Here’s our review of Sense8: The Series Finale, available to stream on Netflix now
After all the time, money and air miles Netflix invested in its intercontinental sci-fi drama Sense8, it came as a shock when the streaming service decided to go and cancel it last year after just two seasons. But after an outpour of disappointment at the news from passionate fans, Netflix eventually caved just enough to announce one last episode, a special one-off that would tie up any loose ends and say a final farewell to the characters. Sense8: The Series Finale ticks both boxes, and then some. It’s essentially a two-and-a-half-hour love letter to its fans.
More action-packed than usual, much of the episode is dedicated to the sensate’s rescue mission to save Wolfgang, following his dramatic capture and Will declaring war on series antagonist Whispers in the appropriately titled Season Two finale ‘You Want A War?’
It’s every henchman for himself as the cluster begins to plot, weapon up, and rain fury down on anyone that gets in their way. If you thought the cluster meetings were cluttered before, it’s nothing compared to the army assembled for the finale, now that each sensate’s significant other and their mum is now involved in the proceedings. The huge cast list ends up feeling claustrophobic at times, but it’s still nice to see characters that wouldn’t usually interact working together.
The plot is occasionally incoherent, stumbling through big ideas in an attempt to get it all in before time runs out, but it’s hard to be mad about it. When it’s at the top of its game, Sense8 really is like nothing else. It’s a show that is both very much in touch with its emotions and not at all afraid to express them, often and sincerely. Many a quote would sound corny on paper, but within the context of the sensates it’s practically poetry.
Though the series finale doesn’t quite reach the same levels of wonder as Season One, it still manages to bring Sense8 to a close on an effortless high. After 24 marvellous episodes, we’re sure it will continue to gain new fans long after its death.