We always love a good sci-fi series, and given that it’s mainly just Apple making those right now, it’s nice to have one head to Netflix that isn’t a Stranger Things season every three years.
That show is The Lazarus Project, a sci-fi series that originally aired in 2023 on Sky, but has now ported over its two seasons to Netflix. The series has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, an infrequent feat. Here’s the synopsis, which is Groundhog Day-esque:
“George is under the impression that he is beginning to lose touch with reality when he finds himself living the same day over and over again. A chance encounter with a man called Archie reveals that George is very much in touch with reality, but at the same time, reality can be stranger than fiction. With George’s newfound understanding of his power and perception of space-time, he is forced to choose between loyalty to an organization trying to save the world and the ability to rewrite the past for a friend.”
I did watch this a while back, and it’s quite good. Time travel stories are tough to do right, but The Lazarus Project does a good enough job.
The Lazarus Project
Rotten Tomatoes
However, there’s a problem.
The Lazarus Project comes pre-cancelled. After its first two seasons, viewership was poor enough where Sky did not pick up the show for a third season. It was not meant to end after two seasons, as season 2 ended with a significant cliffhanger that is not going to ever be resolved. So even if the show is good, the warning here is that you’ll never get to see the full storyline unfold. I understand how that may mean you don’t want to start it in the first place, as it’s similar to a bunch of other shows that currently occupy Netflix’s graveyard of unfinished projects. Here’s what Sky said about its cancellation at the time:
“The Lazarus Project has brought audiences jaw-dropping action and time-bending storylines across two seasons, and we are incredibly proud of this BAFTA-winning series. Whilst we won’t be commissioning another season, we would like to thank the incredible team who made this show possible.”
One interesting aspect of The Lazarus Project is that it’s a showcase for the upcoming new Severus Snape actor in HBO’s Harry Potter series, Paapa Essiedu, who’s the star of the show. Essiedu’s casting as Snape in Harry Potter has drawn controversy, both for his race, given that it creates some newly uncomfortable situations like James Potter bullying a young black kid and hanging him upside down in the ‘70s, or just the fact that he’s…young and handsome, which is not exactly how Snape is meant to be. But he’s a great actor!
I don’t know if I’d recommend the show based on how frustrating it is to not be able to finish a storyline. I’ll leave that up to you.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
