'Raised by Wolves' Preview: How will the series fare despite using 'repopulating Earth' trope from hit shows?
The upcoming sci-fi TV series titled 'Raised By Wolves' is said to be centered around two droids that are given the task to raise human children on a "virgin planet" with one premise that could probably seem less familiar than other productions with the same plotline.
In this series, apparently, "religious differences" seem to be a battle the androids weren't ready for as the synopsis says that they "learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task." If you're into sci-fi, productions such as 'I am Mother' or even subtly 'The 100' may come to mind - so we're wondering how 'Raised By Wolves' will fair compared to many other productions that have already recycled the "repopulation" of Earth plotline.
With androids at the center of attention, we're obviously expecting violence, enemies and even some sort of war, which as we said, is too familiar. The trailer is yet another re-told story, and to be honest, we're not expecting too much uniqueness out of the show. The series' incorporation sci-fi into the theme of repopulation of the earth seems to sound like a drag, but can also entice many fans of the genre.
The trailer shows us a sneak peek of how Mother (Amanda Collin) seems to be a creepy droid with blank kindness explaining to children that the earth has been destroyed by a "great" war and that she was "programmed" to protect them. Oddly enough, and definitely expected of course (because how else do you repopulate Earth in a sci-fi original), we see human embryos being grown into children using science and technology.
Questions such as how will Mother be able to give her authentic and undeterred attention to masses of kids arise, but the trailer quickly gives Mother an empathetic side as she asks the kids if they know the age-old tale of the "three little pigs". That is a definite metaphor though - watch the trailer below to see what we mean. While of course there is a complete possibility that the series will be gripping, we find it hard to presume that it would fair well after hits such as 'The 100' where the Sci-fi integration was an absolute genius. It is to be noted though that 'The 100' wasn't solely about repopulating the Earth, but they did take that theme and expanded it into a series where audiences became invested not only in the characters but also in this 'imagined future' storyline. We have to say, it's a tough act to follow. Not to mention, 'I am Mother' follows the literal storyline of 'Raised By Wolves' where a young girl is raised by a robot to repopulate Earth, and then a stranger arrives. We won't give too much away, as watching both the above productions is definitely worth it.
While it's hard to tell from a trailer that foreshadows obscure powers, a "big bad wolf", gruesome attacks and bloody messes, if the series will be able to hold its ground. It can be said that it is indeed alluring. Who is Mother? Who is the bad guy? What type of religious boundaries do each of the sides have? We're expecting a war of religious beliefs, explicitly because of the synopsis, but the trailer doesn't hit too much of that.
In this generation where audiences expect sci-fi fiction to soar above expectations, we're not sure 'Raised by Wolves' will be able to make it's unique mark simply because it's a recycled narrative. Although, it is important to note that the trailer didn't reveal too much of what makes this series different from the others. It's almost disheartening to see the theme of "repopulation" on strange planets continue to be the premise of many sci-fi shows, but being given a glimpse of an imagined future is a great hook for many audiences. The religious aspect — we're hoping atheism is explored — seems to be what's going to hold this narrative together, and we can only hope even though it's hard following productions that have aced this exact theme, that the series is able to hold some ground.
Catch series premiere will debut on September 3, 2020, on HBO Max. Watch the trailer below.