A murder at the end of the world, A Sci-fi adaption of Fxxk the world !

A murder at the end of the world, A Sci-fi adaption of Fxxk the world The latest TV series on Hulu, "A Murder at the End of the World," may appear to be a typical crime drama at first glance. With a group of elites from diverse backgrounds and professions gathering in a secluded mansion where an unexpected death occurs, it resembles a contemporary version of Agatha Christie's vacation detective novels. However, after watching the first episode, you'll realize that it is actually about a break-up. The murder case and the complex relationships between the characters are simply tools and pathways that lead to the protagonist's inner emotions. Instead of labeling it as a new crime drama, it is more fitting to a sci-fi adaptation of "Fuck The World" that embodies the spirit of Gen Z.

If you ask an AI to describe Gen Z, it will likely tell you that they are considered the most diverse and politically aware generation yet, with many growing up with access to technology and social media from a young age. They are also known for being more independent, entrepreneurial, and socially conscious than previous generations. From this perspective, the female protagonist of this TV series, Darby, is a perfect embodiment of the essence of Gen Z. She is a novelist and a part-time detective, socially active online and impressively skilled at hacking. She meets Bill, the male protagonist, in an online chat because they share the same interest in a particular case. They visit the mansion together to investigate the crime. They squabble but reconcile over their shared love for the same song. Oh, they also have virtual pets and listen to music on MP3 players - a unique retro trend of Gen Z. Who else can better represent the expectations and self-identity of Gen Z than characters like these?

The TV series has aired only three episodes so far. Unlike typical crime mystery TV shows, which focus on depicting the cases, these first three episodes of the series dedicate a significant amount of screen time to portraying the psychological state of the protagonist, Darby.

With multiple close-up shots, the director grabs audience’s attention on Darby, highlighting her facial expressions such as frowns, smiles, confusion and despair. For instance, there is a recurring scene in the first two episodes where Darby is sitting alone in a dimly lit room, with the glow from the computer screen illuminating her face. The camera frequently switches between her expressions and the computer screen, revealing Darby's current activities, her chat partners, and her focus. This technique, reminiscent of desktop movies, creates an intimate atmosphere and engages viewers from Darby's perspective allowing them to perceive her loneliness and confusion. Darby is consistently depicted alone, always carrying her computer, with a faint connection to the world. As seen in her relationship with Bill, the two main characters lack physical contact even in their memories. The sense of distance persists even after they reunite. Darby's profound sense of loneliness establishes the emotional tone for the TV series.

However, I now have a new question: how will a female protagonist with distinct characteristics of Gen Z influence a murder-themed drama? One thing for sure, the female identity of the protagonist is already subversive, as quite often crime dramas feature male leads. Additionally, Darby is portrayed as a feminist. In the first episode, she expresses her views on gender twice. One instance is when she introduces another character, Lida, as the greatest female programmer in history. However, she faces backlash for critiquing misogyny. The second instance is when the male lead, Bill, suggests that she might prefer women. Darby responds, "All women really only like women, just like all men really only like women, so they invented all those professional sports so they can be intimate with each other." Not sure if these casual conversations will develop further in the subsequent plot, but it’s clear they establish Darby as someone who understands avant garde gender concepts. Unfortunately, the connection between Darby's political beliefs, hobbies, and the murder that occurs is not clear. These statements seem to reflect her political identity but do not serve as motivations for her actions, thus not impacting the main storyline.

Devoting a significant amount of screen time to showcasing the protagonist's emotions and feelings compresses the meticulous presentation of the detective narrative. As a detective mystery drama with a total of seven episodes, it is already a bit dragyg that by the third episode, there is still no climax in the narrative. Constant flashbacks of the two characters' moments together divert the audience's attention to the development of their emotions from who the culprit is. For viewers who want to see Gen Z's perspective on romance, this may be an advantage. However, for fans of suspenseful plotlines, it may be a flaw.

For me, the biggest attraction of this series lies in the spiritual outlook of Gen Z women represented by Darby. We encounter and understand advanced gender concepts, have countless ways to grasp the truth of the world, but we still feel lost and lonely. We search for friends with similar values, but we also end friendships due to conflicting values, making it difficult to establish long-lasting intimate relationships. However, we are still emotional beings. We still miss the wrong person and the past. Perhaps, compared to tracking serial killers, finding love is even more difficult and challenging for Gen Z. And this is where we are in this era. Through the internet, we can connect with everything, yet we still feel lonely. Just like Darby, who can find answers to every question but can never know if another person's heart still holds a love for her. So, we always wake up suddenly, realizing that we are alone, facing the cold wilderness.