[REVIEW] Dominion

By: Rachel Harper

Angels, sex, divided loyalties, war, secrets, betrayal – Dominion has it all. Whether you’re driven by action-based plots and invigorating drama, or heart-wrenchingly impossible romance, this series is bound to have something for everyone to sink their teeth into.

Dominion is an American-made television series that aired in early September, and is loosely based on the 2010 film Legion. With only eight episodes in its first season, it received so much praise and attention from both the American and Canadian public that it was renewed for a second season on Sept. 25, set for release in 2015.

“Twenty-five years ago, God disappeared,” the narrator says at the start of the pilot episode. The angels of the Lord had held humans responsible, and sought to eradicate them. This effort of extermination was led by the archangel Gabriel, who believed the dominion of the Earth should belong to him and his kin. However, Michael – the greatest of all the archangels – decided to protect humanity from his brother Gabriel’s wrath. Rumours began to form around a chosen one who would be the saviour of humankind, a child that Michael had saved. This is when we are introduced to Alex Lannon.

Alex is a good character, as far as heroes go. He’s brave, resilient, self-sacrificing, and humble. Although, the fact that he is a white, presumably heterosexual male is unrefreshing, as these seem to be common traits that a lot of saviours of humanity share. Thankfully, this is partly redeemed by the many powerful female characters in the show. All of the women on the show are interesting and complicated individuals, with different strengths and different weaknesses that help to break the stereotypical mould seen on most shows.

What makes Dominion really stand out from the standard television drama, however, is the moral ambiguity of almost every character. It’s often difficult to pinpoint a character in Dominion as either good or evil, as there are a lot of grey areas. In addition, many social aspects of society are very different in this universe. There are gay and lesbian characters, but a huge fuss isn’t made over their sexual orientation. Their sexuality is not the main topic for their plot line, and is refreshingly only adds depth to their characters.

Between political mind games that are strongly reminiscent of Game of Thrones, exciting action sequences, brilliant CGI wings, and multiple intertwining story lines, Dominion is a must watch for any sci-fi fan.

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