Sense8 (season 1)

Sense8 (season 1)
Promotional art
Starring	Tuppence Middleton Brian J. Smith Doona Bae Aml Ameen Max Riemelt Tina Desai Miguel Ángel Silvestre Jamie Clayton Freema Agyeman Terrence Mann Anupam Kher Naveen Andrews Daryl Hannah
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	12
Release
Original network	Netflix
Original release	June 5, 2015

The first season of Sense8, an American science fiction drama web television series created, written and executive-produced by Lily and Lana Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski, consists of 12 episodes and became available for streaming on Netflix on June 5, 2015, and has been met with favorable critical reception.

The plot revolves around eight strangers from different parts of the world who suddenly become mentally and emotionally linked. The show aims to explore subjects that its writers feel have historically not been emphasized in most science fiction shows to date,^[1][2] such as politics, identity, sexuality, gender and religion.^[2][3]

The Wachowskis directed most of the season, with the remainder being divided between their previous collaborators Tom Tykwer, James McTeigue, and Dan Glass. The series is the first produced under the banner of Straczynski's Studio JMS. On August 8, 2015, Netflix announced that it had renewed the show for a second season.^[4]

Cast

Main

The sensates

• Aml Ameen as Capheus, a compassionate matatu van driver in Nairobi with a strong sense of justice who is desperately trying to earn money to buy medicine for his mother, who is dying of AIDS.
  • Gabriel Ouma as young Capheus.
• Bae Doona as Sun Bak, daughter of a powerful Seoul businessman. A burgeoning star in the underground kickboxing world with a master's degree in economics.
  • Jane Lee as young Sun.
• Jamie Clayton as Nomi Marks, a trans woman and hacktivist living in San Francisco, who has a girlfriend named Amanita.
  • John Babbo as young Nomi Marks.
• Tina Desai as Kala Dandekar, a university-educated pharmacist and devout Hindu in Mumbai engaged to marry a man she does not love.^[5]
  • Yashvi Puneet Nagar as young Kala.
• Tuppence Middleton as Riley Blue (née Gunnarsdóttir), an Icelandic DJ with a troubled past that made her run away to London.
  • Katrin Sara Olafsdottir as young Riley Gunnarsdóttir
• Max Riemelt as Wolfgang Bogdanow, a Berlin locksmith and safe-cracker from East Germany, who has unresolved issues with his late father and participates in organized crime.
  • Lenius Jung as young Wolfgang.
• Miguel Ángel Silvestre as Lito Rodriguez, a closeted Mexican actor living in Mexico City, whose father is from Bilbao, Spain.
• Brian J. Smith as Will Gorski, a Chicago police officer haunted by an unsolved murder from his childhood.
  • Maxwell Jenkins as young Will Gorski.

Also Starring

• Freema Agyeman as Amanita, Nomi's girlfriend.
• Anupam Kher as Sanyam Dandekar, Kala's father, a chef who owns a restaurant.^[6]
• Terrence Mann as Whispers, a sensate turned against his own kind who leads an organization determined to neutralize or kill sensates.
• Naveen Andrews as Jonas Maliki, a sensate from a different cluster-of-eight who wants to help the newly born cluster of sensates.
• Daryl Hannah as Angelica "Angel" Turing, a sensate from an older cluster (which included Jonas) who becomes the "mother" of the cluster of eight new sensates as she activates their psychic connection.^[7]

Recurring

The recurring actors are listed by the region in which they first appear.

In Mexico City, Mexico

• Alfonso Herrera as Hernando, Lito's secret lover.
• Eréndira Ibarra as Daniela Velazquez, Lito's fellow actor, his cover to hide his sexual orientation and Joaquin's ex-girlfriend, the target of Joaquin's violent behavior and stalking.^[8]
• Raúl Méndez as Joaquin Flores, Daniela's jealous and violent stalker.^[8][9]
• Ari Brickman as the director in Lito's movies.
• Jeronimo Best as the assistant director in Lito's movies.

In Berlin, Germany

• Maximilian Mauff as Felix Bernner, a locksmith who is Wolfgang's best friend and partner-in-crime.
  • Chiron Elias Krase as young Felix.
• Sylvester Groth as Sergei Bogdanow, Wolfgang's rich uncle and Steiner's father.
• Bernhard Schütz as Anton Bogdanow, Wolfgang's father.
• Wolfgang Lindner as one of Sergei's bodyguards.
• Christian Oliver as Steiner Bogdanow, a villainous Russian mobster in Berlin who is at war with his cousin Wolfgang and Felix.^[10]
• Georg Tryphon as Abraham, a Jewish business man.

In Mumbai, India

• Purab Kohli^[11] as Rajan Rasal, Kala's fiancé.
• Natasha Rastogi^[11] as Priya Dandekar, Kala and Daya's mother, Sanyam's wife.
• Darshan Jariwala^[11] as Manendra Rasal, father of Rajan and husband to Sahana.
• Huzane Mewawala as Daya Dandekar, Kala's sister and a fellow pharmacist.
• Mita Vashisht^[11] as Sahana Rasal, mother of Rajan and wife of Manendra.
• Avantika Akerkar as Aunty Ina, Kala and Daya's aunt.
• Shruti Bapna as Devi, Kala's friend.^[12]
• Rajesh Khera as a wedding planner.^[13]

In Nairobi, Kenya

• Chichi Seii as Shiro, Capheus' mother who is seriously ill with AIDS.^[14]
• Paul Ogola as Jela,^[14] Capheus' best friend and partner in the 'Van Damn' bus service.
• Peter King Mwania as Silas Kabaka,^[15] a crime lord who approaches Capheus to work for him.
• Lwanda Jawar as Githu, the leader of the Nairobi 'Superpower' gang.^[14]
• Rosa Katanu as Amondi Kabaka, Silas' daughter.

In Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

• Ness Bautista^[16] as Diego Morales, Will's police partner.
• Margot Thorne as Sara Patrell, a young sensate who disappeared after being found by Whispers.
• William Burke as Deshawn, a young gangsta in Chicago.
• Larry Clarke as a Police Captain.
• Joe Pantoliano as Michael Gorski, Will's father, a retired cop.^[16]

In Reykjavík, Iceland

• Kristján Kristjánsson as Gunnar, Riley's pianist father.^[17]
• Eyþór Gunnarsson as Sven, a friend of Riley's in Iceland.
• Thor Birgisson as Magnus Blue, Riley's husband who died in a car accident.
• Lilja Þórisdóttir as Yrsa, an Icelandic sensate from an older cluster.

In San Francisco, California, United States of America

• Adam Shapiro as Dr. Metzger, Nomi's doctor and an employee of Whispers.^[16]
• Sandra Fish as Janet Marks, Nomi's mother.
• Maximilienne Ewalt as Grace, Amanita's adoptive mother.
• Michael X. Sommers as Bug, old friend of Nomi's, who ran with her in their hactivist days.

In Seoul, South Korea

• Lee Ki-chan^[18] as Joong-Ki Bak, Sun's younger brother.
• Hye-Hwa Kim as Mi-Cha, Sun's mother.
• Lee Geung-young^[18] as Kang-Dae Bak, a businessman and father of Sun and Joong-Ki Bak.
• Sara Sohn as Soo-Jin, a Korean prisoner.
• Myung Gye-Nam^[18] as Sun's kickboxing trainer.
• Ma Dong-seok^[18] making a cameo appearance as the bouncer outside the sex club in Seoul.^[19]

In London, England, United Kingdom

• Frank Dillane^[20] as Shugs, a close friend of Riley and boyfriend to Bambie.
• Nicôle Lecky as Bambie, Shugs's girlfriend.
• Joseph Mawle as Nyx, a drug dealer.
• Matt Stokoe as Jacks, Riley's boyfriend.

Episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	1	"Limbic Resonance"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
A woman named Angelica, being hunted by a mysterious adversary named Whispers, kills herself to avoid capture. Before she does this, she uses her unique abilities to awaken the powers of eight other people around the world, connecting these sensates in a cluster. These eight people are Will (a cop living in Chicago), Riley (a DJ living in London), Nomi (A blogger living in San Francisco), Lito (an actor living in Mexico City), Sun (a CFO living in Seoul), Capheus (a matatu driver living in Nairobi), Kala (a chemist living in Mumbai), and Wolfgang (a thief living in Berlin). The eight begin to experience the beginnings of their psychic connections with each other via hearing what the others hear and seeing what the others see. The episode mainly introduces the situations of these eight people. Will saves a twelve year old gangbanger against the wishes of his partner. Riley becomes entangled in London's drug world when she meets a powerful dealer named Nyx. Nomi faces discrimination as a transgender woman. Lito is in the closet from the public. Sun is looked down upon in the business world for being a woman. Capheus' matatu business is failing. Kala is engaged to a man she is not in love with. Wolfgang and his best friend Felix must steal expensive diamonds from one of their enemies. The episode ends with Riley and Will meeting each other via their powers in the place where Angelica killed herself. Will decides to begin investigating her death, believing there was foul play involved, while Riley's boyfriend attempts to murder Nyx, the fight ending in their deaths, and she finds herself the only survivor in the room.
2	2	"I Am Also a We"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
While at the San Francisco pride parade with her girlfriend, Amanita (Neets for short), Nomi spots Jonas (Angel's lover), and faints. She awakens in the hospital with her sister and transphobic mother. Nomi's doctor, Dr. Metzger, claims that Nomi's brain is beginning to break down, and there is a treatment. Believing she is mentally unwell, they keep Nomi in the hospital against her will, not allowing Neets to see her. Jonas comes to Nomi via her powers, and tells her that Dr. Metzger's operation is designed to lobotomize her. Neets is able to call her, and swears she will break Nomi out. Will, investigating Angel's suicide, discovers the CTV footage of the building is missing two hours. Later, at a meeting, an FBI agent briefs Will's precinct that they are on the hunt for Jonas, who is wanted for murder. Will thinks that this is somehow linked to a girl he knew as a child named Sarah Petrell whose murder was never solved. Lito is using a fellow movie star, Daniela, to appear straight. The night of a film premier, Daniela drunkenly comes to his apartment, discovering Lito and his boyfriend. She unveils how she's happy about this, and plans to continue helping him keep his secret. After successfully stealing the diamonds he was after, Wolfgang begins to see visions of Kala, instantly gaining a crush on her. At her apartment, a man comes hunting for Riley, who goes on the run when she discovers that her boyfriend put all of Nyx's money and drugs in her purse. At the end of the episode, Jonas comes to Will in person, telling him that he is a sensate, and that Nomi needs his help. He runs when Will tells him he has to turn him in, and Will chases him down, crashing his car into Jonas's.
3	3	"Smart Money Is on the Skinny Bitch"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Sun's underground secret life is revealed and Capheus benefits from her skills.
4	4	"What's Going On?"	Tom Tykwer	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
With the help of Will and Amanita, Nomi manages to escape the hospital. Kala and Wolfgang share an intimate moment.
5	5	"Art Is Like Religion"	James McTeigue	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Lito experiences menstruation symptoms via Sun. Sun has a difficult decision to make. Kala is getting married, when the proceedings are interrupted by a visit from Wolfgang.
6	6	"Demons"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Will and Riley discover that their connection is very real. Will saves Riley's life. The sensates share a very intimate moment.
7	7	"W. W. N. Double D?"	James McTeigue	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
A friend from Nomi's past helps her to find Dr Metzger. Riley decides to go home to Iceland. Sun makes friends and enemies in prison.
8	8	"We Will All Be Judged by the Courage of Our Hearts"	Dan Glass	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
More is learned about Wolfgang's childhood friendship. Will and Riley share a kiss. Daniela sacrifices her safety for Lito's career which has consequences for his relationship with Hernando.
9	9	"Death Doesn't Let You Say Goodbye"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Riley learns the truth about her "curse". Jonas' motives are questioned. Sun's father comes to visit her in the prison and reveals he wants to help her. Nomi and Lito share intimate stories of their past, which helps Lito to make an important decision. Riley and Capheus share some of their painful memories.
10	10	"What Is Human?"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Wolfgang and Lito fight back. Riley goes to see her father play Beethoven's Emperor Concerto with the orchestra. The rest join her and remember their births. As Riley remembers her past, she passes out and ends up in the hospital.
11	11	"Just Turn the Wheel and the Future Changes"	Tom Tykwer	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Capheus chooses not to sacrifice Kabaka's daughter, Sun's brother comes to visit her in the prison with bad news but Sun deduces that he may have killed their father because he is afraid of prison. Sun however channeled her rage to save Capheus from killing a kidnapped Kabaka from the fight scene the situation escalate into the roads of Nairobi. With help from Will, Capheus is able to defeat the gang's leader and a grateful Kabaka is returned to his daughter. Kala finds out who attempted to kill her future father in law. Wolfgang decides to do what he must to protect those he cares for. Kala and Wolfgang finally kiss. Nomi received help from an old friend. Will and Nomi realize that Riley is in trouble and will set out to save her before whispers can use her to hunt the remaining sensates.
12	12	"I Can't Leave Her"	The Wachowskis	The Wachowskis & J. Michael Straczynski	June 5, 2015
Riley is captured and it is up to Will to save her with help from the others but not without Whispers getting into Will's head and Riley having to confront her traumatic past. Things do not go as planned as Wolfgang's uncle is discovered to be wearing bulletproof vest after a shoot-out, but after some help from Kala he gets another chance only to confess to his uncle that he strangled and killed his abusive father when he was a teenager, burning his body with a car. Wolfgang brutally shoots his uncle repeatedly on the face, saying that he too is a monster. Seeing that Kala has witnessed the whole thing, he tells her that she should marry Rajan as he himself is too dangerous. The last scene shows Riley on a ferry with a drugged Will surrounded by the other sensates; it is the first time the entire cluster is seen together.

Reception

Critical reception of Sense8 has been generally favorable. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator website, reported a 67% critical approval rating with an average rating of 6/10 based on 43 reviews, and a 92% audience approval rating. The website's critical consensus reads, "Some of the scenarios border on illogical, but the diverse characters and the creative intersections between their stories keep the Wachowskis' Sense8 compelling."^[21] On Metacritic the show is assigned a score of 63 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[22]

On Netflix over 1,000,000 users rated the show with an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars.^[23] In a report released by Netflix it was discovered that at least 70% of the viewers that watched up to the third episode ended up watching the entire first season,^[24] and Straczynski was told there are people that watch it "straight through – three, four, six times."^[25] Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos praised the success of Sense8 in the up-and-coming French and German markets^[26] but also globally.^[27] Less than three days after its premiere, Variety reported that the show had been pirated more than half a million times, regardless of the series' digital distribution.^[28]

References

1. "I have been online, talking about the... - Fans of J. Michael Straczynski - Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved May 7, 2015. " We are going to treat subjects that most TV series, and pretty much all SF series have avoided."
2. "Watch the Trailer for the Wachowskis' New Netflix Series 'Sense8'". videoedge.net. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
3. "Everything You Need To Know About Netflix's New Show "Sense8"". BuzzFeed. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
4. Netflix [netflix] (August 8, 2015). "Birthdays are just the beginning. #sense8 is reborn." (Tweet). Retrieved August 12, 2015.
5. "Tina Desai makes her international TV debut". VOGUE India. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
6. "Lana Wachowski: India should relax more around LGBT issues". The Times of India. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
7. "Sense8: Making sense of it all". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
8. "Raúl Méndez el señor de las series". Excélsior (in Spanish). Retrieved December 18, 2014.
9. "Perfil: Raul Mendez – Cinema". Gazeta News - Jornal Brasileiro nos EUA / Florida - Brazilian News (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 31, 2015.
10. myFanbase Team. "Interviews: Exclusive interview with Christian Oliver - myFanbase". myfanbase.de. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
11. Tellychakkar Team. "Purab Kohli, Natasha Rastogi, Darshan Jariwala, Tena Desae to be part of international series Sense 8". tellychakkar.com. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
12. "Shruti Bapna lands a role in an international series". The Times of India. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
13. "Rajesh Khera to play Betaal in Sinhasan Battisi". The Times of India. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
14. People Daily. "Hollywood glitterati brings action to the city". People Daily. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
15. "This is why Hollywood recognises my acting". People Daily. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
16. Whitney Friedlander. "[VIDEO] ‘Sense8′ is the Wachowskis’ Matrix-Style Netflix Show - Variety". Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
17. "Vísir - Mágarnir KK og Eyþór með hlutverk í Sense8-þáttunum". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved July 13, 2015.
18. "Bae Doo Na Films Wachowskis' New Series, "Sense8," in Seoul - Soompi". Soompi. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
19. [K STAR] Ma Dong-seok made a cameo appearance in [sense8] 마동석, 워쇼스키 남매 작품에 '깜짝 출연'. YouTube. June 12, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
20. "Frank Dillane". Interview Magazine. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
21. "Sense8: Season 1". rottentomatoes.com. June 5, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
22. "Sense8". Metacritic. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
23. "Watch Sense8 Online - Netflix". netflix.com. June 16, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
24. Todd Spangler. "Netflix Data Reveals Exactly When TV Shows Hook Viewers - Variety". Variety. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
25. "SDCC: JMS Announces "Flash: Earth One," Talks "Sense8" Renewal Hopes - Comic Book Resources". comicbookresources.com. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
26. Nick Vivarelli (July 17, 2015). "Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Schmoozes With Italian Industry At Ischia Global Fest". Variety. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
27. David Lieberman. "Netflix Executives Say Programming Outlays Will Open Global Doors – And Wallets - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
28. Todd Spangler (June 8, 2015). "‘Sense8′ Piracy Netflix Wachowskis - Variety". Variety. Retrieved June 12, 2015.