Netflix's 4-Part Sci-Fi Masterpiece Series Rewrites The Rules Of Anthologies
Although Love, Death, & Robots is an animated show first and foremost, the Netflix sci-fi anthology broke its own rules with two live-action episodes. There are a lot of underrated anthology shows out there, from Shudder’s Creepshow to the short-lived 2019 revival of The Twilight Zone. However, Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots is in a league of its own. Although the show is critically acclaimed and executive-produced by big names like David Fincher and Deadpool director Tim Miller, Love, Death, & Robots is usually overshadowed by Netflix’s other, more famous sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror. Black Mirror is one of the genre’s most acclaimed titles, but Love, Death, & Robots can more than hold its own against its streaming service competitor.
Love, Death, & Robots Broke Its Own Animation Rule Twice
Each episode of Love, Death, & Robots is a self-contained story animated by a different crew, which means the show provides a broad, diverse array of visuals throughout its four seasons. For example, season 1, episode 7, “Beyond the Aquila Rift,” uses photo-realistic animation to create an uncanny atmosphere for its creepy story. In contrast, season 3, episode 4, “Night of the Mini Dead,” uses sped-up stop-motion to tell its wacky, zany tale, resulting in two episodes that couldn’t be further from each other in terms of tone. This example epitomizes the way in which shifting animation styles are central to the anthology show’s appeal.
As such, it is striking and strange that Netflix’s acclaimed Love, Death, & Robots has broken its own rules not once, but twice with the live-action episodes “Ice Age” and “Golgotha.” Season 1, episode 16, “Ice Age,” stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Topher Grace and is directed by Miller himself.
Love, Death, & Robots’ Live-Action Episodes Prove The Netflix Series Has No Limits
Rhys Darby in Love, Death, and Robots
Season 4, episode 6, “Golgotha,” is also helmed by Miller, and the show’s second live-action outing sees Rhys Darby’s Father Donal Maguire establish first contact with a visiting group of seemingly messianic aliens. Darkly funny and visually striking, both Miller’s live-action episodes stay true to the show’s typically unpredictable tone. As a result, although these two episodes of Love, Death, & Robots don’t follow the show’s usual rules, they do still work in the context of its larger vision. Like the show’s horror equivalent, the 2022 Netflix anthology Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Love, Death, & Robots breaks its own scant rules to keep viewers on their toes.
The result is a series that is never predictable, where even the very medium of the show is subject to change from time to time. Thanks to this unpredictable nature, Love, Death, & Robots can continue to surprise and delight viewers for years to come.
Release Date
March 15, 2019
Network
Netflix
Directors
Víctor Maldonado, Patrick Osborne, Robert Valley, Alfredo Torres Martínez, Jerome Chen, Emily Dean, Rémi Kozyra, Léon Bérelle, Dominique Boidin, Alberto Mielgo, Maxime Luère, Andy Lyon, Robert Bisi, Dave Wilson, David Nicolas, Simon Otto, Damian Nenow, Laurent Nicolas, Kevin Van Der Meiren, Vitaliy Shushko, Owen Sullivan, István Zorkóczy, Javier Recio Gracia, Oliver Thomas
Writers
Tim Miller, Philip Gelatt
