"Utopia" Episode #2.4 (TV Episode 2014) Poster

(TV Series)

(2014)

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9/10
Approaching the start of Project Janus
Tweekums31 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
As this episode opens an American receives a phone call from an English woman; he then drives to a remote location and retrieves a canister… he then returns home and shoots his wife and children before killing himself. We later learn that this is the opening phase of Project Janus; the canister he retrieved, along with four others around the world, will be used to release Russian Flu into the population, at which point everybody will be clamouring for the vaccine.

Having discovered Anton's real identity Becky and Grant try to figure out what language he is speaking and when they do learn they get a translator and learn that Janus could be even worse than they feared. Meanwhile Milner is doing everything she can to find Milner and Wilson will have to have to kill to prove how loyal he is to her cause.

As this series enters its second half plot continues to thicken. The opening scene immediately grabbed my attention; leaving me wondering just what the man was up to and why he killed his family. The explanation comes later but not too soon. As Project Janus nears its start the tension is rising as is the sense of danger… especially now Arby has returned to his old job of killing people. Quite a few people get killed this week; mostly being shot… and there is no shying away from showing blood spray! It isn't all doom and gloom though; the translator Becky employs provides some laughs. It was good to learn how Janus is to be initiated; now we just have to find out whether the gang will be able to stop it in the next two episodes or whether we'll have to wait for a third series.
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9/10
Back to full power, perhaps the best episode in season 2
A_Different_Drummer15 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I have reviewed on IMDb the series and several episodes. My position was (and still is) that Season 2 seems a little disconnected (especially the wildly odd first episode) in that you sense that the production company was not entirely sure there would even be a season 2 when they did season 1, so, having nothing to lose, they pulled out all the stops in season 1.

See? That is not a criticism. It's actually a compliment. The only drawback is that, in this season, having already put the pedal to the metal, it was awkward getting back to full speed, creating the space for the original characters from the first season to reprise the same level of mixed suspense, sci-fi and sheer unpredictability.

But here is episode 4 they have done it. You know that Utopia is in full flight when you realize that even people who have never seen a earlier episode could not help but be captivated.

I am reminded of the sci fi phenom THE CUBE where it quickly became clear that no one was going to beat the Cube, it was a plot device that could not be touched. The entertainment was in watching the characters deal with it.

Same here. And very entertaining it is.
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10/10
Shame on you.
kikkapi205 August 2014
Utopia is probably one of the best looking things to ever come out of British Television. Channel 4 have been leading the way (and the others are now following) in making TV shows that look great and will look great in 10 or 20 years time by using the right cameras and post production/editing/mixing/soundtrack and all the benefits and uses of modern technology and having directors that are talented do their drama and comedy. The other stations are getting better and better but still just playing catch up and not using more visually adventurous directors. The money and time put into stuff like Fresh Meat (which is just fantastic for a comedy drama cast, actors, direction/visuals) which started around the period Channel 4 really began to focus on this would have been unthinkable even 5 years ago.

Another point: IMDb coverage for this show is awful! They don't even have the poster of the show. No synopsis, nothing. It's not fair because in terms of quality and level of addictiveness, Utopia deserves "way much better". David Fincher plus $$$$$$: that's why the "Great America" ignore this real gem. SHAME ON YOU!
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