Netflix’s “Pluto” Was A Masterpiece

In 2023, Netflix released an eight episode series called “Pluto” and you probably haven’t heard about it until now.

Well, let me tell you, buried under all the mini series and docu-series that clutter Netflix is an underrated gem.

Pluto is well-crafted, beautifully animated and thought provoking. With a very clear theme painted throughout each episode that has clung to my heart.

Without spoiling the story, I will give a brief synopsis of the series courtesy of Netflix.

“When the world's seven most advanced robots and their human allies are murdered one by one, Inspector Gesicht soon discovers that he's also in danger.”

Reading the description of this show, you would probably go in expecting a crime show and an absolute snooze fest. But Pluto is so much more than that.

Pluto manages to blend a mystery thriller and heart trending drama into an amazing series. I promise you won’t expect what this show turns into.

Any show that manages to make my eyes well up in tears over fictional characters is a 10/10.

Pluto’s story will forever carry a space in my mind and heart.

If you care to stick around, I will delve into the first episode. Yes? You’re awesome.

The Beginning

The first episode of Pluto begins with shots of a field ablaze with flames and firefighters fighting to contain it. Amid the chaos, a man with glasses runs towards the flames in search of someone, but he is stopped by a firefighter who makes it known that he almost charged head-first into flames.

The man in glasses appears distressed and in despair. The camera then shows the head of what looks like a robot in the flames.

Inspector Gesicht awakens from his nightmare out of breath. His wife Helena rushes to his side in concern but he brushes his panic aside and they both focus their attention on the news which reports that a robot by the name of “Mount Blanc” was murdered last night. It becomes clear that the nightmare was more of a vision and Geschict saw the aftermath of the murder.

Still, he thinks of it as nothing more than a dream and goes to work despite his wife’s request that he rest instead.

When he arrives at his first crime scene of the day, it becomes clear that Geschict is a robot and is pretty crucial to solving the crime scene. The cops look like rookies compared to him. This is going to be common throughout the show. It’s obvious that the director wanted AI to be seen as advanced and necessary. Also, there’s that whole “cops are dumb and useless” cliche.

Anyway, the crime scene is unusual to the Inspector because the victim who was brutally murdered has two metal bars coming out the side of his head like “horns”

So the killer had a motive and there was definitely anger behind it.

However, Gesicht is stumped on how any human could summon the strength to pierce the metal bars into the dead man's head.

No person could do that.

But robots are prohibited from killing humans. It isn't built in them.

So, what then?

Before they can investigate further, another officer charges in to report that a checkpoint on a freeway was attacked.

Upon arriving at this next crime scene, it is now known that a cop and his companion robot were both murdered. But they have knowledge of where the suspect is headed due to Gesicht's advanced software.

Geschict rushes over to cut off the suspect and quickly neutralizes him without any trouble.

When I say “neutralize” I mean he knocked him out because robots can’t kill humans.

But fighting this man triggers a memory of some sort that Gesicht can't comprehend. A similar memory of Gesicht chasing a man down an alley, but Gesicht can't remember doing any sort of thing.

Skipping forward, Gesicht visits the wife of the murdered robot from early on, giving her the robot's memory chip.

I know it sounds bizarre, but in this show, the robots have lives similar to humans. They try their best to replicate everything humans do, hoping to be accepted by them. It isn't surprising that there are people in their world that hate robots and sometimes go out of their way to kill them. Like the man from early that Gesicht apprehended.

The hate for the robots will be explored further in the show, but you could compare the racism experienced in real life to it. There doesn't have to be a definite reason as to why the humans hate the robots.

Anyway, back to the encounter between Gesicht and the widow of the dead robot.

Gesicht gives the robot the deceased husband's memory chip for safekeeping since they were going to shred him up anyway.

The wife is reluctant but takes the chip and inserts it into herself. She is joyful at first as she relives the memories that she created with her partner, but she suddenly freezes in shock.

Gesicht calls her name, however, she seems to be in a daze.

Moments later, she brings up what she sees.

It was the last few seconds before her husband passed. But she isn't shocked over his death, but instead of why her husband didn't take down the killer from early when he had the chance.

In the footage, the robot cop watches as his human partner is killed. He pulls out his non-lethal weapon, but suddenly freezes.

Something in the distance caught his attention.

On top of a building, something dashes from one skyscraper to the next.

In the video, you can make out the shadowy figure of a man.

"A robot?" Gesicht asks.

But the widowed robot tells him that it isn't.

So if it wasn't a robot...what was it?

* * *

There's a lot to unpack here and I unfortunately can't share anymore without spoiling. Which means you have to go watch Pluto yourself.

It is one of my favorite animes now with an amazing atmosphere and unique style that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

For those of you with the patience for a suspenseful eight-episode series then I highly recommend it.