‘Pantheon’ Recap: ‘Pantheon’ & ‘Cycles’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Pantheon’.
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One thing that we can all agree upon, is that science has done a wonderful job of answering a great deal of the mysteries that have piqued our curiosity. For we wondered about the placement of our planet within the framework of the universe and that motivated science to discover the reality that we are part of a solar system that hurtles through one of countless galaxies in the heavens. We also wanted to know, why we got sick and why our bodies turned against us, and science figured that out too. Since we are now aware of viruses and diseases that ravage us. Not to mention, humanity was curious if we could mimic features of other species, such as flight, and science went above and beyond there. Since we now soar through the skies and even the heavens above.

But of the many mysteries that science has been able to solve for the collective whole, there is one question that remains unanswered. Specifically, what is it that happens to the essence of who we are when we die? Because there is no concrete proof that our consciousness/soul survives when we take our last breath and moves to another plane, and there’s no concrete proof to dispute that thought process either, and well, it makes sense as to why we don’t have that answer. For we don’t return from death, and there’s no possible way to experiment with it properly and safely since the human body’s end can be fickle. So, we turn to stories and faith to find the answers we seek, and this concept and concern is top of mind today, simply because it is the central theme to a new story that explores such concepts, in the new AMC+ series, Pantheon.

For this is a story that plunges us into the not so far future, where a teenager named Maddie is fighting desperately to reconcile the near crippling grief surrounding her because of her father’s death. But a shockingly familiar message from a stranger via her computer, leaves her and her mother to wonder… if her father has somehow returned from the dead in a digital manner and there is evidence to substantiate that worry. For a company named Logarhythms experimented with the possibility of downloading/uploading her father’s consciousness into an active computer environment before a lethal illness could take his life, and well… that particular twist and a story revolving around freeing that consciousness in ‘Pantheon’ and ‘Cycles’, leads to some powerful thoughts on the afterlife.

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Specifically… this story poses the theory that we are so keen on finding answers, that if by chance our science cannot provide us with a truth about what comes next for us when we take our last breath, that perhaps humanity will create its own answer. Which in this instance, involves creating our own afterlife where our minds and souls and feelings can thrive without worry and this is a plot that is just oozing with commentary on our fears of death and need for control. Something that will be further explored by poor Caspian’s plot line, since he is caught in the middle of a deceptive and twisted lie designed to exert control over his emotions and actions. But the wonder of this story and its unique observations on our relationship with science and technology and our expectations of it to give us answers, doesn’t end there.
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For this is a story that doesn’t shy away from having something to say about capitalism in America, and how it is getting worse and how its influence and greed might cause problems for folks that do indeed want to invest in a future beyond death via the digital frontier. Since we see greed and a lust for power push companies with this technology to do unsavory things, since Logarhythms views the consciousness of the departed as nothing more than property of sorts. The kind that they can command. Which is a move that reeks of our concerns about how our information is being used now and of course… that commentary leads to some extreme and horrifying visuals regarding such matters, and really in the end, all of these moments and ideas set the stage for one incredible journey through this fascinating world.

One that is going to explore our fear of death in great detail and our outright obsession with it. Not to mention dive into some musings regarding technology and its role in our lives and of course, the true horrors of capitalism and the best part of all, is that this is an animated series. So, the sky is indeed the limit regarding what it can explore visually, and for proof… look no further than the terrifying brain scan scene we were all privy to here, and it doesn’t hurt that we will be treated to some top-notch acting along the way. Since Katie Chang (Maddie) and Paul Dano (Caspian) sell this world and their experiences with an honesty that you don’t always find in animated shows and well in the end, this two-hour premiere was so epic and so amazing that it is going to be a painful wait for next week’s tale. Because it is safe to say we are all eager to learn more about this world and experience everything this wild story is about to teach us regarding the human condition. Until next time.

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