Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Episodes: 6
Duration: 60 min (per episode)
The Nevers: Season 1, Part 1 (Blu-ray) – Series Review
Over the course of the last few years, superhero series and movies have been sprouting like weeds, making it hard to see which ones are actually worth watching. We have seen many projects become increasingly worse with every season that gets released, but we also have a few diamonds in the rough, such as the recently released Doom Patrol series. Now, we go back to the 19th century where an event occurs that grants superpowers to a lot of unsuspecting human beings. The ‘Touched’ ones in this scenario are mainly women, and it doesn’t win them any prizes. In a society where men rule supreme, the male authority figures deem these powers dangerous. Unlike any other superhero series, however, the powers in this series are more random and perhaps a bit more toned down.
The Nevers takes us back to London at the end of the 19th century. Women were deemed lesser than men, and the current men in power want to keep this ‘natural order’ intact. Things get shaken up when all of a sudden an event happens where mainly women are left with abilities that transcend those of regular humans. Some are extremely smart, others can break or freeze objects, and so on. To keep these women from being hunted down, Amalia True (Laura Donnelly) does her best to offer protection in the ‘orphanage’ she runs. This place is a safe haven for the ‘Touched’, also thanks to Penance Adair’s (Ann Skelly) amazing inventions. Both Amelia and Penance are also among the Touched, and they fight for better lives for those under their care. Sadly, those running the city would rather ‘cure’ these women of their powers, especially considering one of the Touched is currently going on a killing spree.
Even though each of the episodes is roughly an hour in length, the series trots along at a nice pace. You’ll be provided with enough information for events to come (or those that have passed), to dive into a few action-packed sequences, to slow down for a few moments again. The pacing is very pleasant and there are enough twists and turns along the way to keep you entertained, or even drive you to the edge of your seat. Even though the series is sometimes trying a bit too hard to be politically correct, it still feels quite natural and doesn’t become the focal point of the series. The story still reigns supreme, even with the topic of female empowerment being ever-present.
As a whole, the acting performances in The Nevers are outstanding. We didn’t encounter a single character that did not feel believable throughout the course of the first six episodes. True, some characters do overact, but it’s part of their 19th-century persona. The cast is very diverse in this adventurous tale of female empowerment, but the immersion is sometimes dropped by having certain characters adhere to stereotypes. Nonetheless, it’s only a minor gripe in an otherwise great whole.
The Blu-ray version of this first part of the first season comes with a lot of special features. You’ll have over two hours of extras to plow through. That being said, all of the content is mostly about the creative process behind the series, as well as in-depth character profiles of the main characters. We did enjoy going through all the features and nothing feels redundant. We do have to mention that the extras on the first disc are best watched after you’ve completed the six episodes of this boxset, as the special features on disc one already contain spoilers. It would have perhaps been better to have all extras on one disc, rather than split them up and thus risk possibly spoiling certain episodes on disc two.
Conclusion
The Nevers: Season 1, Part 1 is an interesting start for a series that holds a lot of potential. While the series may be somewhat politically loaded, we hope it maintains a certain balance, making sure the political message doesn’t overshadow the story and thus eventually get lost in translation. A natural approach is very important here, as you’ll catch a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. We very much enjoyed the premise, the plot twists, and the acting performances. We are quite curious to see how the second part will turn out to be.
The Nevers: Season 1, Part 1 (Blu-ray) - Series Review,
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