Total Recall 2070

Sadly, most people have never read any of Philip K. Dick's novels and short stories and only connect him with the movie Blade Runner. This is unfortunate because PKD's stories were more entertaining, layered and intellectually versatile than what is offered in Blade Runner. Total Recall 2070 is less of an amalgamation of Blade Runner and Total Recall, and more a mix of their literary sources: 'We Can Remember It For You, Wholesale' [short story] and 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' [novel], both by PKD. Both of these have very real, flawed characters with a quirky, inventive mood that always entertain.

The story of Total Recall 2070 was nearly that of '...Sheep.' For the benefit of the movie going masses' recognition, the names of things from the movie version of Total Recall were used. The story was about the philosophy behind automated sentiency, mechanized religion and the need for humanity to regain its sense of purpose above the machine, while also living beside it. This is something the series was only beginning to touch before it was canceled.

The lack of knowledge about the show's true roots has led to a complete misunderstanding of it. It is a near perfect representation of PKD's wonderfully strange and murky imagination. People call Total Recall 2070 a rip-off of the movies when in reality the movies were a pale shadows of their sources. Total Recall 2070 is the most genuine incarnation of Philip K. Dick's worlds to date.

By no means am I saying this was bad series or anything, but it copied alot. It did have a neat sense of techno style that to me seemed taken from Phillip K. Dick's other famous movie adaptation: Blade Runner, and not entirely from the movie Total Recall. It also reminded me alot of the series TekWar with its future cops trying to thwart criminals that use the future's techno devices to commit their crimes and spread chaos in the uncertain times of the 21st century. Its a shame it was cancelled so early when we have bonifide sci-fi crap hogging our screens. This show at least proved refreshing in the old cops and robbers game can be dressed up to look new.

When I read this show was very much Philip K Dick inspired, using many of his ideas, rather than just a spin off, I knew I had to see it.

Total Recall 2070 shows a futuristic world dominated by multinational corporations, many of them operating on Mars as well. While crime has reduced spectacularly, there are still many problems in society. The show deals with a lot of cyberpunk topics: brain manipulation, androids, genetics, virtual reality, viruses etcetera. The CPB, a type of independent police force, often competing with other jurisdictions, has their hands full on it.

Visually the show is literally very dark with sparse lighting and often a foggy, rainy scenery whenever things take place outside. Clearly the show had a tight budget, often repeating the same cgi imagery transiting between scenes to show parts of the city, but it was very cleverly used. The backgrounds show us but a glimpse of a grim world that is rebuilding itself on technology, nature having been destroyed mostly.

Unfortunately the show is not addictive at all and there are some important elements missing to make it great: humor, a clear direction of storyline, well- motivated and consistent emotions. It too often feels as just another bland cop show, just set in the future, although it's really much deeper than your average police fare. Some characters, like David Hume's wife, or the female lab researcher,Olan Chang, are underdeveloped. But Hume and Farve, his android partner, are excellently casted. Hume is the cool, but emotional and aggressive agent, while Farve is the brilliant investigator, looking for his unknown origins.

The ambient synth music fits very well with the whole Blade Runner feel. It would be unfair to compare it all with what Vangelis and Ridley Scott did for atmosphere: for a TV show they've done a good job transferring the script to a very watchable programme.

Total Recall has occasional swearing and some sex but it is all functional, not just for the heck of it. Overall a very smart show with a lot of conspiracy, cover ups, tensions, but most importantly very relevant issues regarding humanity's fate in a world where technology can be one's friend or worst enemy, depending who is using it, who wants to have it, who owns it and who decides what is legal to do with it.

So, there's some good and some bad. I didn't mind the lower production values but compared to this show, writing has dramatically improved for so many shows these days and so has their addictiveness. I hope to see a nice new cyberpunk/futuristic show soon, right now Westworld is the best one to watch.

In particular avid Philip K Dick and sci fi fans should give this show a shot but you may get bored after an episode or 6.

In the first time I watched Total Recall 2070 I was just thinking "Blade Runner". The backgrounds, the style, the futuristic look of the sets and the technology, all of them look like "Blade Runner". A nice show in overall, not only due to it's looks but also to it's story and sub-stories in each episode.

I never saw this show on cable. I only saw it as a filler show when t.v. stations would show cancelled productions as filler. However, I was working second shift and would get home after 11p. This actually made the show work for me even more.

What it seems like some people don't understand about this show is the creators didn't want to make just another spin-off. This was made by fans of Philip K. Dick's questioning of what it means to be human. The show takes the themes and style of Dick's writing and builds a unique story around it. It may be intended to be in the same universe as "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," however, in a way that is irrelevant. The show desires to have a unique richness all its own while paying homage to its inspiration.

I would have the lights low to add to the moodiness. Having grown up immersed in the genre, I totally became enthralled with the plot. I still have memories of loving this show. If taken to its fullest production, this would have been a top notch worthy edition to the science fiction. Every episode lends to the greater texture of the overall story. Pure gold.