The Society (TV series)
| The Society | |
|---|---|
_Title_Card.jpg) | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Christopher Keyser |
| Starring |
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| Composer | Daniel Hart |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Cinematography | Attila Szalay |
| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 48–61 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | May 10, 2019 – present |
The Society is an American mystery teen drama web television series created by Christopher Keyser, that premiered on Netflix on May 10, 2019.
Premise
The Society follows the story of a "group of teenagers who struggle to survive after they're mysteriously transported to a facsimile of their hometown with no trace of their parents."[1]
Cast and characters
Main
- Kathryn Newton as Allie Pressman, Cassandra's younger sister who grew up in her shadow.
- Gideon Adlon as Becca Gelb, Sam's best friend who is pregnant.
- Sean Berdy as Sam Eliot, Allie and Cassandra's cousin who is deaf.
- Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Helena, Luke's religious girlfriend.
- Jacques Colimon as Will LeClair, Allie's best friend who grew up in foster care.
- Olivia DeJonge as Elle Tomkins, an outcast who becomes Campbell's girlfriend.
- Alex Fitzalan as Harry Bingham, the popular and wealthy son of the Town Mayor.
- Kristine Froseth as Kelly Aldrich, Harry's ex-girlfriend.
- Jose Julian as Gordie, a smart kid who has a crush on Cassandra.
- Alexander MacNicoll as Luke, Helena's boyfriend and former quarterback.
- Toby Wallace as Campbell Eliot, Sam's older brother and Allie and Cassandra's cousin who exhibits psychopathic personality traits. He physically abuses Elle.
- Rachel Keller as Cassandra Pressman, Allie's older sister who is a natural leader. She has a congenital heart defect for which she is medicated.
Recurring
- Jack Mulhern as Gareth "Grizz" Visser, a former football player and Sam's love interest.
- Spencer House as Clark
- Emilio Garcia-Sanchez as Jason
- Salena Qureshi as Bean
- Olivia Nikkanen as Gwen
- Kiara Pichardo as Madison
- Grace Victoria Cox as Lexie
- Naomi Oliver as Olivia
- Kelly Rose Golden as Marnie
- Matisse Rose as Jessica
- Alicia Crowder as Erika
- Benjamin Breault as Blake
- Damon J. Gillespie as Mickey
- Peter Donahue as Shoe
- Seth Meriwether as Greg Dewey
- Madeline Logan as Gretchen
- Dante Rodrigues as Zane
Guest
- Amy Carlson as Amanda Pressman
- David Aaron Baker as Jim Pressman
- Michael Siberry as Rodgers Eliot
- Paul Anthony Stewart as Doug Eliot
- Anastasia Barzee as Karen
- Chaske Spencer as Mr. Pfeiffer
- Chloe Levine as Emily
- Ava Gaudet as Lynette Eliot
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "What Happened" | Marc Webb | Christopher Keyser | May 10, 2019 | |
|
When a mysterious and irritating smell permeates the town of West Ham, Connecticut, the Federal Government sends the high school students off on a 10-day camping trip while the problem is dealt with. After departing by bus, the students end up returning to town, being told that the road to the camp is blocked. However, they discover initially that everyone else in town has disappeared, and that while local phones and texting work, they are electronically cut off from the rest of the world. The next day, they further discover that all roads and exits from town are now blocked by a seemingly endless and dangerous forest. Some students use their newfound freedom to engage in a wild party, while others attempt to ascertain what has happened. The morning after, a search party is formed and goes into the woods. Cassandra reveals she has a congenital heart defect. Campbell reveals he has a pistol, and he aims it at Cassandra. The search party returns, carrying the body of Emily who has died from a snakebite, and their arrival calms the tensions. For now. | |||||
| 2 | "Our Town" | Marc Webb | Christopher Keyser | May 10, 2019 | |
|
A solar eclipse darkens the sky, seemingly as a sign. Gordie hypothesizes they are in a parallel universe, with both the smell and their parents gone. Allie and Will go to each grocery store to take inventory of what is available. Sam and Becca go through the city hall records, where Becca falls ill and vomits. Everyone tries to come up with more theories as to what is happening. Helena gives a sermon. Gordie researches heart conditions for Cassandra and they share a moment. Sam finds a record that a company requested 1.5 million for the smell removal and his father and uncle refused, the day before they were taken. Becca takes a test and realizes she is pregnant. Harry organizes a game of fugitives vs. cops to take everyone's mind off the events. Allie gets hit by a car during the game, but isn't injured. Kelly and Will bond. Allie and Harry have sex. Campbell and Elle do cocaine and get drunk together. The electricity flickers on and off during a storm. Bean discovers the solar eclipse wasn't scheduled, and may have actually been a sign, or proof that they are indeed in a parallel universe. A dispute at the hardware store over flashlights ends with a mass brawl, looting, and a car exploding. | |||||
| 3 | "Childhood's End" | Tara Nicole Weyr | Rachel Sydney Alter | May 10, 2019 | |
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After the conflicts, the women of the town rally, with Cassandra as their leader. They organize a prom as a way of distraction. The men discuss the idea of socialism, instead of just taking things. The town unanimously decides to create a work rotation list, ration food, share housing, and eat communally. Sam and Becca decide to go to prom together, as do Kelly and Will. Harry grows agitated with work assignments and communal living. Harry and Kelly discover that Harry's mom and Kelly's dad were having an affair with each other. Harry non-jokingly suggests killing Cassandra. Allie has a urinary tract infection. Kelly and Will dance, making Harry and Allie jealous. Becca reveals to Sam that she is pregnant, but refuses to say who the father is. Campbell supplies Harry with drugs. Grizz and Sam share a moment where Grizz asks to be taught some sign language. Gordie and Cassandra couple together at the dance and share a kiss. Will and Allie share a dance. Gordie masturbates in Cassandra's room. Campbell and Elle consummate their relationship. Cassandra finds a dog while cleaning up after the prom, and gets shot twice in the stomach by an unseen assailant. She dies. | |||||
| 4 | "Drop by Drop" | Stacie Passon | Emily Bensinger | ||
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The men of the town dig a grave. Gordie extracts the bullets from Cassandra's corpse. The town has a funeral service for Cassandra. Lexie becomes paranoid and refuses to leave her house. Multiple women refuse to leave safety after the events. The men in the town decide they need to enforce the work lists to keep the town running. "The Guard," mostly made up of football players, is formed to patrol the streets. Grizz comforts Allie. Helena reveals to Luke that she has multiple guns, and gives him one. Brandon Eggles pulls a gun on the guard of the grocery store. Becca worries that everyone will know about her pregnancy soon and that she won't have a successful pregnancy and birth. Sam promises to love her baby and be there for both of them. Two people pull guns on each other in the cafeteria, adding to the tension. Allie is given the new title of leader, persuaded by Gordie. Campbell supplies Harry with more drugs. Allie heads her first town hall meeting and announces all guns will be confiscated. Elle approaches Kelly with the idea for a movie night. The Guard searches everyone's house and confiscates guns. Helena refuses to give up her guns. Sam tells Gordie that his brother stole the gun in his possession. Allie decides to keep the guns instead of destroy them. Sam explains that Campbell abused and then murdered a bird when he was young, and how he is a diagnosed psychopath. Campbell nearly drowns Elle in her bathtub and threatens her. | |||||
| 5 | "Putting on the Clothes" | Haifaa Al-Mansour | Anna Fishko & Christopher Keyser | May 10, 2019 | |
| 6 | "Like a F-ing God or Something" | Megan Griffiths | Christopher Keyser & Anna Fishko | May 10, 2019 | |
| 7 | "Allie's Rules" | Patricia Cardoso | Qui Nguyen | May 10, 2019 | |
| 8 | "Poison" | Rich Lee | Maile Meloy | May 10, 2019 | |
| 9 | "New Names" | Brett Simon | Anna Fishko | May 10, 2019 | |
| 10 | "How it Happens" | Marc Webb | Christopher Keyser | May 10, 2019 | |
Production
Development
In 2013, Christopher Keyser and Marc Webb pitched the show to Showtime, but the network later decided to pass on the series.[2] On July 24, 2018, Netflix announced that it had given the production a series order. The series was created by Keyser, who will also act as writer, and executive producer, with Webb set to direct.[3]
Casting
Alongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Kathryn Newton had been cast as a series regular.[3] In November 2018, Rachel Keller, Gideon Adlon, Jacques Colimon, Olivia DeJonge, Alex Fitzalan, Kristine Froseth, Jose Julian, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Alex MacNicoll, Jack Mulhern, Salena Qureshi, Grace Victoria Cox, Sean Berdy, and Toby Wallace joined the cast.[4]
Filming
Principal photography for the first season took place in Lancaster, Massachusetts, from September to November 2018.[5]
Release
Marketing
On April 30, 2019, the official trailer was released.[1] The first season was released on Netflix on May 10, 2019.[6]
Reception
The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes provides a 75% approval from 20 reviews, and an average rating of 7.25/10. The website's critical consensus states, "An intriguing tangle of mystery and melodrama, what The Society lacks in levity—and at times clarity—it makes up for with its surprisingly thoughtful exploration of community, culture, and what it means to grow up."[7] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]
References
- ^ a b Keaney, Quinn (April 30, 2019). "Things Get Bad Very Quickly in the Chilling New Trailer For Netflix's The Society". Pop Sugar. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ^ Yeates, Cydney (May 12, 2019). "The Society was originally axed by Showtime: Inside the history of Netflix's latest mystery series". Metro. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Kathryn Newton To Star In Netflix Drama Series From Chris Keyser & Marc Webb". Deadline Hollywood. July 24, 2018.
- ^ "Rachel Keller & Gideon Adlon Among 14 Cast In Chris Keyser & Marc Webb's Netflix YA Drama Series 'The Society'". Deadline Hollywood. November 28, 2018.
- ^ Davies, Alex (May 10, 2019). "The Society on Netflix location: Where is The Society filmed? Where's it set?". Express. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
- ^ "'The Society' Trailer: First Look At Chris Keyser & Marc Webb's Netflix YA Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. April 4, 2019.
- ^ "The Society: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
- ^ "The Society: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
External links
- The Society on Netflix
- The Society at IMDb
Categories:
- 2010s American mystery television series
- 2010s American teen drama television series
- 2019 American television series debuts
- 2010s American LGBT-related drama television series
- Dystopian television series
- English-language television programs
- Gay-related television programs
- Murder in television
- Netflix original programming
- Serial drama television series
- Suspense television series
- Television series produced in Massachusetts
- Television series set in fictional populated places
- Television shows set in Connecticut