Episode Guide
The Test – | Review Score = 4/5 Soulmate – | Review Score = 3.5/5 Troubles – | Review Score = 4/5 Crisis – | Review Score = 4/5 Betrayal – | Review Score = 4/5 Separation – | Review Score = 4.5/5 Redemption – | Review Score = 3.5/5 Rebirth – | Review Score = 3.5/5 There will inevitably be comparisons made here to Black Mirror and in particular, the episode Hang The DJ. In many ways, it would be unfair to judge Osmosis too harshly by this but it also feels like a hybrid between fellow Netflix Original The 3% and the aforementioned Black Mirror episode. The series itself revolves around a revolutionary new technology being developed by a company called Osmosis. Through an implant and a handy AI assistant, this piece of tech takes the guesswork out of love and let’s you see your soul mate in your mind’s eye. This controversial new breakthrough ultimately splits public opinion, resulting in plenty of ensuing tensions for the episodes ahead. With the background for the main plot established, the main story sees brother and sister, Paul and Esther, fronting the company and taking on 12 candidates to test the implant before it’s released to the general public. As the board work to remove Paul from his position and Esther conducts her own secret agenda with her Mum, the story branches in two, with an equal focus on the test candidates and the ones in charge. Stylistically, Osmosis sticks closely to its near-future aesthetic. With multiple neon-lit locales and subtle futuristic upgrades to the city itself, Osmosis does really well to make you feel part of this cyber-world. It’s not a stretch to imagine our dependence on technology taken to the next level through the use of augmented and virtual reality scenarios either. This throws some really interesting and thought provoking questions into the mix, subconsciously pointing at dating apps and numerous other ways of finding love scientifically and asking if this really is the way forward in finding love. Osmosis is a really thrilling sci-fi trip, one asking some big questions around love and relationships while delivering a well written story full of twists and turns along the way. While it will inevitably be compared to Black Mirror, Osmosis does just enough to avoid falling into that category, with some decent characterisation and an aesthetically pleasing style for good measure. With our increasing dependence on technology, Osmosis asks an important question – can we rely on technology alone to find true love?
