KAOS Review

Netflix's latest hit show presents us with a juicy Greek Mythology mash-up.

Viewers have once again been flocking to the streaming service to consume the latest epic: KAOS, a show about self-indulgent Greek Gods, a nail-biting journey through the underworld and a curious prophecy that could change the face of modern Greece. That's right folks– in this series, contemporary Greece hold the same beliefs their ancestors did, and things... well, things get Kaotic.

Jeff Goldblum stars as the brutal and self-loving Zues, Janet McTeer as his wife Hera. David Thewlis is Hades; Billie Piper is a mysterious prophet and Eddie Izzard is a quick-witted Fate. This is just a few big names. The acting is captivating and, like the plot, drives the multiple threads of this world-changing story together.

We follow the perspectives of four humans. One dies (at the beginning– no spoilers, don't worry!) and uncovers the mysteries of the underworld and where people truly go when they die. Another sets out to bring said human back from the dead. The third grapples with how and why they died, and the fourth pursues the secrets her family is keeping in the labyrinth beneath their home... This is an entertaining, thrilling and often hilarious journey– we sit on the edge of our seats wrapping our heads around how everything fits together.

If you haven't already figured out, KAOS is one of those shows where everything is connected; everything links to myth and legend and history. Gods are brutal forces that threaten to end humanity if their feet aren't kissed. Blasphemers are severely punished. Stakes are at their highest. Whilst we are yet to know if another series is on the way, we're left on a cliffhanger, so can only cross our fingers that writers continue to explore the far corners of other Greek myths, further deepening an already rich world. A world, I should add, that's both fiction and reality. Both beautiful and dangerous.

Whilst, on the surface, the premise of KAOS is extraordinarily niche and would seemingly only appeal to Greek Mythology nerds and historians, the show appeals to both young and old, knowledgeable and novice, thanks to the modernisation of characters and political ideas presented in the series, not to mention the use of dark and dry humour to fill in the gaps. The back entrance to the underworld isn't a mystical gate, but a dumpster. Zeus and Hera don't spy on the mortals through a swirling portal, but a TV screen. And whilst we assume Poseidon lives in an underwater temple, he's in fact living a lavish life on a yacht off the coast of Crete. These immortals can, at first, be seen as flat antagonists, but as we learn more about their past and their family connections, and how they've been nurtured to be both their own enemies and 'saviours' of mankind, they become less myth and legend, and more three-dimensional.

There are also some interesting stylistic and cinematography choices that have been made to heighten the kaotic experience for viewers. For example, the underworld is captured entirely in black and white to distinguish it from the mortal world. Humour is often very visual: Dionysus – the party-animal god – is first presented to us at a raving, light-strobing nightclub. And awkward moments between characters are dramatised with backstories that slant the original myth– such as Persephone admitting that she was 'never enslaved or raped by Hades' as the myths suggest, which is followed by her telling her Greek God company – who are suffering the tension as they anticipate Zeus's arrival – about what's in her sandwich. 'Bree.'

The only thing that hinders this otherwise hugely intriguing odyssey is our narrator. Prometheus (the dude who tricked Zeus, stole fire and gave it to the humans and is hanging from a cliff face whilst having his innards picked out by an eagle for the majority of the episodes) is our trusty narrator. His breaking of the fourth wall (especially during conversations with Zeus) is very humourous if not a little repetitive. But at times it feels like Prometheus exists wholly to help us along and cradle us in case we get confused. He's a unique narrator, but the show wouldn't struggle without him. Viewers are intelligent enough to work out how events are connected when they're presented in an already very visual manner, chronologically and in a meaningful way. It's a tricky one– the show wouldn't be injured with the loss of Prometheus's narrative, but equally, his character and humour are enjoyable to engage with. Either way, viewers needn't be spoon-fed.

But at the end of the day, when we sit back and look at KAOS for its strengths, it comes out on top for being a hugely original and powerful piece of television. We can only hope that there's more to come.

9/10 Pomegranates

A Must Watch