Random TV Shows You Should Be Watching: Atlantis
I would be pleasantly surprised if you have heard of Atlantis. When you saw the word Atlantis in the headline, you may have thought this was a reality show about the hotel in the Bahamas.
Nope, it’s about the underwater city in Ancient Greece. The famous story has been adapted many times by Disney (of course), DC and Marvel comics, and the Sci-Fi network.
The BBC’s version of Atlantis is my favorite non-Sunny TV show of all time. I realize how crazy you probably think I am right now, so let me explain. Here’s why you should watch this great show.
A Hero’s Journey
The show begins with Jason (Jack Donnelly) investigating the strange underwater disappearance of his father. When he finds the location via submarine, Jason is pulled underwater to a white light (of course), and he washes up on the shore of Atlantis. Duh.
Jason, the protagonist and only character from the present day, is based on several characters from Greek mythology. Atlantis is Jason’s story. He’s the hero that’s basically learning his job on the fly.
We never learn what Jason did in the real world, but we get a small glimpse into the fact that he considered himself a loner. If he had anyone to go back to, he probably would have tried, right?
Atlantis cuts right to the quick on Jason’s backstory. In the first 15 minutes of the pilot episode, an Oracle tells Jason that he was born in Atlantis and his father took him to “the other world” when he was a baby.
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Jason has a great destiny to save a world that he didn’t know existed. No pressure. His hero story kicks off in the pilot. Jason arrived in Atlantis at quite possibly the worst time ever.
Atlantis sends seven of its citizens as a sacrifice to the Minotaur every year. The people of Atlantis believe that Poseidon will kill all of them if they don’t send seven people to die. How is it decided? Well, it depends on what kind of rock you pick. That goes back to that culture shock thing.
I don’t want to spoil the entire pilot because I hope you watch, but basically Jason hears a prophecy and does some hero things. The remarkable things he’s able to do are unexplainable— in the pilot at least.
He makes friends with Hercules and Pythagoras, meets gods, slays mythological creatures, and falls in love with a princess while trying to find his place in a mysterious world.
Hercules Is Played By Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon)
Atlantis takes a different spin on Hercules. He’s played by Mark Addy (King Robert on Game of Thrones). Addy doesn’t play the admirable hero, but he does play another drunk.
Only this one has no power. In Atlantis, Hercules isn’t just washed up. He’s more of a never was. He drinks too much, he’s overweight, gambles and gets into debt, and sleeps around. Instead of being admired, Hercules is the butt of the joke.
When Hercules first meets Jason, he wants him thrown out of the house. He doesn’t want any smoke with the king’s guards. That’s not exactly the Hercules we’re used to.
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In the second episode, he meets Medusa (yes, that Medusa) pre-snake face. He falls hard, and you can probably guess how that goes.
More than anything else, Hercules does love his friends. At the center of this show is the friendship between Jason, Hercules, and Pythagoras.
Pythagoras (The Triangle Guy)
Pythagoras (Robert Emms) is the first person Jason meets in Atlantis. Jason literally falls on top of his house when he’s running away from some guards.
Jason can’t believe his new friend’s name, “Pythagoras! You’re the triangle guy.” “How did you know I was working on triangles?” Jason and Hercules goof on Pythagoras’ triangles throughout the series.
The brilliant Pythagoras is baffled by the word submarine. When Jason mentions the legend of Atlantis, Pythagoras questions how a city could exist underwater, “Surely everyone would drown.”
Pythagoras, unlike Jason and Hercules, isn’t much of a fighter. But his intelligence makes him irreplaceable in the group. Pythagoras usually plays the voice of reason.
The Princess and the Pauper
Princess Ariadne (Aiysha Hart) is next behind her father, King Minos, for the throne. Any relationship with Jason is forbidden, but the two of them have an instant connection.
Ariadne’s entire life has been planned out for her. Take the throne from her father, and marry his choice of a husband. She’s clearly not happy. How could she be? Her stepmother is plotting against her with the guy she’s supposed to marry.
Jason provides a new hope in her life in more ways than one. Unlike everyone else living in Atlantis, Jason knows nothing about her. He’s crazy about her right away. They’re crazy about each other. This doesn’t align with the queen’s plans.
The Evil Queen
Queen Pasiphae (Sarah Parish) is the main antagonist of the series is the. She’s a witch (literally, like she has powers) who schemes to take the thrones for herself. Her husband Minos is oblivious to her deception. Seriously, Minos worst king ever.
Pasiphae desires power and the throne more than anything else. She will kill anyone in her way to get it. Think of a TV-PG version of Cersei Lannister, except she doesn’t have a family to keep her even remotely human.
The Evil Queen’s Niece
If you stick around until season two you’ll meet Pasiphae’s niece Medea — played by Amy Manson. She comes in and immediately starts fucking things up for Jason and Ariadne. Like her aunt, Medea is a powerful witch.
Pasiphae trained her to do evil shit. She’s a big part of why season two is even better than season one. Clive Standen of Vikings and a young Anya Taylor-Joy also boost the season two cast.
It’s hard to write more about Medea without spoiling all of season one. So watch this show!
Recap
Atlantis was a surprising early cancellation. It premiered on the backs of the ultra-successful Merlin to big numbers. This premiere trailer has more than 1.5 million views.
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The numbers apparently dipped in season two with a time slot change. The show — in season one anyway — was more family-friendly. That doesn’t take away from how good it was. It just had a lighter tone.
Atlantis was created by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin), and Howard Overman (Misfits). If you’re a fan of either one of those shows, especially Merlin, you’ll love Atlantis.
Capps told The Guardian after the cancelation that they might have gone darker earlier in the show if they could do things differently. Unfortunately, the show was putting out its best episodes as the network was canceling it.
I never watched the show live. I caught both seasons on Hulu. The episodes are also available on Amazon Prime.