TV REVIEW: See, Season 1

Apple TV has taken some interesting risks with its genre projects, and See is one of the more promising ones. The concept of a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has blinded all of humanity takes on some disturbing overtones, especially in light of recent news. It also is an idea that requires some careful execution in getting story elements just right. However, when written by the creator of Peaky Blinders, directed by Francis Lawrence of Hunger Games fame, and led by an action star like Jason Momoa, the potential shines through.

Although there are execution flaws, the first season of See delivers some good characterization, strong performances, and an intriguing new setting. There“s no actor currently working that is a better fit for a post-apocalyptic barbarian hero than Jason Momoa. He“s made a career of playing barbarians since Game of Thrones, and even his take on Aquaman is defined by Momoa“s imposing screen presence and rugged charisma. That carries through on See, where he plays Baba Voss, the family patriarch and tribal leader. He“s always entertaining to watch, especially during action scenes, where Momoa pulls off some visually impressive blind-fighting sequences. However, Momoa also conveys Voss as a caring father who must guide his two sighted adopted children, and this softens the harder, darker elements of Voss“s character. I ended up liking Voss by the end, both because of Momoa“s performance and some solid, character-driven scriptwriting.

The remaining cast deliver some largely solid performances, though there are some standouts. Easily the best actress among them is Alfre Woodard, perhaps best known to genre fans from Star Trek: First Contact. However, even the less recognizable figures generally succeed in their roles, especially Hera Hilmar as Voss“s wife Maghra. I also quite liked the character of Tamacti Jun, the Witchfinder General, who plays the main antagonist for most of the first season; Christian Camargo pulls off a strong, subtle performance that shows deep growth. Sylvia Hoeks is delightfully mad as Queen Kane, who ended up being my most hated villain on the show. However, Hoeks gives her character some layered emotion beneath the destructive, Caligula-like insanity of the Queen. The show must also be credited for using blind actors in the series, adding both credibility and diversity to the project.

The writing suffers from some inconsistencies, though it generally recovers from these problems by the season finale. While most of the episodes are at least solidly written, the show sometimes struggles with the blindness aspect, especially during the midseason turn. Sometimes these issues are nitpicks, such as blind soldiers wearing war paint (which no one could see and would therefore be pointless). At other times, they“re noticeable and glaringly bad. In one instance, the villains not only inexplicably know that Voss“s family is taking a boat downriver, but also can accurately kill one of Voss“s followers on the boat, all with no sensory clues and no explanation. There is another instance of a major character leaving a city on a horse-drawn carriage, even though no one would be able to see well enough to drive the horses. These are points that I hope will be improved in Season 2, since these kinds of issues take the viewer out of the narrative.

Usually, the storytelling is good enough to forgive the logical problems. The dynamics between Voss and his family are the core of the show, and all these characters are quite likable. The thematic idea of sight is used quite well, and the struggle between reason and faith is presented reasonably. There are also moments where the show builds suspense by showing the viewer dangers that the blind heroes cannot see, and some of them are clever moments when they land.

As of this writing, Season 2 is on its way, and this is a good thing. The worldbuilding is somewhat clunky and there are some midseason logical problems, but otherwise, See is off to a promising start. The ending leaves room for more, and I look forward to seeing Voss and his sighted family explore this unsighted world.

Score: 4/5

Executive Producers: Steven Knight, Francis Lawrence, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Kristen Campo

Starring: Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, Sylvia Hoeks, Hera Hilmar

Author Profile

Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).