In the year 2164, the assassination of a popular political candidate will create an opportunity for a failed comedian to seek to become the Empathy party's nominee for President of the United States, and he will choose a genetically modified, super-intelligent, opium-addicted parrot as his running mate.
Be aware, this show is disturbing, and despite the presence of talking parrots, it is not written for children.
The Disposable Soma - the brainchild of writer/filmmaker Zeb Haradon - began life as a series of books. Now, by utilising a variety of A.I. tools to generate the imagery and some sound, he has adapted his tale of our depraved and drug-addled future into a streaming series. Which brings us to an interesting question regarding the use of A.I. in filmmaking - a controversial subject, to say the least - and whether it's ever ok to use it. Is it acceptable in this case because Haradon is using it to share his own original idea through a different medium? Given that he has been upfront and honest about his methods, I am inclined to think so.
I am no expert when it comes to technology, and have absolutely no idea how any of the software Haradon lists in the credits works. But anyone fearing the rise of Skynet - or any other rogue Artificial Intelligence, for that matter - may find some relief in the rather freaky imagery contained within The Disposable Soma. If this show is anything to go by, we probably have a few more years before the A.I. is actually capable of taking over Hollywood, let alone enslaving or destroying the human race. More alarming, however, is the suggestion that ChatGPT's great grandchildren could find work in journalism.
Watching these mind-bending images blur, shift and transform can feel like a bad acid trip. It's oddly reminiscent of early South Park. Strange, and sometimes vulgar imagery animated in ways that are not necessarily poor, but certainly unconventional. Like seeing a man writing a letter, only the pen is wiggling in his still hand, a person drinking from a bottle that looks to be part of their face, or a morgue technician speaking through his chin rather than his mouth. On the bright side it perfectly adds to the freakishness of this increasingly weird story, but it can at times be a little distracting, while their nightmarish nature could make sleep an interesting challenge for a little while.
Something the music of the 22nd century doesn't help with either. I can say without hesitation that 'Birdsong' is like nails on a chalk board. But I guess if you bring someone who lived around 140 years ago into the present day, they wouldn't be impressed by our musical stylings either. It would seem that much like with the imagery, the A.I. hasn't exactly mastered sound, with some rather wooden sounding background characters. That said, this does make some of the protagonists stand out, with their activities and the voice work behind them proving rather engaging. Arthur, the protagonist of the first episode, and the man responsible for setting this strange tale in motion, being a particular standout.
Despite all of the freakish imagery and the curious sounds, The Disposable Soma is a strangely compelling tale of life, politics and recreational drugs in the 22nd century. Even if at times it can feel like Haradon is going out of his way to be as weird as possible. The first episode catapults you into the craziness, but it's only a taste of what's to come as we hit the campaign trail with the unlikeliest of candidates. And yet, the show also happens to be strangely believable, as it raises questions about the decline and depravity of the human race, and more so politicians. Are we becoming more depraved, or are we simply less inclined to hide it? The Disposable Soma would certainly suggest the latter.
As an experiment in filmmaking The Disposable Soma is both interesting and bizarre. The freakish imagery is also oddly reassuring, as it would appear that the A.I. uprising might still be a few years off. But if you want to see what the current generation of technology is capable of, or are looking for an alternative sci-fi/political drama, this might be just the show for you. Although with only four of the proposed nine episodes in season one available, you might have to wait a while to see how it ends.
6.5/10
Episodes 1-4 (of 9) of The Disposable Soma are available to view on YouTube. Click here to find them.
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