A Beautifully Written Conclusion To 2015’s Mind-Bending Hit
It was always going to be difficult for Sense8 to recapture what made it’s first 2 seasons so enthralling and captivating after a 2 year hiatus. Following Netflix unceremoniously dropping the show due to budget restraints a year ago, fan backlash and constant speculation led to Netflix announcing a final episode to bring a definitive end to 2015’s surprise mind-bending hit. Picking up right where it left off, this action-packed emotional finale is well worth the wait. With almost every cast member, both main and supporting, reprising their roles for this 2 hour 30 minute finale, this truly feels like a worthy ending to this visually pleasing, interesting sci-fi series. The story wastes no time getting right to the heart of the plot line that gripped large parts of its previous 11 episodes, steamrolling forward in an episode chock full of action-packed thrills and a satisfying, conclusive end for almost every character. Those expecting a lengthy “previously on” after its long absence will certainly be disappointed and those a little fuzzy with the plot points from Season 2 should probably go back and re-watch this as the story is heavily influenced by what’s come before. In its simplest form, Wolfgang is held captive and the remaining Sensates all convene to the beautiful city of love, Paris, to mount one last mission to save him, destroy Whispers and stop the men hunting the senates for good. With so much going on in this finale it would have been easy for the Wachowskis to offset the balance between individual characters and their subplots with the important main plot line but Sense8 absolutely nails it. Every explosive action set piece, every emotionally driven musical montage and character reunion really does feel like Sense8 which is quite remarkable, given the time between producing this and the previous episode. Sense8 has always been at its strongest when it lets its colourful cluster of characters blossom and although at times the plot feels a little convoluted and quick paced, it’s understandable given the plethora of characters Sense8 has to deal with and give a rounded arc to. The only real casualty to this is Capheus whose a little too comedic here, losing some of the vulnerability we experienced during his political campaign subplot in 2016. After so much time spent watching these characters grow and evolve over the 2 seasons, be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster during the final 30 minutes or so of this beautifully written episode. Without giving too much away, it’s the perfect nod to fans expecting a compelling ending to each of their favourite characters with a good blend of humour, emotion and bittersweet satisfaction. Sense8’s finale isn’t perfect, there are a few plot developments that don’t quite hit and early on the story may be a little hard to follow for those out of the loop with the storyline but there’s no denying the Wachowskis have recaptured what made the show so great during its first 2 seasons. The characters are well defined, have a good ending to their arc and the action is impressively shot and fast-paced throughout. While it would have been nice to have another full season green-lit and a lot of people, including this reviewer, had doubts whether this 2 and a half hour finale could pull off its lofty ambitions, it’s fair to say the finale surpasses expectations concluding a beautiful, unique sci-fi series that will be fondly remembered for years to come.
