Kaos: Review
By Sioph W. Leal
A line appears, the order wanes, the family falls, and kaos reigns is the prophecy at the centre of the series and what sets off Zeus’ (Jeff Goldblum) paranoia when he wakes up to find a new wrinkle on his forehead. It sets the God off on a dangerous, destructive path as he tries to defy his own prophecy and keep the humans and his family in line. On Earth, the people are ready for Olympia Day—a day of celebration for the Gods—only for it to be sabotaged by rebel group the Trojan Seven, who defecate the Gods monument that furthers Zeus’ descent into madness. The day is a moment of change, not just for the Gods but for humanity as a whole. There are mortals who are unknowingly instrumental in the prophecy and whose lives are changed by the events. Eurydice, aka Riddy (Aurora Perrineau), Orpheus (Killian Scott), Caeneus (Misia Butler), and Ariadne, aka Ari (Leila Farzad), come from different situations but find themselves tied together even if they don’t interact. Each one has a role to play in bringing down Zeus and yearning for change. Eager for Zeus’ downfall and his own freedom, Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) narrates the tale with a perfect mix of humour and a dark, calming stillness that both soothes and intrigues.
Any Greek myth provides an excellent story of rich characters, dark turns, and epic adventures, so it is no surprise that Kaos is all of that and more. With the modern setting, you won’t need to know the Greek myths to enjoy the stories, as they’re polished up and changed slightly to adjust to the new setting. Orpheus is a famous musician, and his muse and wife Eurydice, aka Riddy, is feeling that’s all she is; his muse, and she longs for more and to do more with her life. While that starts the story and is at the centre of everything, it also grounds the myths into feeling more ingrained in everyday life. Same can be said for the infamous minotaur myth, with Ari still as the heir to rule and tied to the deadly minotaur with a more family approach, which is probably one of the darker aspects of the show. As a baby, Ari accidentally killed her twin brother, and every year on her birthday she poses, dressed as a man, for a lifelike waxwork at the behest of her mother so she can see what her lost child would look like. It’s chilling to see a room filled with thirty waxworks of the same person at every stage of their life. Then there is Caeneus, whose tale is revamped the most and the most improved from the myth. No longer is Caeneus a raped woman forced to be a man, but now he is a transgender man exiled from his home with the Amazon’s, put to death by his mother, and denied being reborn by his family. It’s a good change and helps to weave together all the stories, as the three are fated in similar ways.
As for the Gods, there are some plot twists we can’t divulge but know they are executed with perfection in ways that make perfect sense, add to the neurosis of the Gods but will still have a shocking impact. As a lover of Greek myths, it is always disappointing to see Hades (David Thewlis) portrayed as the villain to Zeus’ hero. Thankfully, Kaos changes that up slightly. Hades is just a man doing his job, forced to do everything Zeus tells him, but his love for Persephone (Rakie Ayola) is genuine, as is his concern for humanity as he tries to correct his brother’s cruelty. His last scene carries a lot of weight as he stands in awe of another character and action.
Every character has a strong, rich backstory that the plot effortlessly combines with what is going on. Many series in the past would lazily explain their characters with flashbacks or too much exposition, but Kaos weaves everything and everyone together with a passion and an obvious care for the mythical characters and the new story that showrunner Charlie Covell wants to tell. Despite the huge egos of the Gods or how dedicated the humans are to them, there’s layers to everyone, and every character is likeable for who they are, even if they are truly deplorable like Zeus or their actions are selfish and questionable at best, like Orpheus.
There will be some obvious fan favourites, but aside from the three main humans, Dionysus (Nabhaan Rizwan) is such a standout. At first, he can easily be pigeonholed as a partier desperate for his father's approval, but simple changes make for a character with depth. Of course, he still has daddy issues, but the simple twist of having Zeus choose to make his half-mortal son a full God adds more. There’s a hatred from Hera (Janet McTeer), which adds to Dionysus' quest to prove himself worthy of a promotion. Rizwan not only makes him likeable and vulnerable but also comedic and able to stand up with powerhouse cast like Goldblum and come out leaving a lasting impression. He’s fun and flawed with some memorable moments and can, at times, be the worst suffering at the hands of the Gods and his family.
From the first episode, there is a weight and an emotional rawness tied perfectly to the dark comedic parts of the series with an immersive world building that has the Gods integrated in everyday life, not just in prayer but on a consumer level. There’s God-branded products, posters, and everything else that create a fully realised world that you’re able to lose yourself in. It contrasts well to the dark, bland, nothingness that is the Underworld. All humans get a prophecy for their lives that creates another layer to the overall plot. While it can appear the prophecies are specific, there’s a clever balance that creates multiple meanings only realised when they come to fruition, which brings a curiosity to what Kaos reigns if that looking prediction comes true.
Kaos is fun and dark with an updated take on Greek myths that weave together known and unknown characters. There is clear love and thought gone into creating the world of Kaos, not just with the characters and how they connect with the wider world, but every aspect seems carefully chosen to emphasise the story. The season does end on a cliffhanger, but it is a great hope that Netflix continues this story, and we get to see more of the world and characters and see Kaos reign.
Kaos streams on Netflix August 29th 2024.