Article first published as DOMINION Review on Seat42F.
SyFy’s latest series, paired with
Defiance, is DOMINION. A sequel to the 2010 film Legion, though not
having seen the film, I can say the show seems accessible without it,
this is the story of a world overrun by angels. It’s been 25 years since
Michael (Tom Wisdom, 300) stood by humanity against his brethren. Now,
he lives in the most secure city in what was once known as the United
States, Vega (nee Las Vegas), watching over an unstable peace that is on
the verge of collapse.
DOMINION is a dystopian future for
mankind, a genre that is all the rage, but injects religion into its
origin, too, asking viewers to accept the God and his winged followers
are not only real, but once again involved in the happenings on Earth,
Old Testament-style. There’s a vibrancy not unlike the Greek gods in how
Michael, Gabriel, and the others are presented, and the city of Vega
feels like the Roman Empire at its height, albeit with some modern
technology. Basically, it’s a mish-mash of many things, repackaged in a
way that works pretty well.
Michael himself comes across as alien.
His demeanor is otherworldly, his actions not exactly matching those
humans around him. They regard him as someone to be respected, but he
doesn’t rule over them, making for an interesting dynamic. It’s hard to
tell exactly what Michael’s motivations are, other than serving the
larger goal of protecting the men and women around him. With such an
obtuse character one of those central to DOMINION, it should making for
an interesting chemistry.
Those familiar with the movie should
remember Jeep (Langley Kirkwood, Invictus). Roaming the countryside for
the past fifteen years, struggling to understand the tattoos covering
his body, Jeep brings in greater mystery to the proceedings. His son,
the chosen one, is hidden away, though viewers will probably be able to
see the obvious reveal coming from a mile away. What they may not see
ahead of time is where the plot will go from this starting point.
The enemies of Vega are an army of
angels led by Gabriel who want to upset the balance of power and finish
what they started, wiping out all humans. With one particular warrior
that looks too much like Iron Man, Gabriel is stationed quite close to
the city, setting the stage for numerous battles, though making a long,
drawn-out war seem unlikely.
The danger to Vega may be more from
within, though. One of the ruling family’s patriarchs, David Weel
(Anthony Head, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), has his own ideas about how
the government should change, wanting to solidify power into a
dictatorship. His rival is General Rysen (Alan Dale, Lost), the current
man in charge, who favors democracy and the erosion of the strict caste
system that current exists. These two represent the opposite sides of a
coin, and while it’s clear from the onset that Weel is the slimy one and
Rysen is noble, if things get too bad, Weel could end up being the
leader Vega needs.
As well-developed as Weel and Rysen are
their children. Weel’s son, William (Luke Allen-Gale, Monroe), doesn’t
necessarily fall in line with his dad, having his own belief system,
which includes a faith in the chosen one, something his elder scoffs at.
Claire Rysen (Roxanne McKee, Game of Thrones) does respect her father,
but doesn’t feel understood by him. These are not just two copies of
their parents, and the interactions of the four together make for a
tenuous blend of alliances and blood ties, one that seems to be
interesting and fresh, rather than stock and stale.
Rounding out the cast are: Alex
(Christopher Egan, Kings), a soldier that Claire loves; Arika (Shivani
Ghai, EastEnders), a representative from another city; and Becca
(Rosalind Halstead, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason), Michael’s human
‘companion’ and member of the ruling council. Plus, there’s an adorable
impoverished orphan.
The pilot gets a few things wrong, such
as telegraphing a couple big plays and making a bad guy or two a bit
over-the-top. But it also gets a lot right. There’s a great mix of
complex personalities, a visually impressive setting, a new take on a
bleak future, and plenty of intriguing unknowns to engage the audience. I
find it quite entertaining, and am definitely tuning in to see how the
first season unfolds, as the trajectory isn’t quite made known in the
initial hour-plus.
DOMINION airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on SyFy.
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