'Dimension 404' Recap: 'Cinethrax'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

While it's a wonderful thing that Science Fiction is an ultra popular genre these days, one does have to lament the fact that sometimes, our Sci-Fi is a little more action oriented and less on the cerebral side. No judgment, it's simply a sign of the times, but when a Sci-Fi story pops up that just so happens to be ridiculously intelligent and fun, it certainly should be celebrated and it just so happens that Dimension 404 delivered that kind of wondrous story with its second episode, 'Cinethrax'.

In this episode we are introduced to Dusty, a hardcore film buff who firmly believes that classic films are always superior to anything made in this day and age and unfortunately for Dusty his tolerance when it comes to modern movies is about to be put to the test since his niece, Chloe, drags him along to a  showing of a big time Hollywood blockbuster presented in the brand new, ever so gimmicky, 4D Experience...Cinethrax. It's something Dusty quickly realizes he wants nothing of, and in order to focus on the story he uses his own pair of 3D killing glasses, allowing him to ignore the over the top effects. But by using his own gear, Dusty uncovers something terrifying about this motion picture and his discovery...will change his life (and the world for that matter), in ways that he could have never imagined.

So once again, we have to keep the spoiler-y details light in this recap because holy cow, the twists and turns in this one far exceed the wonder of even the pilot episode. So rather than ruin that for you, let's take a moment and simply discuss the sheer intelligence and brilliance of this particular episode because there is plenty to rave about when it comes to this one. First and foremost, the casting. This story features the always sublime Patton Oswalt as Dusty and Sarah Ryland as his niece Chloe and well, you could not have chosen a better pair of actors for this story. Both of them hold their own and bring these characters to life and have fun while they do it, but their incredible talent makes this story believable and they're so genuine that you care about what happens to these characters and it simply makes the big surprise in this one all the more thrilling.

But truly, what I loved most about the episode, is the fun that it brings to the table. There's little jabs at the absurdity we sometimes see in pop culture when it comes to elitist ideas in fandoms and while that satire is entertaining, the true piéce de résistance of this story is the sheer love it sends to science fiction tales from the past by way of utterly brilliant homages and in jokes from various franchises. From Dusty's shirt to how some of the characters act, it's clear that the Writer's Room was ready to pay their respects to John Carpenter and some of the true modern classics of Science Fiction along the way...in addition to throwing in a little love to the horror genre for good measure as well. There are definitely some distinct moments reminiscent of George Romero's work and well, for those of us who love the films of that era, it's simply a joy to see it come to life in this fun and thrilling story. 

If anything, I'm quickly starting to realize that Dimension 404 is one of the smartest television shows out there. I'm only two episodes in and already I'm finding tons of social commentary and real world scenarios that we can all relate to and quite frankly, that's magnificent. Because this show holds nothing back. It says what it wants to say, it is bold in its storytelling and I was thoroughly impressed with the scope and intelligence of this episode. With that in mind, I need more. The stories are getting smarter as the season progresses and truly, I cannot wait to see what other treats are in store for me up ahead. So with that in mind, it's time to start the next episode and indulge in some more witty science fiction. Until next time.

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