RAISED BY WOLVES: A Great Sci-Fi, But Not Without Problems

It so happens that the production which stirred the most reflection in me regarding science fiction in 2020 was a series whose one of the creators was Ridley Scott himself. Raised by Wolves is, in my opinion, the most intriguing sci-fi viewing experience of the year, although not without its problems.

First and foremost – surprise. I watched the first three episodes of the HBO series with great excitement, as I felt that the production finally addressed themes that I had been unable to find in contemporary sci-fi for years.

However, before I delve into this, let me explain the background of this surprise. For some time now, I have noticed that sci-fi creators are eating their own tail, constantly looping within the same contexts and lines of thought. If it’s a robot, it must inevitably be one that enslaves mankind. If it’s an alien race, it must certainly be terrifying enough so that no one would think they might come to Earth in peace. If it’s a vision of the future, it must be so hopelessly decadent that it’s frightening to go to bed thinking about tomorrow. Cliché. Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and other great sci-fi visionaries who published in the 19th century paved the way that has been followed, with varying success, up to the present day. For creators, it is convenient to base plots on tested formulas, but in the long run, this leads to genre stagnation. Especially when we talk about science fiction, which aims to comment on the present by forecasting the future development of civilization and the resulting dangers.

Contemporary sci-fi does not consider that it’s time to take a step forward and address the pressing issues of the present and the challenges of technology, looking at virtual reality and artificial intelligence in a much more multifaceted way. One of the sci-fi creators who managed to make a breakthrough years ago is Ridley Scott. His Blade Runner remains the ultimate example of the kind of science fiction that, supported by the spirit of romanticism and nihilism, paints an extremely painful vision of the relationship between the creator and the created.

Roy Batty is an example of an android whose sense of awareness was so strong that it triggered an uncontrollable desire to live. That’s why he confronts his creator, to fight for his life, even knowing that he is at a losing position. Just like all of us, beings that, from the moment of birth, are prisoners of their bodies, sentenced to death. Years later, Ridley Scott took the opportunity again and in the infamous Prometheus, the prequel to another famous work – Alien – once again used an android to address existential dilemmas. Looking at science fiction through Ridley Scott’s lens, one can notice that his fascination lies (according to the profession of the titular, mythical titan) in the process of creation. The question is posed as to how far the boundaries of creation extend and whether they can overcome the barriers of death, appropriate for divine beings.

And so, we arrive at Raised by Wolves.

Prometheus seems to have the most in common with Scott’s series. From the very first minutes, it’s noticeable that it is the heir to the 2012 film, not only stylistically but also spiritually. We meet androids that look like they’ve just come off the Weyland Corp. production line. The characteristic tight outfit, white blood (reminiscent of male semen), only intensifies this impression. Father and Mother, however, are obliged to do something that David had to work out on his own. They are to continue the human race on a distant planet. In other words, they are to create, give life, according to what they have been programmed to do. The catch is that while raising their little wolves, they must do so in a way that does not pollute their minds with fantasies about God.

And here arises the main conflict on which the script by Aaron Guzikowski is based. The future appears to be deeply atheistic. Raised by Wolves tells the story of how science will soon confront religion, challenging its assumptions and destroying its authorities. How the worship of God will become outdated, and how beneficial the creation of technology will become, enabling us to step into His shoes.

This is precisely what I find so fascinating about the new HBO series. That within these thought processes, much more advanced and much more mature courses were boldly chosen than what had previously been done within the genre’s tradition.

A step forward has been taken. Let’s consider that we are at a stage where humanity is moving from being homo sapiens to homo deus – we are becoming gods on Earth, as we are able to control hunger, plague, and war through technology (this thread is fascinatingly outlined in Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari). Interpreting the meaning of the world through faith no longer seems as sensible as basing it on knowledge. We seek new challenges, such as improving the body, genetic modification, striving for immortality. Perhaps this will become possible through the creation of an entirely new, synthetic species that will replace those who, stuck in old culture, still kneel before the face of an illusory creator.

The fundamental questions that are only asked in the series, but not yet properly answered (still), are whether we truly want such a future and whether functioning in the “old-fashioned” model, which allows for life with the awareness of death and dying in the faith of the afterlife, is a model that really needs correction.

Certain hopes were skillfully nurtured in the series, but I must admit that the creators did not entirely fulfill them. The middle episodes of the series have an uninteresting, dragging feel.

When Ridley Scott steps away from the camera, everything seems to fall apart, and the plot then wanders into particularly misguided, illogical, and additionally tedious areas. Yes, I believe Raised by Wolves is a terribly uneven series. It’s one of those experiences that intrigues with its starting idea while simultaneously alienating with its development. However, this does not change the fact that, in terms of captivating the world presented and the depth of its meaning, I have not encountered another science fiction production in 2020 like it. I have seen plenty of cinematic mediocrity (Midnight Sky, Tenet) and films with either poorly utilized potential or simply empty at their core.

In terms of series, I was closest to admiration with Away, another story about a trip to Mars and thus about pushing the boundaries of human capabilities. In this domain, however, HBO’s series went much further, giving fans of science fiction an opportunity to reflect on fundamental matters. After all, nothing else exists in this world other than us, life, death, God, and technology.