The show continues to tout a greater emphasis on style over substance. Their approach is to try and bombard you with an entire technologically advanced world in hopes that you will forget that the story and crimes are dated. Some of them are as old as time itself. I’ll admit that the infectious bird disease from a bygone era in the first episode was interesting. Especially since there’s always a threat of something similar happening to us when things and bodies containing old viruses or bacteria like the Spanish flu or the bubonic plague. That is relevant, especially considering how much time has passed from this universe’s future to our present day. Having a disgruntled guy who takes his sexual frustration and social inability to have an engaging conversation with women become your murderer is so last century. That’s a trope that you spotted a mile away, no matter how many red herrings are thrown at you along the way.
The entire dating/mating side story was interesting until it wasn’t. The idea of finding your mate based on genetics over an artificially produced algorithm felt like a natural escalation in our current technology. This idea seemed clever and it was incorporated perfectly. Then we meet a “love expert” like the ones that exist today. Their approach usually involves a very negative and degrading approach to get other people attracted to you. Apparently they’re not as advanced in this future if they are still listening to 20th century logic. Not to mention how offensive it comes off since most of the victims of this technique are women who, the love “professional” assumes, need to get their self-worth from a man. There’s another crime going on here that needs to be stopped. Where is the pre-hate crime police when you need them?
We get even more contemporary (for us) pop culture references this time. Ha ha, we get it. This show is supposed to be set in our future so referencing our current pop musicians and referring to them as “classics” is meant to inspire a laugh. Like the first episode’s mention of listening to Iggy Azalea on vinyl, the mention of Beyonce just had me rolling my eyes instead of rolling on the floor laughing. It all feels like The Flintstones showing prehistoric versions of our current technology and then zooming in to the dead-panned expression of the dinosaur and saying, “It’s a living.” The only difference is that it feels a lot less forced in an animated comedy than a semi-serious futuristic drama.
Beyond the constant lens flares and transparent screens, there is a darker story at play that has yet to be even scratched. The story of the pre-cogs and their descent into being enslaved again. All of the blame seems to be placed on Dash but it feels like everyone is overlooking Arthur’s blatant abuse of power that he doesn’t even hide from his assistant. Out of the two, who is most likely to be hunted down by police for illegal activity?
I find Dash’s social awkwardness and eccentricities to still be charming, but I find him almost useless as a character. If he were able to use his gift to get the visions, and Lara (taking Tom Cruise’s role) were able to decipher them, it would be a winning team. Instead they are forced to heavily rely on Wally and Arthur in some way to solve every one of their cases. They would probably be more efficient if they just cut out the middle man/woman. Minority Report will reach a point where even the visuals may not be able to save it’s dying story. Let’s hope they solve that murder before it’s too late.
RATING: ★★★★★ (5/10 stars)
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