Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.cbr.com
Looking back at HBO’s history, plenty of sci-fi and steampunk gems stand out beyond the obvious. The Nevers is one of them, though it never got a fair chance to grow to the same scale.
The Nevers remains relatively unknown to general audiences, never receiving a major marketing push or consistently promoted on HBO Max as must-watch television. It’s unfortunate that the series was never given the opportunity to shine beyond its initial episodes. Even so, it has an inventive premise, superb performances, and a gripping narrative that takes audiences somewhere new.
The Nevers Had Comparisons to the X-Men
HBO launched The Nevers in April 2021, created by Joss Whedon, with showrunner Philippa Goslett on hand to lead the charge. The series wasn’t initially launched as a heavy hitter for the platform, but fans were intrigued by a high-concept sci-fi premise that promised to do things differently.
Set in Victorian London, the show focused on a group of powerful individuals with strange abilities who were considered unusual. With those without powers jealous of their gifts, those with abilities became outcasts. They were known as the Touched, whose powers suddenly appeared after a strange spacecraft flew over London on Aug. 3, 1896. Many compared the original premise to other superhero fare, such as the X-Men.
The parallel with Mutantkind and the prejudice against them is rather obvious, but The Nevers tackled the topic well, never treading on territory that felt too familiar. The series was especially inventive in its use of the range of abilities on hand, coupled with the conflicts among the Touched themselves.
The show was bolstered not only by its concept but by its incredible cast. This is an ensemble that not only boasted chemistry in spades but also understood how to elevate their individual characteristics, ensuring the show’s overall tone was both consistent and varied. There might be a couple of leads here, but The Nevers always felt like a team effort.
Each performer brings their own flavor to proceedings in a way that isn’t always typical of broadcast television. That’s where the strengths of the series really lie, as the Touched begin to bounce off one another’s unique quirks.
Laura Donnelly is the absolute star of the show. She charismatically plays Zephyr, a mysterious, gritty member of the Touched who seems able to control any room she enters.
Ann Skelly is superb as Penance, while the likes of Olivia Williams, James Norton, Pip Torrens, Denis O’Hare, Zackary Momoh, and Nick Frost bring a range of experience levels to the table. The fantasy steampunk sci-fi series is so plot-heavy and lore-dense that it’s a marvel these actors can still keep the focus on it being a character-driven piece.
HBO’s The Nevers Was a Standout Steampunk Sci-Fi Drama
What fans may first notice about The Nevers is how heavily it relies on stable world-building that is both atmospheric and immersive. The HBO sci-fi drama favors a steampunk aesthetic and a series of European and British-influenced design choices that allow it to stand out against a backdrop of other fantasy and superhero epics.
There simply isn’t another show that looks or feels like this, and it is in its absence that this fact becomes all the more apparent. The Nevers feels like it is intended to be a much larger franchise launchpad, and it is in that world-building that this becomes particularly evident.
The mythos around the serial killer Maladie is a notable example. The murderer is one of the Touched and uses her abilities to escape from her horrific crimes. She is dangerous and unpredictable, but it is her relationship with Zephyr and her connection to the wider Touched community that craft far more compelling reasons and consequences for her villainy.
The show also really prides itself on the depth of its mysteries and history. Where those powers came from and the reasoning behind them are things the script keeps close to its chest. Equally, the fact that there is a traitor among the group is a particularly prominent angle and one that really serves those viewers who have been paying attention.
The Nevers rewards the thoughtful, as with Westworld and other intelligent HBO sci-fi shows, by expandingon missable details that prove all the more important.
The series ultimately proves that a great concept only takes viewers partway. It is in the ensemble’s dynamics and the depth of the world-building that a premise can truly come to life. The Nevers would have been fantastic in the current age, as a show viewers watched week to week and could speculate about as it debuted.
However, a problem halted the series’ momentum, as it was never properly supported.
The Nevers Didn’t Get the Conclusion It Deserved
The Nevers was commissioned by HBO for only one season and 12 episodes, yet it expanded its plot beyond those parameters. It was clear from the get-go that this was not a show destined for renewal, so viewers instantly turned off, sensing that the finale wouldn’t do justice to the narrative.
What’s more, the show was still being filmed as it was released, leading to a rather unusual format shift. The series, despite being just 12 episodes, was split in half, with a huge gap between releases.
It’s not uncommon for a show to have a midseason finale if it consists of around 21 episodes. But with behind-the-scenes issues and faltering ratings, it wasn’t even clear whether The Nevers would return from its hiatus. Considering the show started in April 2021, it wasn’t until December 2022 that all episodes were available.
It was then placed on Tubi, where any additional momentum was significantly lost. All in, the epic just hit over 1 million viewers per episode. Cancellation was inevitable, but this is the part that really stings.
The Nevers was a great sci-fi show that was canceled too soon, before the second half aired. When it came time to release those final episodes, many felt they weren’t even worth their time. The show also received poor reviews at its debut, but the reason was never entirely clear.
While criticism was leveled at its pacing and structure, most of those assessments came before the series was allowed to reach its conclusion. The Nevers right any wrongs as it continues, and it is now best judged in its totality.
The show is being called a masterpiece despite those early reactions. Take the series at face value: it is a satisfying set of ideas, driven by its character studies. It is an ambitious project, unlike anything commissioned today. It is in its originality that true value can be found. Without this kind of big-picture thinking, the streaming world would be a very boring place.
The Nevers
- Release Date
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2021 – 2022
- Network
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HBO Max
- Showrunner
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Philippa Goslett
- Directors
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Joss Whedon
