Solos Season 1 review: Fantastic performances can’t save this dull anthology
By Mads Lennon
Another week, another Black Mirror-inspired sci-fi anthology series is in our midst. Amazon Prime’s latest series, Solos Season 1 is a new show evocative of our times. A technology-based series filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last fall, Solos lives up to its name with each episode centering around just one main character.
The most significant reason to tune in to Amazon’s new show is for its heavyweight cast of A-listers including Uzo Aduba, Constance Wu, Anne Hathaway, Helen Mirren, Anthony Mackie, and Morgan Freeman. The cast lives up to the task, but the writing itself does leave a lot to be desired. Some episodes are definitely better than others.
At least Solos Season 1 is far and away a significant step up from Amazon’s other anthology series, The Romanoffs, which also featured an extensive cast of big stars, although it doesn’t quite hit the same notes as Modern Love. Mirren’s performance in the episode “Peg” is one of the season’s highlights, as she portrays a lone human hurtling into space and recalling the events of her life that lead her to that decision.
Anne Hathaway & Helen Mirren deliver compelling performances in Solos Season 1
Hathaway’s performance as a scientist trying to make time travel possible while caring for her sick mother is also a great way to open the season. Unfortunately, the other episodes are very hit or miss, mostly misses. It’s not that Solos is bad persay, it’s just largely forgettable with many of these stories touting themes we’ve seen portrayed with more depth in other shows.
That said, it’s not the worst way to spend a few hours, especially if you’re watching the show for actors you really like. Each installment only runs about 30 minutes or less and can be an entertaining way to pass the evening away if you’re not drawn in by anything else on streaming right now.
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Do you plan to watch Solos Season 1 on Amazon this weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Solos Season 1 is now streaming on Amazon Prime.