What we consider “science fiction” today is constantly changing. 60 years ago, it was The Jetsons with their video telephones and cleaning robots, then the VR reality of stories like Ready Player One and TRON. The genre has been continually polished and tweaked leading up to the current year, and with the recent advent of technologies like AI, we’re now entering an era in which the questions of science fiction are increasingly, startlingly relevant. Few shows take advantage of this more than AMC+’s one and only animated darling, Pantheon.
Having released onto a dying streaming platform with barely enough budget to fill two seasons, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Pantheon was a lost cause. I know I did when I first heard about it, but after giving it a shot, I quickly found out exactly why its word of mouth had been so strong. Pantheon is a highly creative, precisely written, and appropriately “robotic” series that portrays a reality that is both distinctly fantastical and startlingly plausible. While watching, I was regularly reminded of the same classic stories that likely inspired its creation, and while I’m not sure it quite reaches that same level, what AMC was able to accomplish given the circumstances is remarkably impressive.
The story opens on a world not dissimilar from our own. Cell phones and laptops are as common as cars, the internet is an ever-present necessity to most, and AI is being introduced and integrated on a massive scale. However, a few select companies see a different path to the future. Using highly specialized, very illegal technology, they begin to experiment with a form of “uploaded intelligence” that scans the human mind onto the internet itself. However, when pioneer uploader David Kim gets involved and mysteriously “dies” in the process, his daughter Maddie begins to investigate the secret, morally grey underbelly of her father’s new existence.
What follows is 16 episodes of highly intriguing, consistently surprising sci-fi goodness. The idea of an uploaded intelligence (based on The Gods short story series by Ken Liu) is one that I’m surprised hasn’t appeared more often in media up to now. With AI more important than ever, questions surrounding sentient technology feel surprisingly important, and that gave me a lot to think about as I watched through each episode. The premise here is very strong, and while I won’t spoil the deeper implications the show delves into, I’ll say that its handling of the topic is satisfying and well executed overall.
Supporting this is a solid main cast that fills their roles well, if not perfectly. The plot progresses through the lens of three different characters, with Maddie as the primary lead as well as emo teenage super-genius Caspian and tech mogul visionary Chanda. The prospective changes regularly to see each character’s take on the overarching plot, and this works well to keep the story interesting. Often, it’s not the characters themselves that solve their problems, but rather the knock-on effects of their actions on each other. This produces a web of interlocking stories and relationships that is very interesting to follow and kept me guessing even as they neared their conclusion.
However, I will say that the structure of things like dialog and drama isn’t what I’d call “convincing.” The writing here, while excellent in its worldbuilding and conceptual framework, often doesn’t know how to get the viewer properly invested. The way in which characters speak feels oddly stilted, without the kind flaws or irrationalities that make a person believable. Personality often seems lost in the effort to pursue high-level philosophy, and the result sometimes feels more like a vehicle for debate than a real, natural progression.
Thankfully, this is largely remedied by the art and presentation. The show uses a comic-inspired style that, while simple, does well with its colors and allows for some very impressive action scenes. When a dramatic climax hits and the frame restrictions come off, the effort and passion of the animators bring this show to a new level.
The same is also true of the very solid voice cast, which succeeds in giving each of the show’s many characters a distinct, memorable performance. Katie Chang’s Maddie and Daniel Dae Kim’s David are both great in their roles, with enough dramatic flair to sell emotional scenes despite the dialog they’ve been given. Special mention also goes to Paul Dano’s Caspian and Raza Jaffery’s Chanda, two characters defined by their unique, thoughtful delivery.
If I had to pick one thing that lets Pantheon stand out from its contemporaries, it would have to be its sense of variety. Everything about this story, from its setting and characters to even its genre is constantly changing. One minute you’re following a teenage girl as she sneaks into a tech conglomerate’s data center, and the next you’re watching two digital superbeings shooting lasers at each other with their minds. An episode could switch from simple family drama to globe-spanning political mind games in a matter of minutes. It’s all highly varied and well-paced, which does wonders when the exposition starts to wear thin.
But with that said, there are a few spots when it doesn’t quite apply. The beginning and ending specifically struggle to keep the viewer interested, with an opening that holds its cards too close to the chest and an ending that, without spoiling anything, strays way too far from the show’s core appeal. Neither of these are bad enough to ruin the show, but they make it more clear why it wasn’t in contention for any notable awards.
Verdict
It’s easy to see why a show like Pantheon might get swept under the rug. Its audience was too small, its concepts were too big, and it had just enough niggling issues to keep it out of the public eye. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth the watch. Smart, sophisticated sci-fi has been noticeably lacking from TV for the last few years, and this show does it well enough to get a glowing recommendation.
With its solid premise, engrossing character-driven story, and excellent sense of pace and variety, Pantheon is a show that deserves far more attention than it’s gotten. As a victim of its own subpar streaming service, it may be difficult to find in its entirety, but I can assure you it’s worth the effort to seek out. With an internet increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, this human story hits just the right notes.
