THE I-LAND Season 1: A Philosophical Endeavor That Falls Flat On Entertainment

The classic “stranded on an island” scenario is one that transcends time and medium, with different variations finding their way onto both big and small screens. Lost is perhaps the most famous rendition of this concept, which, along with The Twilight Zone, spurs Netflix’s latest: The I-Land.

The I-Land follows ten characters who wake up on an island with no recollection of their past. They fend for survival and seek to learn exactly how they arrived there, before the series lead (played by Natalie Martinez) quickly discovers there’s more to the island than what seems. The limited series combines thriller with science fiction and implements philosophical themes, making for an eclectic addition to Netflix’s catalogue. 

Nature of The I-Land

Before discussing the show in specifics, I’ll start by saying that I believe The I-Land is a series with far too many shortcomings to fully appreciate the ideas it’s attempting to portray — it doesn’t have the qualities that grant the appraisal of some Netflix’s other limited series like Maniac; however, it does have a lot that works in its favor. 

The concepts on the show, although occasionally too on-the-nose or poorly executed, are interesting and thought-provoking. The I-Land delves into the philosophy of being and attempts to discover whether people are tied to their fates, and as a psych-nerd I appreciated the questions the show continuously begged. If you’re like me the show will spark some interest, but the problem here is that the show doesn’t leave the audience in suspense or able to reflect on these ideas, at times reading like a manuscript or being too quickly paced to digest.

Other than what the show proposes, I’d say one of the shows strongest qualities is its production design and cinematography. The I-land is beautifully shot, with stunning camera work to capture some natural wonders. The show’s design further helped to make for some mesmerizing scenes that give the show a visual glow. In a sense, I’d say The I-land is a lot like that of the marketing for 2017’s Fyre Festival, as it looks stunning but lacks the substance it’s promising.

Reality of The I-land

The I-Land has pacing issues — which is likely due to being tied to just seven episodes. The show didn’t suffer drastically because of this, but it could’ve been improved upon with either more episodes to flesh out its story or if it were condensed into a single episode like that of Black Mirror. These two options may seem far from each other, but rearranging the show’s structure may have proven beneficial to the concepts at hand, as even single Black Mirror episodes have shown to carry immense depth.

For the series as it is, though, we’re mostly given bland characters, weak scripts, and occasionally performances that don’t complement the material they’re given. This series suffers from similar issues to another recent Netflix release, Another Life. I hardly found myself engrossed in what was happening on screen, and the dialogue and characterizations felt stale. The show isn’t necessarily predictable, but each character and their actions seemed generic and unimaginative.

Perhaps the worst example of this comes from the antagonists in the series, who recur with common personality traits and very little to redeem their actions. These characters are likely the weakest point of the show because they have little to no development and read like umbrellaed villains hiding behind the masks on Scooby-Doo.

In the later half of the season, at about episode five, the show does improve with character development and dialogue; it’s not a forgiving improvement, but definitely one worth considering. One particular arc and performance that captivated me belonged to Kate Bosworth who plays K.C. Her interpretation of the character was heartfelt and truly had me care for her arc, which wasn’t a common experience of mine with this show.

The I-Land: Conclusion

Much like that of a promising get away, The I-Land is stunning on the outside with far less to offer on the in. The series bravely explores concepts and genres which are at least interesting, but once the interest leaves we’re given a melodramatic series that does little to offer excitement from the streaming giant. Ultimately, Netflix’s openness to allow filmmakers to be experimental and explore different concepts is laudable, and for that we should be grateful.

What did you think of The I-Land? Does it now rank as one of your Netflix favorites? Let us know!

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