If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if the left took a sabbatical from mainstream media, feast your eyes on The Peripheral. This gem of a TV series is based on William Gibson's novel of the same name and premiered on Amazon Prime Video in October 2022. This sci-fi thriller, which explores the intersection between humanity and technology, takes place in two timelines: the futuristic London of 2099 and a small town in the southern United States in 2030. Get ready, folks, because this show packs a punch that no one saw coming, especially those who cringe at anything that doesn't echo their own ideological echo chambers.
The Peripheral serves up a dystopian future where unchecked tech advancement meets societal decay—a theme we can all get behind. Who better to tell this tale than the team of Westworld masterminds, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are known for crafting intelligent narratives that don't pander to the lowest common denominator?
The show stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher, a woman with a knack for video games who stumbles into a virtual reality experience that opens doors to time travel. This concept alone should butter the popcorn, but it’s much more than a mere sci-fi rollercoaster. It's a social critique, underscoring the dangers of technological determinism while focusing on personal responsibility. As conservatives, we know that personal responsibility is the cornerstone of any productive society.
The dichotomy represented in the series is clear: the stark contrast between the traditional Southern values of Flynne's world and the technocratic elite of future London. It doesn't shy away from showing that sometimes, simpler is better. Unlike what millennials glued to smartphones might think, there's inherent value in community-focused living and tradition.
In the bustling future of 2099 London, the world has become a playground for the elite, a reflection of what happens when centralization takes the wheel. The Peripheral excels at painting a future dystopia where satire becomes a living nightmare—a brilliant caution to those who think Big Tech is their cozy BFF.
Above all, The Peripheral highlights a subject often taboo for many: consequences. In an age where finger-pointing and blame-shifting have become standard, this series reminds viewers that every action has a ripple effect. Believe it or not, it’s refreshing to see content that doesn’t absolve individuals from the outcomes of their choices.
The show also draws the curtain back on an Orwellian future—a future where privacy is a luxury, not a right. In an age where everyone thinks their Snapchat photos disappear into oblivion, it’s a reminder that even our most mundane digital footprints can be used against us. A tip of the hat to the show's creators for putting a magnifying glass on this critical issue, as digital privacy preservation is something conservatives have been banging the drum about for years.
The characters, especially Flynne, are portrayed with depth and dynamism, eschewing the usual template of one-dimensional soapbox-like lecturing seen on so many other platforms. With political messiahs absent, viewers are thrust into an engaging experience where it’s asked—not dictated—how one should think and act.
Let's not forget to highlight the visuals that are nothing short of stunning. They don't just serve as eye candy but also enhance the storytelling, a much-needed break from ideologically driven scripts and backdrops that serve to reaffirm pre-existing worldviews rather than challenge them.
Another win for The Peripheral comes with its pacing and narrative structure. It moves at an agile speed but doesn’t compromise on developing its world and characters. This is akin to a breath of fresh air compared to the snail-paced, sometimes nonsensical narratives that have tried to pass off as suspenseful storytelling in recent times.
But what makes The Peripheral ultimately compelling is its unyielding relevance. As technology becomes engrained in our lives in unprecedented ways, the series doesn't preach doom but instead serves as a hypothetical primer for survival in a tech-savy yet morally bankrupt future.
Let’s face it. The Peripheral is the perfect binge watch for those who refuse to be meekly packaged into the one-size-fits-all boxes trying to double as entertainment today. It’s a rousing series that will give any viewer a cerebral workout—a rarity in today's television landscape.