Summary
There’s nothing too much to grumble about in Amazon’s Solos, and it was certainly worth the wait.
This review of Amazon original Solos season 1 contains no spoilers — the anthology series launches on May 21, 2021.
Read the recap of the first episode.
It appears Amazon is relying on their success with Modern Love, an anthology series centring on various romances, and bringing a Black Mirror attempt to their streaming service. Like the mentioned series, Solos is star-studded to juice up the appeal for audiences.
And what a time to call a series Solos — we presume the majority of these chapters were created in the midst of the peak of the pandemic, giving way for production teams and their cast to be more creative than usual. Each chapter has the lead character situated in the same environment, as they tell their story, driven by monologues and circumstances.
Solos attempts to sell the sci-fi aspect with each story, but it is the actor’s performance that is what takes importance. Each character platforms an uncertain future in their most isolated period of time — the Amazon series alleviates our connections through the human experience. There’s not one shy monologue in this anthological series.
However, while there are great episodes, others do bring the series down to a satisfactory viewing. Not every concept lands with as much impact as it would like, despite the best efforts of the cast member. Without sounding too offensive to the craft, when an entire concept is based mostly on a monologue, or an actor independent in their environment, there’s only so much scope that can be given; and bringing that over 8 chapters is quite a feat, and sometimes an exhausting experience.
But there are some gems in Solos that viewers will watch again; from long journeys on a spaceship to talking to your clone robot about your life before you die, there’s plenty of emotional attachments to cling to.
Is it the next Black Mirror? Certainly not — and I would not be surprised if this turns into a one-off project that people appreciate and move on. But, unfortunately, there is not enough shock or twists in the experience to make you wonder whether a continuation will benefit the viewers. Although the creator (David Weil) does try and make an intrinsic link despite been siloed stories.
But there’s nothing too much to grumble about in Amazon’s Solos, and it was certainly worth the wait. However, if I had to choose between the second season of this or Modern Love, I’d have to pick the romantic concept.
