Charlie Jade

Charlie Jade - 20 episodes - Available for streaming from Amazon Video

A bit over a month ago I asked for Cyberpunk media ideas and Jan was so kind as to share one I had never heard of, Charlie Jade, so Jaemie and I dove in.

The show was released in 2005 and features about 1/3rd of it's time in a very VERY cyberpunk world. The other 2/3rds take place in what is essentially our world.

All the basics are there; harsh constant rain, media barrage, all controlling corporations, cybernetic implants, fully pervasive networks, future tech but properly gritty.

Despite the right aesthetics and an interesting story the show isn't really for everyone. What was said in slow 20 episodes could have been done more justice 12 more reasonably paced episodes. Many episodes are dedicated to reviewing what we already know and reinforcing character traits that we already understand.

The team is very artistic and does interesting and unique things with repeated shots, coloration, impossible (metaphorical?) character movement.

The show wraps up it's story by the end but also leaves a possibility for an interesting non-existent second season.
Ultimately despite being frustrated with major pacing problems I was always interested in seeing how the series would end and how the core politics/problem would resolve. It has a story to tell and tells it artfully.

Score: Watch it if you love the aesthetic and don't mind spending probably a little too much time in it.