16-year-old Henry Coles is an outsider in her new town of Reston, New York. With a major chip on her shoulder and no friends, she remains withdrawn and isolated, but everything changes when a traumatic encounter with a classmate triggers something deep within Henry- unleashing a power she cannot control. A young woman discovers she has the extraordinary power of teleportation. I don't think the creators of Impulse were trying to be particularly subtle in what this series is doing, but I don't think they need to be. It's still a smart and creative way to tackle a timely issue. <br/><br/>I'm not a fan of high school melodrama (and there's definitely aspects of that), but there's still a lot here for adults who enjoy intelligent sci-fi tangled up in believable everyday life. <br/><br/>It's moody and beautifully shot, the script is well-written, the soundtrack is great, and the acting is generally fantastic (with perhaps one notable exception being Sarah Desjardins as Jenna, who I think must have gone to the Neve Campbell school of acting). <br/><br/>Maddie as the lead is brilliant, although her character is unlikable more often than likeable . If the writers could perhaps steer her a little further away from the bratty end of the teenage spectrum, the show might not turn so many people off?<br/><br/>Enuka Okuma consistently gives stand-out performances as the deputy, and David James Elliot gives us a complex and 3 dimensional villain. I've seen a few attempts at shows like this where a teen(s) start to develop powers (The Gifted, Runaways, Cloak & Dagger). This one is a far better series. It's likely due to do hiring experienced actors and not spending all your budget on set/clothing designs/special effects.<br/><br/>The parents are more than the usual caricatures in such shows. Enuka Okuma, David James Elliott, and Missi Pyle - who finally gets a role worthy of her considerable talents (just give her an Emmy already), all create complex/interesting people who do more than stand around amazed as the kids ultimately save the day.<br/><br/>Speaking of the teens, even here, the casting director deserves a pat on the back. Sure, they're all more achingly pretty than real teenagers, yet they are also interesting to watch on screen.<br/><br/>Finally and most important, tying a 'superhero' concept to the MeToo movement is a tricky thing to attempt. However, the potential silliness of someone teleporting did not diminish the seriousness of sexual assault. In fact, it showed how even the powerful can not stop the damage of being abused or the helplessness of those close to them. (Missi's conversations Maddie Hasson will break your heart)<br/><br/>This show is well worth your time. It might also give you a glimpse into the lives of the young and the pressures they endure.
Kamader replied
364 weeks ago