Space is always a terrifying place to be, where the claustrophobia of a spaceship is unnervingly contrasted with the vastness of its outside environment – alone and trapped in the purest sense. Somehow, Netflix’s animated sci-fi horror, Exception, takes the terror of the location up a notch, not only by tossing in a rampant monster, Alien-style, within the close quarters of the spacecraft, but also by plunging viewers into inescapable existential dread. The miniseries offers eight 30-minute episodes of survival horror and a mission to save humanity, all while questions about what it means to be human are woven into the story’s fabric, forcing the audience to consider humanity’s existence like never before.
What Is ‘Exception’ About?
At first, it seems like Exception is your typical sci-fi foray into attempting to save the world while being stalked by a terrifying creature, but soon enough, it becomes so much more than that. The series introduces a crew of five people — Nina (Ali Hillis), Patty (Nadine Nicole), Oscar (Eugene Byrd), Mack (Robbie Daymond), and Lewis (Nolan North) — tasked with terraforming a planet to make it habitable for Earth’s population. However, this crew is actually made up of 3D biologically printed copies, via a contraption called the Womb, of the original humans, who are in cryosleep in another shuttle. When a solar flare disrupts the printing process, Lewis emerges as a human-monster hybrid that attacks everyone on board, and soon thereafter, the crew realizes there is also a traitor on the ship, kicking off a paranoid fight for survival.
The show opens with Nina’s printing process, where she earnestly says, “I am human,” a sentiment that is thoughtfully dissected throughout the rest of the series. The printed versions of the humans have the same memories, thoughts, and feelings as the original humans, but with the Womb, they also have godlike powers to create more prints if necessary. Lewis’ complication also adds a wrinkle to these questions, muddying the answers to whose lives have value and what makes someone human.
The 35 Most Underrated Sci-Fi Shows You Haven’t Seen (Yet)
To infinity and beyond (the usual sci-fi shows)!
Ideas on sentience, mental capacity, emotions, language, memories, and mortality are all considered, but where do you draw the line if there is a line to be drawn? Does it make you less human if you don’t have one of these traits? These morality questions often act in the background of the survival plot, but they are felt deeply and are by far the most captivating part of Exception. As the series progresses, they linger in the back of your mind, making the events and twists feel more disturbing than ever.
Netflix’s ‘Exception’ Balances Survival Horror and Morality
Around the existential core of Exception are the visuals and fast-paced plot that heighten the stakes of the morality questions, as they feed into each other to create a gripping whirlwind experience. Although critics have described the 3D animation as off-putting at times, as the show progresses, it actually feels perfectly suited to the premise. Sometimes the graphics quality can appear a little rough around the edges, but it contributes to the heady and distorted atmosphere of being in space, trapped by a monster and their minds. Additionally, the art itself is ethereal with an effervescent sheen, fitting with how we question the prints’ realities and claims to humanity.
At the forefront is the plot that begins as a survival horror, briefly dips into a whodunit as the crew searches for the traitor, then returns to an action-packed battle as all the players’ identities and motivations are revealed. Each character is memorable in their own right, ranging from the calm and charismatic Nina trying to find the most ethical but pragmatic way to deal with the evolving situation to the lovable Oscar whose emotions are as strong as his loyalty. As we learn more about the characters and their true intentions, the plot quickens with fun genre thrills making the existential dread feel more manageable.
Between the morality questions and the suspense of whether they’ll survive, Exception is one of the most mind-bending, twisty, and chilling sci-fi horror shows you’ll ever watch. It keeps you guessing right until the end while forcing you to confront the very nature of humanity making for a show that’ll stay with you long after the finale’s heart-pounding revelations.
