Ridley Scott’s Forgotten Sci-Fi Masterpiece With 80% RT Score Is Just As Good As Blade Runner

It cannot be overstated just how important Ridley Scott has been to the science fiction genre, but some of his best work is criminally underrated. From Alien to Thelma and Louise to Gladiator, many of Ridley Scott’s most iconic movies have had a profound impact on the film industry at large. Arguably his most influential project to date is Blade Runner, an inspired take on Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? that remains a cultural milestone— and one of the best sci-fi movies of all time— nearly half a century after its initial release.

Few films in any director’s filmography can stand toe-to-toe with Blade Runner, and it’s no secret that science fiction cinema owes much of its modern sensibilities to the seminal 1982 classic. Nevertheless, there’s one often-forgotten project in Ridley Scott’s illustrious career that is tragically overlooked: Raised by Wolves. The two-season series ran from 2020 to 2022 with Scott acting as an executive producer and occasional director, but it never reached mainstream popularity. Yet, while it’s irrefutably a hidden gem, Raised by Wolves is, in many ways, just as great as Blade Runner— despite not being nearly as well-known.

Raised By Wolves Was An Ambitious HBO Max Show From Ridley Scott

The Series Was Dense And Thematically Rich Science Fiction Television

One of HBO Max’s earliest original series, Raised by Wolves was an ambitious sci-fi epic that had Ridley Scott in the director’s chair for the first two episodes. The drama follows two androids— simply named Mother (Amanda Collin) and Father (Abubakar Salim)— who are tasked with raising human children on another planet after Earth is rendered inhospitable due to a devastating war. From the very start, it’s abundantly clear that Raised by Wolves aimed high in both its story and production, making for a truly gripping viewing experience.

Undoubtedly one of the most intriguing aspects of Raised by Wolves is its rich subtext. As many Ripley Scott fans deduced, the thematic elements felt reminiscent of the esteemed director’s original plan for Prometheus before Alien: Covenant forced him to pivot. As a result, the HBO Max series may feel a bit dense off the bat, but those who stick with the convoluted themes of religion and artificial intelligence are well rewarded across Raised by Wolves‘ two seasons.

Why HBO Max Canceled Raised By Wolves After Two Seasons

It Was Reportedly A Casualty Of The Discovery & WarnerMedia Merger

Despite Raised by Wolves‘ relative success throughout its short run, it sadly joined a long list of TV shows in the streaming era that ended before they could reach their prime. Given the sheer scope of the series, the liberal use of CGI, and the detailed world-building, Raised by Wolves was a fairly expensive production for HBO Max. While the resources invested in the first two seasons were noticeably reflected in the overall quality, the series’ large budget demanded stronger ratings to justify any potential renewal.

Unfortunately, the viewership HBO Max hoped to garner just didn’t happen. Consequently, star Abubakar Salim speculated that the 2022 merger between Discovery and WarnerMedia left Raised by Wolves on the chopping block. The worst part of Raised by Wolves‘ abrupt cancellation, though, is that it forced the incredibly promising series to end without any real closure. Rather, the second season leaves off on a major cliffhanger that will forever remain unanswered. While its sendoff was less than ideal, however, Raised by Wolves is still an incredible work of science fiction that was simply a product of untimely circumstances.

Raised By Wolves’ Premature Cancellation Mirrored Blade Runner’s Initial Reception

Blade Runner Stumbled At The Box Office And With Critics

Ironically, Raised by Wolves is far from the first time a Ridley Scott title was met with a lukewarm reception. It may be considered a bona fide sci-fi masterpiece in the modern age, but Blade Runner was once a box office flop that failed to connect with critics upon its 1982 release. The significant difference between the now revered film and Raised by Wolves, however, is that Blade Runner was afforded the opportunity to gain a cult following over the span of decades— something the television landscape has never been conducive to.

Admittedly, Raised by Wolves came out of the gate with a bit of a stumble, but season 2 was a marked improvement, and it could have continued finding its footing and eventually became a can’t-miss series. Nonetheless, the very nature of television and film serve two drastically different purposes, meaning the show never had a chance to age gracefully and build a sizable following. That in and of itself represents one of the biggest issues with streaming, as the era is practically defined by its prematurely canceled titles rather than its smashing successes.

Yet, even though Raised by Wolves will never reach such prominence as Blade Runner, it’s still a masterful bit of science fiction and a certified must-watch for any Ridley Scott fan.

Release Date

2020 – 2022-00-00

Network

HBO Max

Showrunner

Aaron Guzikowski

Directors

Alex Gabassi, Luke Scott, Ernest R. Dickerson, Lukas Ettlin, Ridley Scott, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Sunu Gonera

Writers

Aaron Guzikowski