At first glance, first-time showrunners Hania Elkington and Simon Duric’s The Innocents looks and feels like yet another supernatural drama about teenagers, meant for a teenage audience. In many ways this is true, but by the time the first of its eight episodes comes to a close, viewers of all ages will quickly realize it’s so much more. Here’s everything we know about the new Netflix series The Innocents.
What is The Innocents about?
Teen lovers June (Sorcha Groundsell) and Harry (Percelle Ascott) run away together, the former from her mysteriously repressive father, the latter from a life of daily duties that prevent any semblance of a social life. Before they manage to get very far, a chance encounter with two strangers bent on abducting June triggers something in her, something she never realized she possessed: the ability to transform into anyone she touches.
When the first trailer for The Innocents dropped in April, most people were probably caught unaware. Aside from a rather grizzled-looking Guy Pearce’s narration and appearance, the story of a British teenager’s newfound shapeshifting abilities felt like a complete surprise. Yet considering the current pop cultural zeitgeist’s fascination with the supernatural and science fiction-oriented stories afforded by superhero movies and comic book adaptations, it makes complete sense.
As Freeform and Hulu’s recent success with Cloak & Dagger and Runaways, both Marvel properties, proves, studios and distributors are eager to adapt what’s happening in genre, specifically for teenage viewers. Netflix, which has already put out similar shows like The Rain and Kiss Me First, is primed for such a venture. After all, analysts have predicted that the streaming giant will spend a whopping $13 billion on original content this year. So far, so good.
Why you should watch The Innocents
With The Innocents, however, it seems Netflix has stumbled on something that, unlike its comparative predecessors, actually works. Yes, it’s yet another original streaming series that operates more like one long heavily serialized film than a traditional television show. And yes, it’s a slow burn that, even when it picks up the pace, doesn’t move very fast. Yet unlike most original streaming shows whose stories and characters are crushed under their own narrative weight, The Innocents doesn’t suffocate its audience in story.
More than anything, Elkington and Duric have framed The Innocents”with the conceit of J.J. Abrams’ “mystery box,” which the acclaimed director first used to describe the show Lost and his general approach to storytelling. With each episode, and with each story beat contained therein, the show creators peel back another layer of the unfolding narrative. As a result, what begins as a teen drama of escape turns into one of supernatural discovery, escape and outright horror.
Streamers itching for something new to watch, especially something original and not derived from known or existing properties, will want to check out The Innocents when all eight episodes of its first season drop this week. Between Groundsell and Ascott’s star-making turns as June and Harry, Pearce’s work as the mildly antagonistic scientist Halvorson, and the writers’ adept use of genre to tell an otherwise original story, it definitely won’t bore viewers to tears. And once they get to the end, it may very well leave them wanting more.
The Innocents cast
In addition to Groundsell, Ascott and Pearce The Innocents also stars Jóhannes Hauker Jóhannesson, Laura Birn, Sam Hazeldine, Lise Risom Olsen, Trond Fausa and Ingunn Beate Øyen.
The Innocents release date
The Innocents premieres Friday, August 24, on Netflix.
The Innocents trailer
