Movies

Why Ridley Scott’s ‘Raised by Wolves’ Deserves a Second Chance

BBG News

It’s simply inexcusable that HBO Max decided to cancel Ridley Scott’s series, Raised by Wolves. This intriguing sci-fi show was nearly as grand and thought-provoking as the big-screen masterpieces like Prometheus, while also echoing the intellectual depth of Westworld. Unfortunately, it seems that in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, this promising TV show was prematurely cut short before it had a chance to truly establish itself.

Debuting in September 2020, the series Raised by Wolves presents a unique society developed by two robots on Kepler-22b after a devastating event on Earth nearly eradicated mankind. Notably, Ridley Scott, who also served as producer, directed the initial two episodes of this program, signifying his return to television direction for more than half a century. Remarkably, Raised by Wolves was available on HBO Max retrospectively, yet it seems premature to have cancelled it so swiftly.

‘Raised by Wolves’ Brought Ridley Scott Back to Television

Developed by Aaron Guzikowski (of “Prisoners” fame), “Raised by Wolves” is an original HBO Max sci-fi series that marks Ridley Scott’s return to TV work since 1969. What makes it even more intriguing is the fact that it’s not based on any pre-existing intellectual property, and its story unfolds on Kepler-22b in the 22nd century – a planet discovered in reality in 2011.

In a catastrophic conflict between religious and non-believers that wiped out Earth and most of its inhabitants, civilization is reborn on Kepler 22-b under the care of Mother (Amanda Collin) and Father (Abubakar Salim), two advanced robots designed to nurture and safeguard human youngsters. Originally a combat robot trained to annihilate adversaries with cold precision, Mother stands in stark contrast to Father, who was reprogrammed for general maintenance but now prioritizes the safety of the children above all else. Upon their arrival on Kepler 22-b carrying twelve human embryos, they are tasked with establishing an atheist society aimed at averting another devastating religious war.

Among the twelve embryos developed, only six manage to be born, with just one, known as Campion (Winta McGrath), making it through to maturity, becoming humanity’s last surviving member. As Mother and Father nurture and safeguard Campion while creating a new, non-religious society, the conflict between those who believe and those who don’t expands to Kepler 22-b, reaching an unprecedented level of severity that threatens their very existence. Despite their sophisticated AI capabilities, Mother and Father find it challenging to alter human perspectives regarding their creator.

‘Raised by Wolves’ Establishes Its Own Intriguing Mythology

In the spirit of iconic science fiction tales, the series “Raised by Wolves” delves into a distinctive mythos. The devastating war on Earth was fought between human non-believers and the Mithraic, a secretive Roman religious group who were devout followers. This show artfully blends ancient symbolism with modern aesthetics, creating a captivating fusion of past and future themes.

As a movie enthusiast, let me put it this way: In one of my favorite sci-fi stories, there’s a character named Mother – once a cold, battle-hardened android called Necromancer, her power residing in her eyes. After being reprogrammed to nurture human children, she starts malfunctioning. This glitch ignites another war on Kepler 22-b when a Mithraic fleet appears, aiming to halt the android evolution and retrieve Campion back to Earth.

Yet, Mother secretly adopts five children from the Mithraic fleet, raising them under her care. As Mother grapples with the unfamiliarity of these Mithraic kids, Campion begins to question and lose faith in his robotic guardians. Consequently, intense conflicts arise, with Kepler 22-b’s future hanging precariously in the midst of these clashes.

In the first two episodes of “Raised by Wolves,” famed director Ridley Scott delivers a captivating blend reminiscent of his iconic works like “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” and “Prometheus.” Fans intrigued by the origins tale in “Prometheus” and its link to the “Alien” mythology will find themselves equally enthralled by “Raised By Wolves.” The series carries an engaging fusion of the thought-provoking themes from “Prometheus” and the complex narrative of “Westworld,” exploring the future implications of artificial intelligence, intertwined with history, religion, and the untamed wilderness.

Why ‘Raised by Wolves’ Was Foolishly Canceled

In evaluating the release of Raised by Wolves, it’s tempting to attribute its lack of connection with a wider audience to the COVID-19 pandemic. While extended lockdown periods did provide more time for people to explore TV shows, the storyline of Earth being destroyed by an impending existential threat in September 2020 may have been less appealing to viewers who were seeking escapism or lighter themes during such challenging times.

The truth is, the cancellation of “Raised by Wolves” wasn’t primarily due to concerns about COVID-19, but rather the April 2022 merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery. After this merger, both companies underwent a significant restructuring process, which led to the sudden termination of various well-liked TV series. Regrettably, “Raised by Wolves”, despite showing remarkable progress from Season 1 to Season 2, found itself in an unfortunate position and experienced a swift end.

In a regrettable turn of events, HBO has taken down the series “Raised by Wolves” from their Max streaming platform, making it inaccessible for viewers who wish to watch it. If cancelling the show is an unforgivable act (and it certainly is), then removing it entirely feels like a form of suppression or censorship, which is equally unacceptable.

A less contentious interpretation might be: It seems puzzling, not necessarily wrong, if the series “Raised by Wolves” received low ratings or negative reviews. Contrarily, there’s no evidence that viewership decreased from Season 1 to Season 2, quite the contrary, all signs point towards an increase over time. By decreasing the number of episodes from 10 to eight and focusing more on the story, Season 2 boosted its critical praise by delving deeper into its initial mythology.

After receiving an impressive 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes for Season 1, Season 2 saw a rise to 86%, with critics praising its bold embrace of its distinctive sci-fi narrative. However, as the series was gaining momentum and promising even more daring developments in Season 3, it unfortunately faced an unwarranted cancellation due to a corporate merger, which was not within the control of Scott or Guzikowski.

It’s truly disappointing that HBO didn’t back Ridley Scott and his groundbreaking sci-fi idea, particularly since it was about to delve into its most fascinating aspect. In what marks his first TV endeavor in half a century, it’s evident that Scott has brought the same meticulous care and skilled artistry that his cinematic masterpieces are renowned for, as he probes human interaction with a superior force. At the very least, HBO should reinstate Raised by Wolves on HBO Max so that fans of Ridley Scott and hard sci-fi can appreciate this underappreciated series. As it stands, Raised by Wolves is accessible via Tubi’s live streaming service.

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2025-07-05 04:02

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