Mini-series - 4 episodes
Watch the trailer
Based on: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Created by: Jack Thorne
Starring: Winston Sawyers, Lox Pratt, David McKenna, Ike Talbut, Thomas Connor
Rated: TV-MA
Plot
A plane crash strands a group of British boys on an unoccupied tropical island where they gradually slide into anarchy as social conventions disappear and attempts at responsible rule divide them into warring factions.
Verdict
This proves how delicate the balance between civility and chaos truly is. On the island, fun and eventually bullying trump logic and proper planning. Nicky has great ideas but lacks confidence. Ralph is torn between doing what's best and succumbing to peer pressure. Jack gains followers through violence, bullying, and empty promises. He casts Nicky as an annoying adult, turning others against him. With each episode we see a small society slowly crumble. Peer pressure has an incredible pull. Initially, we can excuse their lack of preparations on being children, but when this becomes violent it's all the more shocking as mere children are the perpetrators. Once the situation tips, there's no stopping the momentum without any adults to step in.
Watch It.
Review
This is based on the 1954 debut novel of British author William Golding. Thorne was the co-writer of Adolescence (2025). I haven't read the book, so I don't have a basis for what happens in the story other than what I've gleaned from pop-culture.
The island setting is impressive, lending this a sense of credibility. In the first episode Nicky (David McKenna), soon to be nicknamed Piggy, wakes up in the jungle. It seems his plane crashed, and before long he meets Ralph (Winston Sawyers).
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| E1: David McKenna plays Nicky aka Piggy |
Nicky has plenty of ideas to aid survival and he tries to establish order, but he lacks confidence and instead relies on Ralph. That order is soon challenged by Jack (Lox Pratt), the leader of the choir boys. Jack wants to be chief, with Nicky pushing for Ralph to lead. It's a bunch of children with all of the adults having died, so order is rather difficult. The kids are easily bored and distracted, unaware of the fully gravity of their situation. They don't like Nicky's rules and orders, though we know he's right. Ralph is torn between Nicky and wanting to be liked. Insulting Nicky is an easy way to get a laugh. There's the push and pull of kids wanting to do their own thing, and that soon leads to a forest fire.
Jack wants to feel important, making up for what he considers his shortcoming through imposing his will. He declares himself the hunter of the group, a situation that's faking it til you make it. He threatens anyone that opposes him which proves to be effective. Jack focuses on killing a pig to prove his might both to himself and everyone else. Jack and the other hunters that join his group soon find a pig. I felt sympathy for it. While the piglets escape, the boys encircle the pig and beat it to death. Their victory certainly doesn't seem glorious.
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| E3: Lox Pratt plays Jack |
Jack's obsession with killing the pig leads to neglecting the signal fire. That's unfortunate as a ship sails by and misses them. Any time Jack is questioned or criticized, he lashes out and any semblance of order dissolves.
There's a lot of friction between Jack and Ralph. Ralph tries to do what's right for everyone, with Nicky's help, while Jack only serves himself. That widening rift is the slow decline of the small society. Jack makes big promises that the kids want to believe, hoping it will be true. It's why people follow him. He promises them fun, decrying all of Nicky's ideas. Jack just doesn't want to be shown up. He's managed to get through life by bullying others.
Jack's group has devolved into lawlessness. Of course Nick and Ralph pay the price. In the final episode they face a tough situation, it's tragic watching them crumble with the regime Jack has instituted. Nicky was too much of an adult, and it was easy for Jack to sway the others away. Jack has given rise to the rule of Roger (Thomas Connor), someone even more cruel. The children go from hunting prey to each other.
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| E4 |
This follows the break down of society. The kids want a leader, and unfortunately they'll follow anyone that stands to take the position. We want to think that these are just kids, maybe that excuses the disorder and violence, and that this wouldn't happen to adults. Even adults are susceptible to following the person that assume the role of issuing orders. Society hangs in a delicate balance as this series show. Once you make the situation dire, people become desperate. By depicting that breakdown through children, it make this all the more tragic.
Each episode has a sequence showing close ups of the children's' faces. It's effectiveness in showing us how things change. While these are just children, scared and lonely, creating havoc, these children grow into adults with the same capacities. Fear proves to be the most dangerous emotion.
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| E1 Title Card |
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