TV review: The Nevers
Alternative worlds are fun to play with. Funnily enough, there is a world where sci-fi drama The Nevers is the hottest ticket in town.
HBO must have thought it hit the jackpot in its never-ending quest to find the new Game Of Thrones.
But then series creator Joss Whedon had a number of accusations levelled at him, and while he has stepped away from the series, anticipation has been tainted.
In theory, it has all the right ingredients: An alternative Victorian London of 1896 where, after an event three years prior, some people - mostly young women - have manifested special abilities.
A small group have teamed up and are in the process of gathering more Touched people at a wealthy socialite's orphanage.
So yes, this has not only elements of the later seasons of Whedon's greatest hit Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but also strong shades of a Victorian X-Men.
We barrel through activities with our protagonists Amalia True (Laura Donnelly) and Penance Adair (Ann Skelly).
The stern Amalia can see blips of the future and is incredibly adept at fighting, while the wide-eyed Penance can channel electricity and makes amazing gadgets, such as the world's first electric car.
These aspects are all fun, but the first couple of episodes (both directed by Whedon) throw so many characters in and set up so many threads that it is easy to lose your bearings.
Some key characters are introduced but not all of them are given anything of significance to say. You hope that some will come to light further into the show.
Some are interesting, such as Pip Torrens' Lord Massen, who while outwardly is part of the fusty patriarchy and outraged that girls of all people are the ones granted special powers, he does have more to his character, especially when it becomes clear why he is wary of the Touched.
While many will argue that The Nevers is merely a mash-up of genres, these are genres we have not seen for some time and the show has the right energy to be fun. It could be that while Whedon put the ingredients together, he was not the best person to realise the vision.
If The Nevers does get to continue, having someone else in charge could be the special power it really needs.
THE NEVERS (M18)
Showing Mondays 9am on HBO Go and HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601/Singtel TV Ch 420)
Score: 2.5/5
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