2 out of 5

Directed by: Adrian Shergold

Let’s just say it feels dated.

It’s probably unfair to do this, but what genre do you think of when you think of H.G. Wells?  Sci-fi?  Me too.  He is… the so-called father of sci-fi.  Not that there’s anything explicit in this show’s pitch that says “it’s horror,” but the ‘Nightmare Worlds’ tag and the bleak tone lean that direction.  And admittedly there are horrific and frightening elements in all those big works we associate with the writer, but he’s still not the first name that comes to mind when I’m looking to be unsettled.  Yes, it’s true that I have not read Wells since the seventh grade, and it’s just as true that I’ve only read his major works.  There’s also surely a sense of unintended safety instilled when reading his writing because of how aware we are of the stories, even if we haven’t read them.

That’s not to say sourcing Wells voluminous catalogue of other material – including plenty of shorts – isn’t a valid premise for a series, and even an exciting one.  Bring on some classic pulp or Twilight Zone stuff, hosted by Ray Winstone, hell yeah.  But then give Winstone a questionably ratty haircut (or maybe he came with that), minimize the sets down to black backgrounds with one or two props, and lacquer with an uneven tone that can’t decide if it wants to go for spooks or chuckles.  I could also criticize the selection of stories for this mini, as the second two episodes are so slim on story that they barely merit the half-hour runtime, but maybe that problem would persist with all of Wells’ adaptable tales, who knows.

The twists are predictable, that’s fine; episode one, about a body switch, and episode two, about an obsessed painter, work, I think, because they have a strong central character who is active throughout the narrative.  The tone is muted (and again, the visuals are minimal with a black-themed color palette that adds a layer of dreary), but Winstone’s narration adds an interesting layer of dread and inevitability.  But episode three’s scientist war seems like a concept just barely scraped together – you keep waiting for it to start, and the epilogue feels like a bone tossed in just to give it some visual horrors – and episode four’s drug trip is about people we don’t care about, so despite the over-the-top style, there are no stakes to keep you invested in watching.

Overall, it’s a show that feels lost in the modern world of TV, with ideas that aren’t daring enough and a presentation style that feels like it’s cautiously peeking around corner, worried you’ll think it looks silly.  (We do.)  Produced with more confidence – a clearer idea of what to bring to the table – the show would / could work.  As is, it’s already dated.