I am a We: The Wachowskis take us from the Matrix to Sense8

In 1999, The Matrix blew the minds of audiences worldwide with its cyberpunk dystopian story of a computer hacker discovering the world he lived in was a simulated reality. From its revolutionary storytelling, incredible new age fighting choreography, and its popularization of the slow-motion tactic to enhance a scene, this film sealed itself into every science fiction lover's heart and became a phenomenon and a staple of the genre.

It also became a part of pop culture. References to taking the red pill or the blue pill, or there being a glitch in the matrix, and even endless attempts to recreate the "bullet time" scene have made this box office hit part of our everyday life.

I was always a fan. From the committed performances to the ridiculous leather outfits the characters wore my little aesthetic heart could not get enough of this world. The Wachowskis have graced the world with plenty of other fascinating stories since, personal favorites being Cloud Atlas and V for Vendetta, but in 2015 Netflix released what is to me their greatest achievement in the form of Sense8.

The plot of Sense8 is rather simple: 8 strangers from different parts of the world find themselves mentally linked to each other. From there the story takes off in such fascinating, deeply emotional, outrageously entertaining ways that you are left with no other conclusion that this is the best thing your eyes have seen and your soul has felt in a very long time.

This is a spoiler-free review mostly because if you read this and do not immediately go turn on Netflix to watch this incredible two-season show then I have not done my job correctly.

Here are my five reasons why Sense8 is the perfect love letter to fans of the Wachowskis work over the years.

5. Diversity is not just a gimmick:

We have all seen shows that claim to be making waves in having one or two diverse characters that, more often than not, end up being background props for the typical heterosexual, white, male story lead. Sense8 is not that kind of show. The main characters are all from different backgrounds, ethnicities, sexualities, socio-economic statuses, and that is focused on greatly as they become a part of each other's lives.

Something I noted and loved about the show was that even if a character was from a background I have seen explored vaguely in other media it turned stereotypes about them on its head. The Wachowskis give us the truth about these kinds of experiences, the good and the bad, without skimping on the hardships and privileges each character has.

The sheer scale of how this is handled is breathtaking. It is not a spoiler to say this show was filmed on the many locations where the stories take place. It was part of the reason the budget for it was egregious but the cinematography pays off in a big way. Not only is it beautiful, but it also dives you deep into the individual worlds of these characters.

In reality, to see so many untold stories of people finally given the justice they deserve is both heartwarming and unprecedented. Not all of us have completely open minds to that of which we do not understand or know personally. The show does a great job of making the world it builds feel real and lived-in, so we as the audience may too begin to empathize and understand how our main characters became who they are.

4. Spiritual concepts are laid bare:

Part of the fun of the Matrix was the concepts of religion that were sprinkled throughout the action-adventure movie. Neo as "The One" the proverbial chosen one that will save all humanity from the Matrix is the very literal allegory to Jesus and other savior narratives. If you watched the trailer above, you would see that right from the beginning the story speaks of rebirth.

Though a few of the characters themselves have religious journeys the show itself is a spiritual journey for its collective audience. This is a story of what is felt rather than what can be proven with science. Overall, the mysticism handled in the show is as much of a driving force as anything else in the story. An actual spiritual concept known as Numerology was a heavy influence on the show.

The concept of infinity is a heavy theme of the show as it is a constant question in our daily lives. When we die will everything end? We have all asked ourselves this vulnerable question and the show explores that concept rather deeply.

Little known fact about me, I was born on August 8th, so this show certainly inflated my sense of importance tenfold! The matter goes deeper than that though.

This YouTube video goes a little more into the spiritual concepts the show goes into.

3. In typical Wachowski form, there is something in it for everyone:

For people like me, this is a story of compassion, connection, and sincerity. Cheesy as it is, I love myself a feel-good story. That being said, this is also a show with incredible action scenes and heart-stopping suspense. I recall physically gasping at certain action sequences which reminded me so much of how I felt watching the Matrix for the first time.

This show also follows rather gritty individual storylines. The characters are not black and white, static, beings that live entirely in a world of good choices or in a world of bad ones. A general trigger-warning for anyone that has trouble with suicidal concepts because that first episode is a tough one to watch. From the beginning, though the idea for the show is connection, we see the divide the characters face in their individual lives.

Later, as the story builds, we start to understand the greater villain behind their collective troubles. Without spoiling I will say we are working with generally terrifying concepts much like our main villains in the Matrix franchise. Violence begets violence, and the show does not shy away from the ways in which others hurt us and how we hurt ourselves.

Though this may not always be the easiest to watch given our individual triggers it is never presented in a gratuitous fashion. It is not simply a blood splatter to excite an audience like a gladiator fight in a Roman arena, it is a matter of carrying the story forward in an honest way.

2. Limbic Resonance & other science-y concepts:

This is a science fiction drama and it dives deep into this concept of connection. In previous work, the Waschowskis have explored the concept that our reality is only what we perceive. I think of that scene in the matrix where Morpheus tells Neo that if what we sense, see, hear, smell, etcetera, is our reality then that means only electrical signals to the brain create our experience.

This can lead down a rather cynical viewpoint that we experience the world apart from others. This concept is flipped on its head in sense8 with the actual science concept known as limbic resonance. Basically, that our understanding is not limited to ourselves but can exist as a link with others who can connect and understand the emotional signals we give out. Sort of like an invisible neural thread between you and the people closest to you.

We are more than what we perceive. This becomes a constant theme in the narrative, which is not surprising when the concept of this show is 8 individuals with connected minds, but the exploration of such vulnerability with the mix of actual thought-provoking scientific and philosophical concepts is a treat. This is just the tip of the iceberg of fun science and pseudo-science concepts explored in Sense8.

1. Stronger Together:

As embarrassing as it is to admit I am a total crybaby. I have been known to cry at commercials about sad puppies, cry when watching Disney movies designed for children, you name it, I have likely cried about it.

When I tell you that nothing has affected my emotions quite like the story of Sense8 I really do mean it. I watched this show when it premiered in 2015 and have re-watched it at least seven times since. Every time, it still dips into a part of me that has never seen art quite like this before.

Intuition is what carries this story, not logic. Meaningful connection takes precedence over the character's main story lines. The show showcases a diverse cast from all over the world and from differing backgrounds. This is more than just a matter of having diverse people there as props. It truly dives into how these differences affect each character and their motivating drives. Through their empathy and connection these characters take on various challenges, including the main villains of the story, and go from being individuals to one collective mindset.

Yes, the stories themselves are moving. Yet this concept of "I am a We" is the center of the show not just in theme but in storyline. Every popular show these days is focused on the dark and cynical side of humanity. Sense8 takes on the opposite of that wholeheartedly with a refreshing focus on love, joy, perseverance, and the good humanity can give.

I leave you with this YouTube video that may better explain all the feels I am trying to get at.

When I first watched The Matrix, I felt like my mind was well and truly blown. Though there are many wonderful works out there that do the same, what was most impressive to me about Sense8 was that it blew my mind and moved my heart all at the same time. To me, it encompasses how the Wachowskis have grown up in their storytelling narratives to not only engage the audience to question the world they see around them but to also look inward to themselves for the answers to life’s questions.