Incorporated

After getting so used to un-original and predictable story-lines in most TV shows, I was blown away by this. I am a science fiction and fantasy fan, in fact I write it (not well:)) and this is one of the best TV shows I have seen in a long time. Part of the reason I started writing myself was due to the lack of original stories out there. Again and again I would start to watch something and be shocked at how thin the plot was and predictable the characters and choices they made were.

Incorporated has depth, it has real storytelling that takes the viewer in unexpected directions. In directions that even though are set in a dystopian future, not so subtle hints of current real world issues come to mind. At the end of each episode I would be grinning with the sheer brilliance of the direction. I am flabbergasted beyond belief that this was canceled. When I see, time and time again, films and TV shows that are so lacking in depth, and I wonder how on earth networks throw money at them and then something as original as Incorporated comes along and it is canceled? Gutted.

For anyone with imagination, any of you reading this who end up writing stories yourselves because you can barely find anything with enough depth to capture your curiosity and appreciation, this is a must.

I just hope that a movie based on this will be developed because it is too good to just stop where it leaves off. S A Strongheart. Ps, don't let the fact there is only one season put you off, it is brilliant.

The pilot was great.I thought it was very thought provoking,and engaging,with a good vision of the future, which was very believable. I don't understand the reviewer that called it predictable , he must be suffering from delusions of clairvoyancy. I did not feel it was predictable at all. The pilot sets the scene for a suspenseful ride, as he appears to be going against the corporation,so it left me eagerly wanting more. I want to see what comes next . The production is very slick and professional, the acting is quite good,so hopefully this will develop into a great series. Also the technology and cars that drive themselves and so on, are so close to becoming reality in our own future that this lends the show an extra layer of credibility.

"Incorporated" is about Ben Larsen, a young boy who grows up in the squalor of the Red Zone, an area far removed from the glamorous excesses of corporation compounds in this futuristic vision of the world. We see Ben mostly as a grown man, but flashbacks fill in the blanks of his past.

While most corporate employees are driven to succeed in their jobs, Ben has a secret agenda, a purpose that guides his every move.

Since almost every character is written as desperate, willing to do what is necessary to survive, and inured to the harsh realities on life, it would be easy to write off the acting as one-dimensional. Also, the CGI can be distracting. But the story lines are convincing. And they expose the moral dilemmas that are created by this dystopian world.

Though I don't find much of this show "enjoyable", it is engaging. As long as the writers don't inject too much of the left-liberal bias that infects many shows--and allow the story to focus on plot points and twists that capture the imagination--I will continue watching.

Update 1/12/17: After a few episodes, the worlds inside and outside of the corporate walls are being fleshed out, as are the stories of the characters. I am raising my grade to "8".

This futuristic drama-venture is a diamond in the rough. If you can see a future through its first year growing pains you can see its potential. Ben is the main protagonist that all the sub-stories splinter off of. He is in love with a girl from the red zone who is a childhood friend but lost touch with her when she went off to be a escort in Arcadia, she wants out and Ben is trying to figure out how to get her out. He lives a double life married to elite green zone debutante who has had a not so pleasant taste of what its like outside the walls and though she has become comfortable in the green zone life she is rebelling against it. Ben seems to be helping her along in that area for his own interest. Kaplan is the quintessential bad guy who has it out for Ben and has a advance in the corporation or die attitude. He is the guy you love to hate and adds a fun edge to the show. I won't drag this out but I think if you keep watching, as the writing and acting mature you are going to have a great show to watch each week. Probably won't win any Emmys but it will be a solid show to download each week.

I usually do not write reviews, but I find this show very interesting. It does not disappoint as a thriller and sci-fi action show. It is thought provoking, and I find myself watching episodes more than once. I do not do that with other shows. The cinematography is great when showing the advanced technology of the future. I find myself pausing the show to check it out. I cannot wait to see what is in store each week. I feel like some have misjudged this show. There is more to the main character's quest than taking down the corporations. There is a history that is yet to be revealed which is why I find it so intriguing.