.
Excellent Show
drael6416 July 2020
Good production, good acting, great conceptual themes. Pacing is excellent. Sound tracking is excellent. Very binge-able. It's set in the brave new world setting, but its it's own story. Don't expect a re-make of the book.
A bland adaptation where style mostly outweighs substance
BaronVonKolisch16 March 2022
Jessica Brown Findlay stars in this futuristic, alternative reality.
New London has an idealized, fun-seeking outlook, bristling with stylish, space-age architecture, recreational drugs, wild parties and orgies. All pleasurable needs are catered for, provided everyone takes the 'control pill' and abandons all notion of privacy, family, and monogamy. Those things are not permitted.
Of course, as with any society, the forbidden things, no matter how mundane, can become the most enticing. Moreover, there are certain traits written into human DNA that are not easy to erase.
The original story by Huxley can be regarded as a classic, so screen adaptations are both expected and welcome. Yet this one doesn't quite hit the mark, due to a lack of suspense and blandness in the storytelling.
Indeed, aside from the impressive cityscapes and the captivating Miss Brown Findlay, there is little that will live long in the memory. - 7.0/10.
New London has an idealized, fun-seeking outlook, bristling with stylish, space-age architecture, recreational drugs, wild parties and orgies. All pleasurable needs are catered for, provided everyone takes the 'control pill' and abandons all notion of privacy, family, and monogamy. Those things are not permitted.
Of course, as with any society, the forbidden things, no matter how mundane, can become the most enticing. Moreover, there are certain traits written into human DNA that are not easy to erase.
The original story by Huxley can be regarded as a classic, so screen adaptations are both expected and welcome. Yet this one doesn't quite hit the mark, due to a lack of suspense and blandness in the storytelling.
Indeed, aside from the impressive cityscapes and the captivating Miss Brown Findlay, there is little that will live long in the memory. - 7.0/10.
Lighten up and have some soma. Don't be an epsilon.
helghast-133715 July 2020
Brave new world is my favorite fiction book of all time and I've seen many adaptations of different books on the big and small screen. It goes without saying, unless you read the book and never watched another movie or tv show, you might have some issues with the adaptation from the book.
This is set in the books universe (so if you haven't read it you'll be confused. Read the book, not cliff notes) and this is a storyline from the universe of the book. It's not that hard to imagine that nbc wouldn't do a complete 1 to 1 recreation of the book and make an original storyline.
That being said, this is an excellent show. I'm over halfway done binge watching it and sad to see it's only 9 episodes. I'll be honest, I didn't even know they were making this on peacock and only saw it when I downloaded the app and made an account to watch some free episodes. Of course you'll have to sign up for a paid trial to watch all of the episodes but peacock has been worth it for me and I haven't watched one other thing on it yet.
Acting is good, the sets are well done, the storyline is interesting and it really resonates with me personally as I've always imagined what this universe would be like in a film or tv show and I don't have to imagine anymore. A must watch if you're into the book, have an open mind and enjoy entertainment.
P.S. Other than BNW I'm not a fan of fiction in general and choose to read non-fiction and I really don't enjoy the sci-fi genre but I'm hooked on this.
This is set in the books universe (so if you haven't read it you'll be confused. Read the book, not cliff notes) and this is a storyline from the universe of the book. It's not that hard to imagine that nbc wouldn't do a complete 1 to 1 recreation of the book and make an original storyline.
That being said, this is an excellent show. I'm over halfway done binge watching it and sad to see it's only 9 episodes. I'll be honest, I didn't even know they were making this on peacock and only saw it when I downloaded the app and made an account to watch some free episodes. Of course you'll have to sign up for a paid trial to watch all of the episodes but peacock has been worth it for me and I haven't watched one other thing on it yet.
Acting is good, the sets are well done, the storyline is interesting and it really resonates with me personally as I've always imagined what this universe would be like in a film or tv show and I don't have to imagine anymore. A must watch if you're into the book, have an open mind and enjoy entertainment.
P.S. Other than BNW I'm not a fan of fiction in general and choose to read non-fiction and I really don't enjoy the sci-fi genre but I'm hooked on this.
Ignore the snobs.
durham10017 July 2020
Yes it is different from the pretty good novel but in truth, the novel was quite dialogue based and transferred verbatim to the screen probably would have made for quite slow viewing. So the writers took libertys and used their imagination - I am only 3 in so don't know as yet if the final destination is the same as the novel - so just accept that and watch the series for what it is.
The sets are fine, the acting very good and overall the plot is tidy and neat. Harry Lloyd is excellent as Bernard and pretty much exactly how I pictured him in my head when I read the book, he certainly does seem to have had some extra alcohol added!
Just give it a go, no need to listen to the people who say it is a desecration, make up your own minds and you may find it a little gem.
Finally, I have to say, and who knows if it is PC in our own strange new world to say it, that as well as being a fine actress, Jessica Brown Findlay is stunningly beautiful, an Alpha ++++ which equates to a modern day 9.9, oozes charisma and if she isn't destined for big screen stardom then there is something wrong with the industry!
Brilliant Novel Will Last 100 years, This will be forgotten by Christmas
aphro-1824018 August 2020
The novel has stood the test of time with it's amazing depiction of a future where all are happy and have purpose within a cast system. No families, no parenting, and the conditioning, cloning and genetic manipulation of people and children. One of the book's great thought provocations is that despite The Brave New World going against all our 'Savage' instincts, it's the Brave new World that wins and cannot be argued against as a better way forward for society and people for their welfare and happiness. This adaptation ignores the whole point of the book including that dilemma and turns it into a badly scripted Logan's Run, but not as good. This series is a typical Hollywood caper where the great free capitalist ways win through revolution against an evil dystopia. it's better to be free to feel sadness and love than ignorantly happy and without worry. The characters have changed from the book into more stereotypical film and TV drama characters. Their flaws and the frustration that the reader felt towards them which made them interesting has gone out the window.
I read the book this summer and greatly anticipated this drama. It's not all bad as a piece of TV, and as a Sci-Fi drama OK, but this would have been better to leave the novel and it's characters alone and make it only loosely based on BNW. This is not a reflection of the book at all, so as a consequence will not stand the test of time.
Yall need some of theme orange pills
sara-578-67956518 July 2020
not bad
Headturner116 July 2020
I've never read the book but people quit getting bent out of shape when movies/shows aren't the exact same. Stephen King is a prime example of that! I almost turned it off 1 episode in. I was like ooh the Americans are red neck trailer trash and Britts are posh and awesome but something kept me watching. The orgy scenes were ridiculous and some of the effects looked like 80's but I don't know I started digging it. I read a mention of Demi Moore and was like ( wth she wasn't in it). I guess she was Linda so kudos to her I haven't seen her in anything in ages and would not even have known of I didn't see it mentioned her. Yes it is cheezy and I kept thinking as it's set in a utopian world it could have looked more new age not 80's like effects but all and all it was a decent watch ( didn't feel like searching for something ( could have had a more clear cut story line etc) but was a decent watch for the night. finished all episodes.
Well, they've ruined everything
menny-7386517 July 2020
Each episode it gets more and more detached from the novel. But this is not the main problem. I don't mind that some adaptations are taking another direction from the source. The main issue with this mini series, is that the main concept is just literally gone.
Instead of telling a story of an individual fighting against a dystopic society, it becomes a generic cliché of a romantic love story like any other show. John is supposed to be an intellectual human being, fond of Shakespeare, a noble savage. Instead, in this show, he is just another angry dude who falls in love with a pretty girl. Dialogs are sometimes good, and sometimes bad. there are some good moments.
I would like to emphasize again, that i don't mind the fit into the new era, and some changes are understandable. The problem is that it always looks the same. The main core of the book's atmosphere and idea is gone.
Big disappointment.
Instead of telling a story of an individual fighting against a dystopic society, it becomes a generic cliché of a romantic love story like any other show. John is supposed to be an intellectual human being, fond of Shakespeare, a noble savage. Instead, in this show, he is just another angry dude who falls in love with a pretty girl. Dialogs are sometimes good, and sometimes bad. there are some good moments.
I would like to emphasize again, that i don't mind the fit into the new era, and some changes are understandable. The problem is that it always looks the same. The main core of the book's atmosphere and idea is gone.
Big disappointment.
quite good if you can put the book out of your head
cherold14 September 2020
When I was a college film student I used to think about how I would film Brave New World, which is to say I have a vision for it. Part of that vision would involve actually following the structure, plot, and character development of the original, as opposed to what this miniseries does, which is to take the character names and a handful of loose concepts and turn them into an entirely different story that is more World World than Brave New World.
The story involves a futuristic caste society where a couple of high-caste citizens go slumming and wind up adopting an angry young man who proves incompatible with the society. There's lots shootings and stabbings and orgies and some mystery involving the society's origins.
So, not the book.
I read a review which complained that Brave New World was not a good entity for 2020. This may be true for the book, which was based on the idea that technology could be effectively used to make most people happy and that people in power would actually do that. But in an age where we're seeing the limits and dangers of technology, this adaptation smartly grabs the worries of today and plugs them into this story from yesterday.
Unfortunately the makers don't design their society with the same rigor as Aldous Huxley. The idea that this entire city could basically be run on drugs is unpersuasive. The concept of the Savage Lands makes no sense, in that the people there didn't choose to be there and there's no explanation of how society was bifurcated in that way.
Still, it's all really interesting and admittedly much more viscerally exciting than the book (although less intellectually exciting).
The cast is good and the story is compelling. The final episode is the least satisfying part, giving us a rather nonsensical ending and then a mysterious box that I feel if there is a season 2 to explain it will prove to be a disappointment. But in spite of its flaws, and my constant sense that wait, *that's* not how it happened in the book, I recommend this.
The story involves a futuristic caste society where a couple of high-caste citizens go slumming and wind up adopting an angry young man who proves incompatible with the society. There's lots shootings and stabbings and orgies and some mystery involving the society's origins.
So, not the book.
I read a review which complained that Brave New World was not a good entity for 2020. This may be true for the book, which was based on the idea that technology could be effectively used to make most people happy and that people in power would actually do that. But in an age where we're seeing the limits and dangers of technology, this adaptation smartly grabs the worries of today and plugs them into this story from yesterday.
Unfortunately the makers don't design their society with the same rigor as Aldous Huxley. The idea that this entire city could basically be run on drugs is unpersuasive. The concept of the Savage Lands makes no sense, in that the people there didn't choose to be there and there's no explanation of how society was bifurcated in that way.
Still, it's all really interesting and admittedly much more viscerally exciting than the book (although less intellectually exciting).
The cast is good and the story is compelling. The final episode is the least satisfying part, giving us a rather nonsensical ending and then a mysterious box that I feel if there is a season 2 to explain it will prove to be a disappointment. But in spite of its flaws, and my constant sense that wait, *that's* not how it happened in the book, I recommend this.
Treading Bland New Water
owen-watts17 September 2020
I feel there was another, cooler version of this show that never got to see the light of day, there are glimpses of it here but only very small ones. The earnest Gamma that gleefully makes pies for John, a random joyful cameo from Rich Hall of all people, and that beautiful overgrown and flooded ruin of London on which the concrete metropolis is built...
Unfortunately the majority of the show feels flaccid and undercooked - characters drift in and out, or sometimes just meander in strange narrative circles and the central trio have the bland and faintly melodramatic air of a teen romance. Lloyd is excellent as the manically repressed Bernard Marx and Joseph Morgan does a good bruised Epsilon but nobody else really shines here as they don't have a lot to work with.
There are obviously things that you can't bring in from the source text, but a shedload of snarky darkness would have been nice, and the reality of a show set in a shallow and facile future is that... well it feels mostly shallow and facile. The foolish and myriad endings didn't help as well, and summoned up bad memories of the misguided "Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams" which seemed to loudly shout at the end of every episode "IT WASN'T BROKE BUT I'VE FIXED IT ANYWAY!"
Unfortunately the majority of the show feels flaccid and undercooked - characters drift in and out, or sometimes just meander in strange narrative circles and the central trio have the bland and faintly melodramatic air of a teen romance. Lloyd is excellent as the manically repressed Bernard Marx and Joseph Morgan does a good bruised Epsilon but nobody else really shines here as they don't have a lot to work with.
There are obviously things that you can't bring in from the source text, but a shedload of snarky darkness would have been nice, and the reality of a show set in a shallow and facile future is that... well it feels mostly shallow and facile. The foolish and myriad endings didn't help as well, and summoned up bad memories of the misguided "Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams" which seemed to loudly shout at the end of every episode "IT WASN'T BROKE BUT I'VE FIXED IT ANYWAY!"
See also
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