Alien planets: just never a place you want to end up. Maybe there are dinosaurs. Maybe there are, uh, Aliens. And maybe something super weird is happening and no one knows what or why and then there’s body horror, too? That appears to be the premise of Scavengers Reign, a new animated series coming from Max, and I say “appears to be” because this teaser is all vibes: image after image of things that don’t quite make sense and definitely don’t connect. But it’s interesting!
“This place is like a puzzle,” one voice says. “Nothing really makes sense in the way we know it.” And it sure doesn’t! Yet people are just out there putting their bare hands on alien flora! Seems unwise!
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Here’s the synopsis:
In this surreal sci-fi animated series from creators Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner, the remaining crew of a damaged interstellar freighter ship find themselves stranded on a beautiful yet unforgiving alien planet – where they must survive long enough to escape or be rescued. But as the survivors struggle to locate their downed ship and missing crewmates, their new home reveals a hostile world allowed to thrive without human interference. Featuring lush, visually stunning animation, Scavengers Reign presents a wholly unique view of the consequences of unchecked hubris and humanity’s eternal desire to conquer the unknown.
Just some light, mellow themes there. Though one has to wonder if the world is inherently “hostile” or if it’s just humans who perceive it as such.
The excellent voice cast includes Wunmi Mosaku (Lovecraft Country), Bob Stephenson (Lady Bird), Sunita Mani (Mr. Robot), Ted Travelstead (Therapy), and Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development). Creators Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner are making the jump from short films to series with this project, which is an expansion of their earlier short film, Scavengers.
The series premieres October 19th on Max; three episodes arrive each week through November 9th.
