Detective Called ‘Best British Series of All Time’ with 100% Tomatometer is Available on Prime Video

A mix of a dozen genres that change without warning, from paranoid thriller to dark comedy to teen drama; a combination of bright comic art and a gruesome dystopian plot; worldwide conspiracy, human experimentation, and mass murders; a graphic novel that unlocks the secret of a pandemic that threatens all of humanity. All this is the British TV series Utopia, released in 2013.

The British psychedelic series about a global government conspiracy, the details of which are hidden in a graphic novel by an old mad genius, often appears on lists like "the most underrated TV shows of all time."

And rightly so: Utopia not only tells an extraordinary story, it also has a completely unique style, with deliberately oversaturated colors and a soundtrack you will want to add to your playlist.

Even ten years later, the show's ratings are impressive – a perfect 100% from critics and 93% from viewers. So what is the secret of such love for the series that has not gained widespread popularity?

What is Utopia About?

Tired programmer Ian, straight-forward Becky, paranoid Wilson Wilson, and troubled teenager Grant, decide to meet to look at the second volume of Utopia.

This is a graphic novel that tells the story of a girl named Jessica Hyde and the villain Mr. Rabbit who pursues her – and between the lines it seems to contain a message about a mysterious organization that causes outbreaks of deadly epidemics around the world.

But even among the small number of fans, few believe in the secret meaning of Utopia. But soon two assassins will kill almost everyone who has seen the comic, Jessica Hyde will turn out to be real, and news of the mysterious Russian Flu will come from the farthest corners of Britain.

Utopia is an Extremely Intricate Detective Story

The plot will include hoaxes, corporations, secret organizations, charismatic killers, and spies. It will recall the Cold War, mad cow disease, SARS, and the impending pandemic – fictional at the time of its premiere. Therefore, watching Utopia after the real pandemic outbreak is doubly thrilling.

Throughout the entire series, the script of Utopia deceives the viewers. As soon as you get a rough picture in your head, as soon as you think you have solved the mystery, the writers give you a new piece of the puzzle that turns your whole perception upside down.

Utopia Was Canceled After Season 2

And although the series quickly gained a narrow circle of admirers – fans called the project "the best TV show you've never seen" and "the best British TV show of all time" – its ratings gradually declined, and after the second season Utopia was canceled. The series ended on another cliffhanger – we will never know how the confrontation between the characters and the mysterious corporation ended.

Utopia Got a Remake in 2020 (It Was Bad)

However, after the British series was closed, the story of Utopia did not end. In 2014, HBO decided to make an American remake – it was to be directed by David Fincher himself, who was a fan of the original project, and who invited author Gillian Flynn, known for Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, to work on the script.

But Fincher demanded too big a budget (about $100 million for the first season), HBO dropped out of the production, and the rights to the remake eventually went to Amazon, which retained Flynn as showrunner and hired Toby Haynes to direct. The American version of Utopia was released in 2020, in the midst of the COVID pandemic.

However, even the fact that the script was so close to the real situation in the world did not help the remake – it was criticized for completely losing the British show’s originality and charm, and becoming a typical and toothless detective project.

This is confirmed by the rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is incomparably lower than that of the original series – 50% from critics and 59% from viewers.

Utopia is Available for Streaming

So now's the time to catch up with the greatest British show you've never seen – both seasons of Utopia are available on Prime Video.