The fourth season of the animated anthology series Love, Death & Robots will premiere on Netflix on May 15. Judging by the trailer, at least some of the new season’s episodes will be devoted to space.
This is far from the series’ first foray into space territory. Many of the previous episodes of the anthology also unfolded outside of Earth. At the same time, they all had different genre orientations – from horror and survival stories to action fiction. The editorial staff of Universe Space Tech recalls the best space episodes of “Love, Death & Robots”, which you can revisit in anticipation of the new season.
«Suits»
Season 1, Episode 4
Duration: 17 minutes
“Suits” tells a story about the life of a farming community that is separated by a force field from hordes of insect-like aliens. One day, they manage to break through the barrier, and the heroes have to fight bloodthirsty monsters using heavily armed exoskeletons.
The episode is inspired by such classics of action space fiction as “Aliens” and “Starship Troopers” (both Robert Heinlein’s original novel and Paul Verhoeven’s movie). It has all the basic elements of the genre: countless hordes of aliens, exoskeletons, relentless action with self-sacrifice, and the obligatory final battle with a huge alien species (a kind of “queen”).
But for all that, “Suits” is more than just a beautiful genre homage. The last shots of the episode, when we see the entire planet where the action unfolds, make us wonder: who in this story is the invader and who is the defender of his land?
«Helping Hand»
Season 1, Episode 11
Duration: 10 minutes
If the inspiration for “Suits” came from combat space fiction, “Helping Hand” is inspired by “Gravity”. The episode tells the story of astronaut Alex, who is repairing a satellite. A collision with space debris puts her in a near hopeless situation – her spacesuit’s engines have failed and she has only 14 minutes of oxygen left. Will she manage to get back to the ship, or is she doomed to stay in space forever?
Despite its short running time and plot simplicity, “Helping Hand” captivates with its general concept. After watching it, you may wonder: What sacrifice would you make if you were in a similar situation? And how much courage would it take?
Also, the Helping Hand can be seen as a kind of warning. The problem of space debris is more than real, and is becoming more and more acute as new mega-satellite constellations are deployed. So it can’t be ruled out that one day such a story will become a reality.
«Beyond the Aquila Rift»
Season 1, Episode 7
Duration: 16 minutes
“Beyond the Aquila Rift” is one of the most highly rated episodes of the entire series. And it is more than natural, because it combines both excellent visuals and an interesting plot, based on the story of the same name by Alastair Reynolds.
The episode tells the story of an astronaut who, due to a navigational error, finds himself on a space station far from home. There he meets Greta, his former love, who helps him to get used to the difficult situation he finds himself in. But very soon it becomes clear that everything is much more complicated than it seems at first glance, and Greta may not be who she claims to be….
“Beyond the Aquila Rift” hooks you from the first frames and does not let go until the very end. The work done by the animators is admirable – it is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful and cinematic episodes of the entire series. And the plot and, especially, the finale, leaves a lot of food for thought. If you want to watch one of the episodes of “Love, Death & Robots”, but you don’t know which one, “Beyond the Eagle Rift” is the perfect candidate.
«The Very Pulse of the Machine»
Season 3, Episode 3
Duration: 17 minutes
An accident leaves astronaut Martha Kivelson alone on the surface of Io. While trying to reach a lifeboat, she has to take painkillers to dull the pain from her broken arm. Soon, Martha begins to hear Io’s voice speaking to her through her dead partner. But is it just a hallucination? Or is Io a mind-possessing alien machine trying to make contact with her?
“The Very Pulse of the Machine” is one of the most surreal and, in some ways, even mediatic episodes of the series. And it’s not just the plot, but also the characteristic visual style in which the episode is executed. During the journey, the heroine is exposed to several very bizarre and mesmerizing images, which remain in her memory for a long time after the end of the viewing.
The authors of the episode hint but do not give a definite answer to the questions of whether the heroine talked to the alien machine and whether the decision she made made any sense. Each viewer can find answers that suit him or her. One thing is for sure – “The Very Pulse of the Machine” is worth your time.
«Swarm»
Season 3, Episode 6
Duration: 17 minutes
Dr. Afriel and Dr. Mirny are studying the Swarm, a space colony of living organisms made up of many alien species that have been assimilated by it in the past and are now part of the overall ecosystem. Mirny just wants to explore the Swarm, while Afriel has far more ambitious goals. But what if the Swarm is far more complex than they thought and has a mind of its own?
“Swarm” is one of the most ambitious space episodes of Love, Death & Robots, exploring several very interesting concepts at once, from cosmic evolution to the potential future of humanity. This is perhaps even a bit of a detriment to the episode, for the themes it raises are quite sweeping and feel cramped in the format of a short film rather than a full-fledged movie.
But even with that in mind, the episode is more than worth watching. It boasts good visuals and very creative designs of alien flora and fauna. And the ambiguous ending in the best traditions of “Love, Death & Robots” leaves a lot of space for thinking about what will happen next and what the chances are of our species.
