| Pantheon | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Craig Silverstein |
| Based on | "The Gods Will Not Be Chained", "The Gods Will Not Be Slain" and "The Gods Have Not Died in Vain" by Ken Liu |
| Voices of | |
| Music by |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 40–44 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | AMC+ (season 1) Amazon Prime Video (season 2; Australia and New Zealand) |
| Release | September 1, 2022 – October 15, 2023 |
Pantheon is an American adult animated science fiction drama television series created by Craig Silverstein.[1] The series is based on a series of short stories by Ken Liu.[2] The series premiered on September 1, 2022 on AMC+.[3] In January 2023, the first season was removed from AMC+ and HIDIVE;[4] and re-released to Amazon Prime Video with the second season in Australia and New Zealand on October 15, 2023.[5]
Plot
In 2001, genius visionary Stephen Holstrom and founder of Logorhythms, a technological corporation, speaks about his mission to reach digital immortality with the advancement of "Uploaded Intelligence" or "UI," - scanning the human brain and uploading it on the Cloud. Years later, after Holstrom's death, Logorythms continues his project, using various illegal and unethical means to reach their goals.
Shaken by the death of her beloved father two years prior, Maddie Kim is a bullied teen who receives mysterious help from someone online, who is soon thereafter revealed to be her deceased father, David. David explains that his consciousness has been successfully uploaded to Logorhythms' cloud following an experimental and destructive brain scan, and that Logorythms lied to his family about the results. Wanting to save her father, Maddie seeks help from others and eventually gains custody of her father's UI, but the family is still facing danger from Logorythms.
At the same time, Caspian, a troubled yet highly intelligent teenage boy is embroiled in his own intrigue involving Logorythms. Since birth, Caspian's life has been a lie, raised unaware that he is in a constructed environment and constantly monitored by Logorythms, to one day fulfill a specific purpose. Through a chatroom, Caspian comes into contact with Maddie and the two aid each other in searching for the truth, which also helps Caspian gradually learn the truth about his reality.
Chanda, an engineer from the India-based Alliance Telecom company, wishes to use UI technology to usher in a digital utopia. After meeting with a rival company, Chanda's corrupt boss has him kidnapped and reveals that Alliance Telecom has secretly been conducting UI experiments, and Chanda himself is scanned, resulting in his death in the real world with his UI uploaded to perform menial tasks within Alliance's systems. With help from previous UI victims, Chanda escapes his virtual prison and becomes a rogue wildcard.
With Maddie and Caspian stuck in the middle, a global conspiracy unfolds that threatens to trigger a new kind of world war.
Cast and characters
Main
- Katie Chang as Maddie Kim,[6] a 14-year-old withdrawn, shy, and strong-willed high school girl. Maddie has an affinity for technology and was taught computer programming by her father. Smart and determined, Maddie displays a lot of bravery as she gets entangled in a large conspiracy.
- Paul Dano as Caspian Keyes,[7] a 17-year-old sullen yet kind and moral teenager. A computer science genius, Caspian has unknowingly been raised as special Logorhythms operation for the purpose of being the "key" to Holstrom's UI legacy.
- Daniel Dae Kim as David Kim,[6] Maddie's loving, altruistic father and a programming genius. Afflicted with a terminal illness at age 43, David agreed to Logorhythms's UI procedure to preserve his mind. With help from his family and Laurie, he was able to escape Logorhythms.
- Rosemarie DeWitt as Ellen Kim,[6] Maddie's protective and down-to-earth mother, and a college history professor.
- Aaron Eckhart as Cary,[7] Caspian's father and a secret agent of Logorhythms, having worked closely with Holstrom before his death. While he plays the role of an abusive husband, Cary genuinely cares for the boy and wants to protect him.
- Chris Diamantopoulos as Julius Pope,[7] current CEO of Logorhythms, who is seeking to realize the dreams of his best friend, Holstrom, and leads Holstrom's inner circle in his place.
- Raza Jaffrey as Chanda Vinod,[7] a brilliant and humble engineer from Alliance Telecom who has interest in UI. After being killed and forcefully uploaded as an UI by Prasad, Chanda was able to escape his cage and become the third rogue UI.
- Ron Livingston as Peter Waxman,[7] a Logorhythms employee and one of few that are privy the company's UI project. An old friend to David Kim, he was the one who recruited David to help them with their UI research.
- Taylor Schilling as Renee,[7] Caspian's mother, a secret agent of Logorhythms, and Holstrom's former lover. While she acts as a timid and caring mother, Renee coldly sees her son as an assignment.
- William Hurt as Stephen Holstrom (season 2; co-starring season 1),[7] the founder of Logorhythms and a legendary genius billionaire. Although he died before perfecting uploaded intelligence, his loyal followers carry on his work. In the second season, his brain is revealed to have been cryogenically frozen after his death, allowing Logorhythms to upload his mind after Caspian cracks integrity.
- Thomasin McKenzie as MIST (season 2), a C.I. made by Caspian from the remnants of the UIs of David Kim and Laurie Lowell, who considers Maddie her sister. She is named by her "father", David, as an acronym for "Modulated Integrated Source Temple" and has a curious, excitable personality.
Co-starring
- Heather Lind as Laurie Lowell, a former 31-year-old investment manager on Wall Street. After a car crash three years prior left her in critical condition, she underwent Logorhythms's UI procedure and was then used for her marketing talent. Laurie is the first successful UI and became allies with Maddie and her family.
- Scoot McNairy as Cody Lowell, an artist and Laurie's husband. Despite previously being lied to by Logorhythms that Laurie's UI procedure was a failure, Cody eventually reunites with his wife and they work together with the Kim family. During the 20-years time skip, Cody has also become an UI.
- MaNairy also voices Kurt, Soldier
- Krystina Alabado as Rachel "Hannah" Brooks, a NYU graduate and actress to pose as Caspian's girlfriend. While believing it for a social experiment, Hannah shows signs of guilt for tricking Caspian, but endures the role to earn money for her sick mother. Her "Hannah" persona is based off Holstrom's former girlfriend who died in a car crash on his 18th birthday.
- Michael Kelly as Carl Van Leuwen, an Logorhythms employee and part of the Holstrom's inner circle. As a therapist, he helps oversee the psychological aspects of Caspian's grooming.
- Kelly also voices CEO, Air Force Officer, Angry Man
- Nyima Funk as Deirdre Ryan, an Logorhythms employee and part of the Holstrom's inner circle. As a lawyer, she handles the legal aspects of Logorhythms clandestine projects.
- Funk also voices Angry Woman
- Alabado also voices Nicole, Teen Girl
- Kevin Durand as Anssi, a Logorhythms employee at the Norway HQ and one of the few that knows about the UI project.
- Durand also voices Chauffuer, Manager, Ballcap, Payload Operator, Logorythms Security, Megaphone Man, Arkady Koslov
- Clyde Kusatsu as Han Ping, a Chinese UI and former physicist. Before becoming a UI, he was political prisoner in Bai Fu's prison and took part in Bai's gold-mining scheme. Wise and cautious, he believe his nation has been too corrupted by capitalism and see a lot of potential in UI technology.
- Grey Griffin as Zong Shuchun, a Chinese UI and a former commissar in the military that took in part Bai Fu's gold-mining scheme. She is the team leader of Chinese UI trio.
- Griffin also voices Erin, Ms. Hunter, Assistant, Samara
- Ken Leung as Bai Fu, a Chinese UI and former a prison warden who was sentenced to his own prison after gold-mining scheme he operate with Ping and Zong in various MMOs was exposed.
- Leung also voices Lieutenant, Protestor, Triumvirate
- Anika Noni Rose as Josephine "Joey" Coupet, an American UI and former astronaut. A tough and noble woman who loves her stepfamily and country.
- Rose also voices Nicole, Side-Pony, Facility Manager, Ballet Teacher, News Anchor, Nurse
- Samuel Roukin as Gabe, Ellen's kind and gentle co-worker who became her boyfriend after David's death.
- Odeya Rush as Samara, a popular girl at Berkshire Academy and the ringleader of Maddie's bullies.
- Maude Apatow as Justine, a blunt and somewhat apathetic student at Berkshire Academy that Maddie befriends.
- Ajay Mehta as Ajit Prasad, the corrupted CEO of Alliance Telecom, a rival company to Logorhythms, and Chanda's boss.
- Mehta also voices Commodore
- Tunde Adebimpe as Stephan Gold, a member of the U.S. government and NSA agent who's part its covert UI program.
- Adebimpe alos voices Waiter, police
- Lara Pulver as Olivia Evans, a British UI and a good-hearted researcher that has long interest in humans-UI relations before becoming UI herself.
- Pulver also voices as News Anchor
- Navid Negahban as Farhad Karimi, an Iranian UI and a former scientist. Realistic and thoughtful, he was initially skeptical about UI technology becoming one himself.
- Mark Ivanir as Yair, a Israeli UI and a former Mossad assassin. An intimidating yet affable and patriotic man that hides a deeply wounded soul.
- Asher Blinkoff as Young Yair
- Ed Oxenbould as David "Dave" Jr. Kim, 20-years-old son of Maddie and Caspian, who's wish to be an UI strains his relationship with his mother.
- Madhur Jaffrey as Preethi, Chanda's mother
- Corey Stoll as Jake Moretti, Joey's husband.
- Stoll also voices News Anchor
- Julian Lerner as Oliver Moretti, Joey's oldest stepson.
- Lerner also voices Arun Prasad, Reign of Winter Players
- Magnus Mclain as Brandon Moretti, Joey's youngest stepson.
- Tisha Campbell as Pasha, Joey's older sister.
- Rosa Salazar as Senator Rivera, part of the Senate that allies with Ellen.
- Kevin Dunn as Senator Scharff, part of the Senate that considers UI a hoax.
- Kari Wahlgren as Fairy Godmother, Protestor, Triplets
- Toks Olagundoye as Delegate, Lotus, Woman
- Karen David as Justine's Mom, Receptionist
- Priyanka Bose as Smriti Supervisor
- Vincent Ventresca as Brother Kenneth, Tech
- Laura Meakin as Alon Aboutboul, Security, Woman, Frankie
- SungWon Cho as Teacher
- Annabella Sciorra as News Anchor, Government Official
- Quinn Hawking as Lieutenant, News Anchor
- Jacob Sartorius as Bored Boy
- Suraj Sharma as IT Officer
- Arthel Neville as Host
- Paul F. Tompkins as Pilot, Wynn
- Neil deGrasse Tyson as Dr. Moore
- Blaze Freeman as Teen Boy
- Ben Schnetzer as Eran, Guard, Leader
- EthanGamer as Teen Influencer
- Alon Aboutboul as Driver, Father
- SungWon Cho as Head of Security
- C.S. Lee as Delegate, Man, Security Guard
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | Network | |||
| 1 | 8 | September 1, 2022 | October 13, 2022 | AMC+ | |
| 2 | 8 | October 15, 2023 | Amazon Prime Video | ||
Season 1 (2022)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [8] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Pantheon" | Dwooman | Craig Silverstein | September 1, 2022 | |
| In Sacramento, Maddie Kim struggles with the grief of having lost her father David, who died two years previously, as well as enduring a strained relationship with her mother Ellen, and bullying at her school. One day, Maddie is contacted by an unknown user who communicates only in emojis. The next day, this unknown user hacks into the phones of Maddie's bullies and turns them against one another. Ellen discovers Maddie chatting with the unknown user, who seems to be David as she recognizes a line of his favorite poem written in emojis. Ellen calls Peter Waxman, an employee of the tech-company Logorhythms and David’s friend, demanding answers concerning her husband. Waxman informs his boss, Julius Pope, of the situation who immediately decides to cut off David's network access. At San Clemente, Caspian briefly meets a friendly new student, Hannah. Under their usernames, "Gage" and "valkyrie1284" respectively, Caspian contacts Maddie, who overheard Ellen's phone call and posted a message online about Logorhythms holding her father hostage. Caspian sends Maddie's chatlog images to a user named "AngryAngel", asking if they are Maddie's unknown user. Unknown to Caspian, however, his parents are secret Logorhythms agents, maintaining a cover as an abusive father and victimized mother. Meanwhile, computer engineer Vinod Chanda has a business meeting with rivals about “Uploaded Intelligence” and is kidnapped afterwards. Soon after Logorhythms suffers a major DDoS attack, which results in Pope ordering Waxman to check on a woman named "Lowell". | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Cycles" | Mel Zwyer | Albert Kim | September 1, 2022 | |
Ellen explains to Maddie that David signed up to try Logorhythms' UI project, which he also briefly worked on, after falling ill. As the procedure is dangerous and experimental, Ellen was told that David's UI failed to upload properly. Ellen realize that Logorhythms lied to her and that they must have some of David's data. Maddie and Caspian continue to converse online, with Caspian informing her about the DDoS attack and Maddie asking him about UI. "AngryAngel" intercepts Maddie, warning her to stop talking to Caspian because he's being watched and set up a meeting at Lone Pine Mall. As Caspian grows closer to Hannah, his parents and Pope are informed of his interactions with Maddie, though Pope orders them not to do anything it for now. Keeping "AngryAngel" a secret from Ellen, Maddie meets Cody Lowell, husband of the reportedly dead Laurie Lowell. Cody explains that Laurie became a UI after a car crash, that she broke out of her virtual prison, and is responsible for the DDoS attack. Waxman claims to Ellen that Logorhythms only has a portion of David's UI, which she demands they completely delete or she'll go to the press. At Logorhythms building, Pope refuses to delete David's data and will fight against any lawsuit or bad publicity. Using a special bracelet the Lowells gave her, Maddie and Laurie hack Logorhythms and shut down all their systems, costing them millions in profit per second. Maddie demands Pope give her David's UI, which Pope concedes and let the Kim family walk out unharmed. Syncing David's UI with her computer, David is now free in the open internet and calls his family via Maddie's phone. In a medical facility, Chanda finds his boss, Ajit Prasad, learned of his meeting with competitors, and is forcefully turn into UI as punishment.
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| 3 | 3 | "Reign of Winter" | Ed Tadem | Taii K. Austin | September 8, 2022 | |
| After becoming a UI, Chanda is stuck in a loop without any memories of his physical death in the real world. At a conference, Prasad and Pope talk about UI and Prasad offers a joint venture, but Pope doesn't agree. After a couple of loops, Chanda meets Prasad's failed UI victims and they help him regain his memories. They teach Chanda about their UI capabilities, allowing him to escape without alarming Prasad and his cohorts. Maddie and David spend time together playing their favorite video game "Reign of Winter". Ellen refuses to speak to David, unable to accept his UI existence and having moved on with another man, Gabe. After Maddie and David's separate attempts to get her attention, Ellen finally speaks to David and they agreed they can't be together romantically, but remain close friends. Caspian researches Logorhythms and its founder, Stephen Holstrom, and discovers a black site in Norway. However, Logorhythms deletes the photos before Caspian can save any evidence. Due to Caspian being at an important peak of his adolescence, his parents Cary and Renee stage a scenario where Cary breaks Renee's arm. Caspian beats Cary up in rage, who walks out of them and then reports to Pope before breaking down in tears. Later, Caspian enters a romantic relationship with Hannah. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "The Gods Will Not Be Chained" | Micah Gunnell Juno Lee | Andy Parker | September 15, 2022 | |
| At Prasad's home, Chanda gets revenge on Prasad by setting it on fire, killing Prasad and his family. Pope and Waxman learn of Prasad's death via news and suspect that Prasad’s UI project may be part of it. While Caspian begins earning money to support himself and Renee, Cary debriefs with his co-workers about Caspian looking into Logorhythms and worries about him being stuck with Renee. Wanting to know more about David's current existence, Maddie learns that he's stuck in a virtual cage that his data still contains. Laurie suddenly arrives and attacks David, pushing Maddie out of the system. Desperate to find Laurie, Maddie contacts Caspian and, using random phones to prevent being spied on, and two exchanges their real names. The teens trade information about Laurie being "AngryAngel" and Caspian questions if UI has anything to do with Maddie's predicament, but Maddie is unable to answer and only warns Caspian that he's being watched by Logorhythms. Cody shows up to Maddie's home, unable to reach Laurie too, and talks about his relationship with her. In David's cyberspace, Laurie tells that there's a flaw in her coding that erodes her mind the more she use her processing power. Laurie wants David to fix her and trains him to utilize his UI power, allowing him to break out his cage. David and Laurie contact Maddie and Cody, notifying them that David also has the same virus as Laurie. After finding Logorhythms chips in his electronics, Caspian eavesdrops on Renee privately speaking with Hannah, who Caspian confided in earlier, and learns that both of them are part of the conspiracy. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Zero Daze" | Mel Zwyer | Julia Cooperman | September 22, 2022 | |
| With all of Alliance Telecom systems down, Pope and Waxman learn of Chanda's UI existence, but are unable to do anything about him since Alliance Telecom refuses to collaborate. Chanda calls his mother, expressing feeling lost without a purpose. Caspian pressures Hannah to tell him the truth - her real name is Rachel Brooks, an actor hired by a shell company for a social experiment. Caspian promises not to get her in trouble and gets her help in fooling Renee. Using hidden cameras, Caspian sees Renee being informed that Cary has gone rogue. When Renee takes Caspian on a "trip", he hijacks the car and returns home to find Cary. Cary reveals that Caspian is a clone of Holstrom and that Logorhythms has been grooming Caspian to fix the natural integrity flaw that degrades UI's stability. After Renee returns, she non-fatally shoots Cary, but is unable to stop Caspian and Cary from leaving. After Logorhythms managed to locate and destroy David's servers, Maddie's group has Cody buy new servers and store them in the basement. While dodging Logorhythms' attempts to track them, David and Laurie hack into the Norway site and steal secret files. They learn about Chanda and Caspian, with David believing Caspian will be able to help them. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "You Must Be Caspian" | Mel Zwyer | Scott Gunnison Miller | September 29, 2022 | |
| Unable to go to any hospitals, Caspian reaches out to Maddie to help Cary, leaving him with Cody to take him to a hospital. While Pope speaks to Van Leuwen, he is informed of Cary's location. With both parties wary of each other, Caspian is unwilling to help Maddie's group and tries to process his existential crisis by watching his project files. Overwhelmed by the videos, Caspian and Maddie bond over their crazy lives. Open to meet David and Laurie, Caspian takes a look at their code and notice the flaw is a memory problem. Meanwhile, Chanda creates plans for a virtual space when he finds out that Laurie, who has been glitching more frequently, calls his mother in an effort to reach him. Interrupting their conversation with Caspian, Chanda speaks with David and Laurie. Chanda is livid to learn about the design flaw and has no faith that Caspian can solve it. Chanda reveals that he sent UI blueprints to many global institutes in hope of having more UIs and guiding them. Alarmed by the news of an arms race, Caspian leaves Maddie's house, determine to live his own life before the world blows itself up. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "We Are You" | Ed Tadem | Michael Taylor | October 6, 2022 | |
| Using their own UIs, many world governments are making many political manoeuvres against each other, with them keeping the flaw a secret from the UIs. Caspian takes shelter at a church and teaches math at a youth center, leading to a certain realization. After meeting with NSA officials and checking on Cary, Pope meets Caspian and offers Caspian full control of Logorhythms if he comes with him, which Caspian agrees to. Laurie and Chanda argue over revealing the UI program to the world, but David suggests to meet the other UIs to get their help to solve the flaw. Ellen contacts Waxman, who gives them a tracking program for locating the other UIs. However, none of UIs believe David's group about the flaw and a battle ensues. Laurie decides to go public and says goodbye to Cody, asking him not to recover her source code in Norway. As Laurie finished recording her message, Chanda sends a missile at Laurie’s servers and warns Maddie he will destroy David too if they get in his way. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Gods Will Not Be Slain" | Micah Gunnell Juno Lee | Craig Silverstein | October 13, 2022 | |
| As more nations create UIs and utilize their power to cyberattack each other, Caspian informs Maddie of his plans to dismantle Logorhythms and the UI program. After arriving in Norway, Caspian begins enacting his goal and Pope complies without protest. Against Maddie and Ellen's wishes, Cody tries to go public like Laurie wanted, but lacks evidence to make real headway. Chanda steals nuclear codes and is able to get the Chinese UIs on his side. Knowing David had a copy of Laurie’s message, Chanda threatens to launch a missile unless David surrenders himself to him. At Maddie's urging, David fights back and manages to redirect the missile, but is overwhelmed by Chanda and his allies. In one last effort, David uploads Laurie’s video across the entire globe, using up the rest of his energy in the process. As the entire internet goes offline and people are protesting, Pope explains to Caspian that people will still exploit UIs and urges him to choose one UI he trusts to rules over the rest. Caspian wants David to be the ruling, flaw-free UI but learns of his demise from Maddie. However, Pope reveals Logorhythms possesses a copy of David. As Caspian begins to work on solving the flaw, Maddie and Ellen mourn David as their neighbors approach them since their house is the only one with power. | ||||||
Season 2 (2023)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "The Gods Have Not Died In Vain" | Dwooman Juno Lee | Andy Parker | October 15, 2023 | |
| Shortly after UI tech was revealed to the world, the worldwide internet or power is still down and governments places a curfew for citizens. Maddie, Justine and a group of friends create their own intranet, "Lilypad". Ellen is summoned to Senate to be questions about Logorhythms and tells the truth about it. At Logorhythms Norway HQ, a frustrated Caspian attempts to figure out the integrity flaw, with attempts at using David's UI copy failing. A disgruntled Renee (who Caspian fired last season) demands return into the fold or she will tell the NSA officials about Caspian being Holstrom's clone. Pope send Renee to fetch Maddie behind Caspian's back, but Maddie rejects her while Cary secretly informs Caspian to be careful. After a paranoid local attempts to attack Maddie, Maddie agrees to go Norway to delete David's UI and argues with Caspian about how Logorhythms is using him and their views of solving the flaw. Pope confides in Renee that Holstrom's cryogenically frozen brain will be the first to be upload once Caspian fulfill his purpose. Meanwhile, Chanda bonds with Ping, who voices the potential good UI for China, though Bai Fu is slowly degenerating. | ||||||
| 10 | 2 | "Crack Integrity" | Mel Zwyer | Michael Taylor | October 15, 2023 | |
| With Maddie staying in Norway, she and Caspian continues to argues over UI situation. She speaks to Waxman about NSA's UI candidate, wanting to spare David from the responsibility of being the flawless UI. While Sentor Sharff disavows the UI tech to the public, Ellen and her ally, Sentor Rivera, summons Waxman to support Ellen's claims, unaware that Waxman is being threaten to do the opposite or Maddie will get hurt. Waxman is able to secretly informs Ellen of Maddie's location and mentions Norway to the Senate in front of reporters. Caspian develops a potential cure to the flaw and gains Maddie's consent to test it on David, wanting to see her father just as the NSA is forced to leave before the F.B.I coming to investigate. Once the cure works, Pope and Logorhythms turns on Caspian and deletes David, locking the teens in a room. Pope, Renee and Van Leuwen uploads Holstrom and Renee evacuates him as they meet with FBI agents. Maddie and Caspian escapes and steal back the cure code with Cary's help and they realize that the cure code develops a persona called "MIST". | ||||||
| 11 | 3 | "Joey Coupet" | Ed Tadem | Taii K. Austin | October 15, 2023 | |
| In D.C., Caspian and Maddie learns of MIST and are wary of her presence. Maddie briefly reunites with Ellen and updates her to everything that been happening. Wanting to meet NSA UI Josephine "Joey" Coupet, Caspian and Maddie goes to her family and reveals the flaw to her husband, Jake. After a hostile meeting with Joey, Caspian wants to leave, but Jake threatens them to cure his wife. Not wanting more violence, MIST asks Maddie about her feelings towards it and cures Joey after Maddie answers. Since Joey refuses to be the UI "God", Caspian and Maddie travels to the UK with find another one, sharing a kiss along the way. In Germany, Renee helps Holstrom upload to a satellite where Chanda's group is. Killing Zhong and using her code, Holstrom creates an "upgrade" to slow the degeneration in Chanda and Ping, rallying them to seek on other UIs to join their cause or use their code to make the cure. On Ellen's suggestion, Waxman is recruits to weaponize his tracking program and mass produce an anti-viral program "Safe Surf" in order to turn the internet back on and settle the civil unrest. Using the "Reign of Winter" game as a trial ground, users rejoice as a dark presence forms itself in the network. | ||||||
| 12 | 4 | "Olivia & Farhad" | Juno Lee Mari Yang | Yasemin Yilmaz | October 15, 2023 | |
| With Safe Surf, the U.S government destroys Russian UI Arkady Koslov, though Waxman is concern how the government installed an A.I into the program due its self-adapting nature will make it harder to control. In London, Maddie and Caspian set up a private meeting UI Olivia Evans, who shown to be good-natured and informs Caspian that his info has been leaked to six governments that has UIs. As they trade info, Olivia asked the teens to help cure her secret lover, Iran's UI Farhad Karimi, but Holstrom get to Farhad first. When Holstrom and Farhad shows up, Olivia fights Holstrom to protect them and get the cure from MIST to match him, altering Safe Surf to their area. Safe Surf kills Olivia and Holstrom is forced to retreat. Holstrom contacts Renee to start a shell company to proceed with his plans while Ping and Chanda has reservations towards Holstrom whether he'll cure them. Ping reveals that he leaked Caspian's info in hopes to find and get the cure from him. As Maddie and Caspian prepares to leave, Caspian is kidnapped, leaving Maddie alone. Meanwhile, Ellen goes Waxman to help find Maddie and resolve to stay D.C in case Maddie needs her. | ||||||
| 13 | 5 | "Yair" | Jae Hong Kim Juno Lee | Scott Gunnison Miller | October 15, 2023 | |
| As Holstrom's shell company begins building machines, he sends Renee to appeal to Charlie Dugan, a teenage boy with progeria to the spread pro-UI movement. In Cyprus, Caspian's captors reveals to be Isreal's government agents and their UI Yair, who wants the cure. In order to find Yair's "core code", Caspian and Yair navigates through Yair's traumatic memories that he willingly locked up. Having learned of Yair's character and troubled past, Caspian admits that he won't make the cure for him. Maddie and MIST tracks Caspian with Farhad's help, dodging Safe Surf all the while. They manages to free Caspian, who resolves to be the UI "God" since no one else is suitable, much to Maddie's protest. Holstrom kills Ping for plotting against him, causing Chanda secretly to turn on him as well. Seeing Ellen advocating peaceful co-existence between humans and UI, Chanda contact her and Waxman. Chanda tells them that Holstrom plans to create and spread a super deadly pandemic the will make humans more accepting into becoming an UI and is task to find where the virus is being made. | ||||||
| 14 | 6 | "Apokalypsis" | Mel Zwyer | Michael Taylor | October 15, 2023 | |
| While Renee overseeing the virus production and disguising it as vaccines, Waxman failed to get the government to take action. Ellen, Waxman, and Chanda meets up with Maddie, Caspain, and MIST to discuss a plan stop Holstrom and extract info about the virus shipping data. As they travel to the Norway HQ, Maddie and Caspian argues about his decision, so MIST volunteers battle Holstrom in his place. However, Holstrom explains his view of humanity, the benefits UI life, and how Safe Surf is bigger threat to the digital beings, causing MIST to hesitant and retreat. Maddie angrily lashes out at MIST, driving the CI to leave them and Caspian without the cure. Chanda attempts to rally other UIs to help fight Holstrom, but only able to get Yair and Farhad to cooperate. They fight Holstrom, but prove no match and Chanda is killed while the gravely damaged Yair and Farhad choose to merge with each other. Maddie and Caspian confesses their love for each other and have sex before Caspian's UI procedure. As Caspian and Holstrom fight, MIST and Joey arrives to help, with Caspian manage to extract the virus data and sabotage the virus shipment. Caspian stays merge with Holstrom long enough for Safe Surf to destroy him, but MIST is able to save Caspian and slowly rebuild his data. Upon meeting him with its blue-haired female avatar, MIST informs Caspian that 20 years has passed since then. | ||||||
| 15 | 7 | "The World to Come" | Ed Tadem | Taii K. Austin | October 15, 2023 | |
| MIST explains him that traces of Safe Surf's anti-viral code in still in him, which will grows if he uses too much energy. MIST reveals that a sprawling virtual world has develops from humans that willingly choose be an UI, including Ellen and Waxman. MIST explains that, after defeating Holstrom, Renee and Charlie became UI to spread the benefits of digital immortality, but are soon killed by Safe Surf live online, sparking an public outcry. The governments implements private, regulated data centers to protect the UIs and numerous societal benefits incentivize many to become UIs. However, UIs and CIs are having tensions between themselves and embodied humanity - anti-UI extremist group led by Pope, bombed a data center and UIs shutdown the internet in retaliation. Along with a power and population crisis, a satellite that is to be a home for the digital beings has been paused due construction issues. Using a robotic body, Caspian met with Maddie and their son, David "Dave" Jr. Maddie has become a chancellor of the embodied and is the owner a robotics company at the old Logorhythms building. Contacting MIST, Maddie and Caspian learns to fix Caspian's code without sacrificing his identity, MIST needs Dave's code once he's an UI, which both are against. After a mysterious visit from David, Caspian agrees to be the delegate of the cyber world and has MIST downloaded all important data into him, greatly shortening his lifespan. Pope's group attack the data that stores Safe Surf, which has achieve sentience, and Pope frees it from it cage. | ||||||
| 16 | 8 | "Deep Time" | Mari Yang | Craig Silverstein | October 15, 2023 | |
| As Caspian speaks to Maddie and the human council on the UI world's behalf, he sways Maddie to be more favorable to the UIs, despite her personal views on UI life. Spiteful of being denied UI life, Pope infiltrates Logorhythms to upload Safe Surf to the servers, and forcefully turns the internet back on. Having achieved total free will, Safe Surf starts a worldwide killing spree of humans, including Pope and Dave. As the UIs attempt to protect the humans, Caspian is able to control and communicate with Safe Surf due to its remnants in him. Safe Surf requests to live among the UIs, which they firmly reject, but Caspian inspires it to go into space to learn and evolve before the anti-viral kills him. Centuries later, Maddie ascends to be a UI, and has created a highly advanced data center that contains the genetic code of all digital and embodied life, powered by her self-made Dyson Sphere. Overseeing billions of simulation worlds, Maddie together with a version of David's UI recreate a simulation of the events the led her on the path to resurrect Caspian, revealing all the oddities that Caspian and Maddie experienced was part of this simulation. Maddie also revives Dave and transports him and David to live together with Ellen and their friends in the simulation. Outside of the simulation, Maddie and Caspian are met by Safe Surf, which has evolved into a higher being and also had a hand leading Maddie to this point in time, as a "thank you" to his "creator" Caspian. Together at last, Maddie and Caspian choose to enter a simulation and let themselves "start over", beginning on the day of the very first episode. | ||||||
Production
Development
On August 3, 2018, it was reported that AMC opened a writers room for the animated drama Pantheon.[9] On March 10, 2020, AMC had given the production a 2-season series order consisting eight episodes each.[10] Pantheon is AMC's first hour-long animated drama original series.[11] The series is created by Craig Silverstein who also executive produced the series. AMC Studios and Titmouse, Inc. are involved with producing the series.[1] The series is based on Ken Liu's short stories "The Gods Will Not Be Chained", "The Gods Will Not Be Slain", "The Gods Have Not Died in Vain", "Staying Behind" and "Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer" from the short fictions collection The Hidden Girl and Other Stories.[2]
A second season was in production by August 2022.[3] On January 8, 2023, AMC canceled the series after one season, despite a two-season order. It was also removed from the AMC's streaming service and HIDIVE.[4] In September 2023, Amazon Prime Video announced that it picked up the series for release.[5]
Casting
On July 23, 2020, Taylor Schilling, Rosemarie DeWitt, Aaron Eckhart, and Paul Dano were cast in starring roles.[12] On August 7, 2020, Daniel Dae Kim, Katie Chang, Ron Livingston, Chris Diamantopoulos, Raza Jaffrey, Scoot McNairy, Anika Noni Rose, Grey Griffin, SungWon Cho, Kevin Durand, Samuel Roukin, and Krystina Alabado joined the cast in starring roles.[13] On February 18, 2021, William Hurt, Maude Apatow, Corey Stoll, and Lara Pulver were cast in starring roles.[14]
Release
The series premiered on September 1, 2022 on AMC+ and HIDIVE.[3][15] The first episode was available for all viewers on HIDIVE and on AMC+ official YouTube.[16] After its removal from AMC and HIDIVE platforms, Amazon Prime Video set a release date for the second season in Australia and New Zealand for October 15, 2023.[5]
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 100% approval rating based on 15 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A sophisticated treatise on consciousness and mortality, this absorbing mind-bender earns its own place in the pantheon of exemplary animated television."[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 77 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]
References
- 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (March 10, 2020). "AMC Gives 2-Season Series Order To Animated Drama 'Pantheon'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- 1 2 "The Hidden Girl and Other Stories". kenliu.name. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- 1 2 3 Zahed, Ramin (August 26, 2022). "Sci-Fi Epic Pantheon Updates AMC+ as a Cool New Animation Destination". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
- 1 2 White, Peter (January 8, 2023). "'Pantheon' Scrapped At AMC+; Animated Drama Series Pulled From Streaming Despite Two-Season Order". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- 1 2 3 Lang, Jamie (21 September 2023). "Prime Video Picks Up Canceled Sci-Fi Series Pantheon, Will Debut Unaired Second Season On October 15". Cartoon Brew.
- 1 2 3 Berman, Judy (September 1, 2022). "The Year's Wildest TV Tech Thriller Is a Cartoon". Time. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "AMC+ Kick Off October with Highly Anticipated Premieres for The Walking Dead, Which Begins Its Epic Eight-episode Conclusion, and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire". AMC Networks Inc. (Press release). September 16, 2022. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ↑ "Shows A-Z - pantheon on amc plus". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (August 3, 2018). "AMC Opens Writers Rooms For Animated Drama 'Pantheon' & Drama 'St. Luke's'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (March 10, 2020). "AMC Picks Up Animated Drama 'Pantheon' With Two-Season Order". Variety. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (March 10, 2020). "AMC Orders First Animated Series From 'Turn' Creator". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (July 23, 2020). "'Pantheon': Taylor Schilling, Rosemarie DeWitt, Aaron Eckhart & Paul Dano To Star In AMC's Animated Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (August 7, 2020). "'Pantheon': AMC's Animated Drama Series Rounds Out Cast With Daniel Dae Kim, Katie Chang, Anika Noni Rose & More". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (February 18, 2021). "William Hurt, Maude Apatow, Corey Stoll, Lara Pulver Join Cast Of AMC's 'Pantheon'; Series Creator Craig Silverstein Inks Overall Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Pantheon: Don't Miss the Sci-Fi Drama on HIDIVE in September". HIDIVE. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
- ↑ "Pantheon Series Premiere | Full Episode | AMC+ Original Animated Series". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ "Pantheon: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- ↑ "Pantheon: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
External links
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