Raised by Wolves Review: Raised by Wolves (Season 1 Episode 1)

A new world should be cause for celebration, but on Raised by Wolves Season 1 Episode 1, “Raised by Wolves,” it becomes an expansive tomb for a war long thought left behind.

The idea of belief becomes the central theme of the pilot, as each character finds themselves at the end of their faith. While both Mother and Father may not ascribe to faith as a concept, it becomes clear that it’s baked into them, with how Mother reacts with burying the second-to-last of her children.

The overload is her grief, that shaking of her faith now that her mission is down to a single boy in Campion. Her own faith is tied to the prime directive, the ideal of starting over a new civilization with children who will grow into leaders. But the harsh environment has other ideas, and it’s fascinating to see how both Mother and Father react to it differently.

Mother may be more zealot than the Mithraic are with their own, how fiercely she defends this. In comparison with Father, it’s a vast difference: Father is more accepting and open with his views, as he allows Campion to pray and sees Campion’s survival as paramount while Mother sees protection as the bigger foundation.

What begins as a hopeful, optimistic beginning on Kepler 22b gradually descends into hopelessness, even for the two androids at the helm. The descent into despair is quick but effective, as each pillar becomes a significant loss to their mission.

The mention of there being a significance to the number five is curious, especially with the loss of five children, Campion being their sole survivor. Will we learn more about this significance, and is it at odds with the Mithraic’s own beliefs?

The pilot smartly builds itself into a near-impossible dilemma: neither side is particularly virtuous, as Mother lies and murders to keep their life as intact as possible, and Marcus, the main warrior who visits their colony, resorts to his own lies and attempt at murder to steal Campion away.

Campion is essentially torn between both factions, even if Mother has torn down their grand Ark. Marcus is still alive and well, and there’s mention of two other teams elsewhere on the planet. If there are also survivors from the ship, there’s going to be a sizable battle ahead for Mother.

But as we see during her reign of terror, Mother is an incredibly formidable foe.

Campion being regarded as the potential answer to a prophecy is a curious wrinkle, and it will be interesting if this becomes the main thrust of the story: Mother trying to save Campion from zealotry while the zealotry may be the only answer to the crushing lonesomeness that comes with Kepler 22b.

There’s also the curiosity of Father, who has been “taken down” by Mother. Is he truly gone, or will he be brought back as an extra defense against these new enemies? It will be curious if Mother will tamper with his memories, or if he chooses to join her on her crusade against the enemy.

Or perhaps he truly is gone, which is a shame. Abubakar Salim is great here.

The divide between humans and androids has, by all intents and purposes, devolved. The warriors and cleric who come to visit Mother and Campion are cold and clinical about their business, while Mother, in contrast, is overloading and filled with emotion and grief as she loses each of her flock.

It’s well-trodden ground, androids holding more emotion than their human counterparts, but it’s done in an elegant way here by shrouding the larger whole of humanity behind the warrior-driven scouts. Perhaps there are humans with more humanity to discover, but for now, they appear rather distant.

The worldbuilding within this first episode is engaging and intriguing, with hints toward something greater. But it’s still rather vague, which can be a good thing and a bad thing. We’re not inundated with information, which is nice, but everything still feels a little bare. It’s likely on purpose, fortunately.

The vision Mother experiences, either a dream or a memory from before, shows of a great war and endless destruction, likely the one between those of scientific belief and those of religious intent.

In terms of the capabilities of the androids, it’s a smart choice to slowly reveal their power. Mother exclaims that she is just as surprised by her ability to manipulate her image for Campion’s sake, but it’s the assault on the Mithraic ship that shows she’s only just beginning.

Her screaming power is something like X-Men’s Banshee on steroids, completely dismantling victims into strands of blood. It’s one of the key striking images of the episode, and there may be levels to the power, as evidenced by the boils on the first two men’s faces at the homestead.

There’s also something quite eerie with the floating image of a bronze-like android that keeps on coming, almost Terminator-like in her resolve.

Now that the Ark’s children are under Mother’s protection, will it become a rescue mission? The remaining members won’t take this massive tragedy well, to say the least. It’s also quite possible they come to enjoy their new lives, though after being taught a certain way for so long, that may be doubtful.

The production manages to take great advantage of its farmstead location, as it can feel warm and positive during one scene, and empty and desolate the next as the harsh conditions grow worse. The large pit and large, creepy bone remains help add to the scale, and only makes the imagination go wild at the hopes of these creatures returning as something akin to the sandworms of Dune.

One of its most impressive visuals is the destruction of the main ship, with its gorgeous purples and blues. Hopefully the show keeps up its impressive flair, and the good news is the second episode is also directed by Ridley Scott, who does a wonderful job here.

As the start of a large science fiction story, Raised by Wolves has begun a massive undertaking. An expansive story on a foreign planet and with two warring sides trapped is going to be tough to sustain, but this episode is a fantastic start. This is the kind of philosophical speculative storytelling we need more of.

 

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Raised by Wolves streams Thursdays on HBO Max.

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