'The Society': Helena's role as a religious leader has the potential to be exploited further in season 2
There is a lot of chaos on Netflix's young adult mystery show 'The Society'. It begins with a bunch of rich, well-to-do teenagers being transported to a facsimile of their posh New England town and left to survive without their parents. This leads to a lot of disorder as they struggle to figure out what has happened to them, how they got here and if there is any way they can get back home to West Ham, their hometown.
Amidst this chaotic conflict, however, there is some solace in the sermons conducted by Helena, played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo, the most religious person from among all the teenagers in New Ham. At the beginning of the series, we were trying really hard to figure out if Helena is a friend or a foe – while she was on board with several of Cassandra (played by Rachel Keller) and Allie Pressman's (played by Kathryn Newton) ideas and policies for the town, she wasn't quite so sure about others, specifically gun control.
But 'The Society' is one young adult series (honestly, we don't know why the show is described as a young adult series considering how it delves much deeper into issues ailing teenagers than your average young adult) that explores religion by subtly weaving it into the context of the town.
Creator Christopher Keyser does so with Helena's character. She becomes the religious leader, in a manner of speaking because there is no one else to take up that vacancy in New Ham following the death of Emily (Chloë Levine). At first, Helena is hesitant to take over the role because she thinks she can't do it. But it all comes around rather fluidly as Helena continues with her sermons and offering those who come to the church looking for solace.
In an interview, Bordizzo explains that at this point, Helena's faith is less about her dedication to God but about keeping the people around her secure. "I think it became less about God and more about keeping that group calm and hopeful for the future because there is no hope, and I think that's what causes people to party, to take drugs, have sex, go wild, and she's like, 'We should just stay calm and take care of each other.'"
"She uses the church as a vehicle to inspire that message. Instead of talking about God, she's talking about things in a place of faith, and just camaraderie and bringing everyone together," she adds. Her role transcends through the episodes as she gets more and more involved with the politics of the new society, which has us wondering if the second season will see her move out of the role of a preacher and grow into the role of a politician – well, where have we not seen this happening? It is a complete possibility.
Add to that the fact that she still doesn't know that Luke has lied to her. Helena may be the calming force of the group, but what will happen once she discovers that Luke is lying to her about Allie and Will's arrest (Jacques Colimon). "I think she's kind of staying calm the whole of season one," she says. "That's going to reach a breaking point, I think. She was kind of getting there towards the end of season one, but I want her to snap for season two because I think that would be fun."
Well, this tells us that Helena could have more than a sermonizer's role on 'The Society' and that there is a possibility that the show might be returning for season 2.
