Netflix's "Love, Death, and Robots"

[LadyTevar]

"Love, Death, and Robots" is a new anthology series out on Netflix. Each episode is a roughly 15minute short, and a mix of animation, CGI, and live action films. While the majority of the stories lean towards Horror genre, each film follows at least two of the themes -- Love, Death, or Robots. Warning, this is not for kids. Sex, Nudity, Foul Language, and all the usual blood and gore that comes with nasty ways to die.

There are 18 episodes, all but two based on Short Stories by various authors. Like any good SciFi, some there for the shock value, some are there for the blood & gore, and some are there to make you think. Four of them have soldiers/mercenaries, or just the local civil defense. Those are well-done, and had me both on the edge of my seat, and saddened by the loss. "Helping Hand" and "Beyond the Aquila Rift" were 'lost in space' horror. "Good Hunting" was steampunk and imho the best one. "Zima Blue" waxed philosophical, "Ice Age" and "Fish Night" dove into paleontology. "Sonnie's Edge" is the requisite Underground Robot Battle, while "The Witness" was just ... weird.
"When the Yogurt Took Over", "The Dump", "Alternate Histories", and "Three Robots" however, are pure humor. "Yogurt" and "Robots" get a lot of digs at modern society, while "AltHist" lets you kill Hilter in 1908. Repeatedly. Just to show what happens.

Many Anthologies are hit-or-miss with their stories. "Love, Death, and Robots" is a solid outing, especially with the short length of the films. You can see all 18 episodes in roughly 4 hours. I give it Two Thumbs Up, and suggest y'all watch it.

[FaxModem1]

Only seen the first two episodes. Sonnie's Edge was okay, reminded me of Heavy Metal.

Three Robots had me constantly cracking up. The surprise at the end is how I'd figure it would go.

[FaxModem1]

Okay, having read 'Beyond the Aquila Rift' years ago, I think I'm little miffed with where they took the story.
Spoiler

In the story, Thom spends a while getting to know this outcast community of humans who are alone, who are seeming to thrive centuries after everyone they knew is gone. At the same time, he also keeps on encountering familiar things like a dead squid in the restaurant aquarium.

His job becomes trying to revive his crew members, and get them used to the situation. Eventually he figures it out, and realizes that everything he's going through is from his memories. As Greta explains, this is a community from people lost over the years, they're just not human. It's really a giant alien space station filled with all sorts of aliens(like insanely alien).

IT'S NOT a giant web where 'Greta' seems to be slowly feeding on everyone.

[LadyTevar]

Only seen the first two episodes. Sonnie's Edge was okay, reminded me of Heavy Metal.

Three Robots had me constantly cracking up. The surprise at the end is how I'd figure it would go.

The Producers have confirmed that Heavy Metal was the ideal they were going for.

[LadyTevar]

Okay, having read 'Beyond the Aquila Rift' years ago, I think I'm little miffed with where they took the story.

As they only had a 15min film to run with it, I can understand the changes made. It was still a creepy-ass story.

[FaxModem1]

BTW, I finished the entire series. I want Suits to be it's own TV show, as it's my personal favorite of all of them.

[Dass.Kapital]

Wathed it. Loved it.

As a vehicle to gauge people's interets in what might/should become a whole 'Show' I thik it's great as well. I did love 'Suits' as well.

As soon as I saw the way Sonnie's Edge opened with the 'beast in the tank' I knew I'd read the short tale ages ago. To see it visualized and realised in such an excelt (Not to mention graphic) way put me in a grat state of mind to binge watch them all.

Season 2 or simply more would be great.

[LadyTevar]

Season 2 or simply more would be great.

I've heard that Season 2 has been cleared for production. The question is what stories will they use? I've not read many short stories of late dealing with Love, Death, and Robots, so what would you guys like to see?

[Dass.Kapital]

Season 2 or simply more would be great.

I've heard that Season 2 has been cleared for production. The question is what stories will they use? I've not read many short stories of late dealing with Love, Death, and Robots, so what would you guys like to see?

How old a tale was 'Sonnie's Edge'?

How many creative types can come forwards and... create?

[K. A. Pital]

I agree that it is an interesting example of anthology, and you could theoretically film more short stories that way. I‘d be delighted to see a collection of short stories from Asimov or Bradbury being filmed, or giving a chance for younger sci-fi authors to shine.

To criticize a bit: too much violence, titillation, cheap thrills, in my view. Sex and cheap scares sell, sure, but some parts were... too much typical Western SF.

[Tribble]

I agree that it is an interesting example of anthology, and you could theoretically film more short stories that way. I‘d be delighted to see a collection of short stories from Asimov or Bradbury being filmed, or giving a chance for younger sci-fi authors to shine.

To criticize a bit: too much violence, titillation, cheap thrills, in my view. Sex and cheap scares sell, sure, but some parts were... too much typical Western SF.

I agree that it would be great to see short stories from the likes Asimov or Bradbury being filmed... if done properly. Netflix is kind of hit and miss when it comes to adaptations.

“Love, Death and Robots” is listed as an American (aka Western) SF series... so were you genuinely surprised that it follows a lot of typical western SF tropes, for better or worse ? Or is this another “and furthermore America must be destroyed!” kind of deals?

My personal favourite was “Three Robots” as it was fun to watch them exploring and bickering amongst themselves. Plus as it was the first episode I watched I was delightfully surprised by the ending

[K. A. Pital]

These are actual Western SF stories, yes.

But there are also other stories in Western SF, which sometimes have a bit of violence or shock, but by and large come from a deep, humanistic tradition, and are a lot deeper. This is what I meant. Such are the stories of Asimov and Bradbury, for example.

It is not really a „ceterum censeo“. After all, the West gave us Jules Verne, Jack London, Mark Twain and the above two. I just wished for the content to be less shallow.

The adaptations of the actual stories were pretty spot-on in this case, with the animation style more often than not appropriate for the story. Netflix has quality issues with films, series-wise it is usually OK. Sometimes it is the source which is, well, not offering much...

[Tribble]

These are actual Western SF stories, yes.

But there are also other stories in Western SF, which sometimes have a bit of violence or shock, but by and large come from a deep, humanistic tradition, and are a lot deeper. This is what I meant. Such are the stories of Asimov and Bradbury, for example.

It is not really a „ceterum censeo“. After all, the West gave us Jules Verne, Jack London, Mark Twain and the above two. I just wished for the content to be less shallow.

The adaptations of the actual stories were pretty spot-on in this case, with the animation style more often than not appropriate for the story. Netflix has quality issues with films, series-wise it is usually OK. Sometimes it is the source which is, well, not offering much...

Fair enough. I’m still recovering from their take on Death Note, which is why I’m a litte leary when it comes to adaptations

[LadyTevar]

One that could be done, if it's not been done before --
I remember reading a story about a robotic nurse-inna-box, who was tasked with keeping a terminally ill child (girl?) alive. The nurse would feed her, sing to her, clean her, give her the meds, and sent nanobots into her to stop blood clots from going to her heart or brain. Until the little girl begged the robot nurse to stop, because she was tired of being in pain and when the girl was defibbing she could see Heaven.
So, because the little girl begged, the next time clots broke loose, the Robot Nurse didn't react, just sang the lil girl the song and let her go, while in the background alarms went off over the 'failure'.

That would be a good short film.