The Halo TV series fails to live up to expectations
Halo is one of the most iconic and beloved video game franchises in history, and fans have been eagerly waiting for this TV show since it was announced back in 2013.
So, after almost ten years of waiting, does it deliver as promised?
No, it does not. Instead, it creates a generic sci-fi TV show and slaps the Halo title on it. If you are a Halo fan since Combat Evolved, prepare to be disappointed.
The show revolves around Master Chief leading the Silver team, which consists of Vanek, Riz, and Kai. We follow him as he strives to remember who he is, as well as Kwan Ha, a rebel leader's daughter, as she attempts to relaunch the resistance against the UNSC following a horrific event.
The UNSC, on the other hand, are trying to deal with the rising Covenant problem around the solar system while tackling the rebellion.
Before criticizing it, I would like to say that the casting was brilliant. They are genuinely talented actors, but the writing was so bad that it overshadowed their talent.
Kwan Ha is supposed to be this tough girl who takes the mantle of her father, but comes off as irresponsible and naive, making some of the worst decisions ever and is genuinely not a likeable character. Wherever she goes, she leaves a trail of corpses of her allies along the way. Her arc has no impact on the plot, and I find myself waiting for her to leave the screen as soon as she appears.
One of the other biggest criticisms of the show is that it changes everything about Master Chief. Throughout the show, he is not Master Chief, he is just John. Yes, his name was John in the original continuity, but people still called him Master Chief. The show decided to focus more on his human aspect, which is admirable but undeserved.
Before Chief started being more human, we did not see his robotic, killer instinct side where he strictly sticks to the mission and follows orders. He was an emotional wreck from the first episode to the last and due to this, he goes into an intimate relationship with a Covenant spy. It's hard to believe Master Chief would do something like this, but this is John, not Master Chief and the show makes sure you know that.
The final criticism that really hit close to home was the fact that they revealed Master Chief's face in the very beginning, ruining one of Halo's most unique aspects. He just puts on the mask to take it off and it seemed utterly unnecessary. The mystery of Master Chief's face was maintained a secret in the games thanks to clever camera angles, and when one of the most renowned endings in gaming, Halo 4, finally happened, it felt fulfilling to see him without the mask.
With all the criticisms outlined, it seems like an all-horrible series but there is a sprinkle of goodness. The action sequences are fantastic and utterly spectacular, and the last battle just seemed like a Halo Reach sequence. These scenes portray how dangerous the Spartans are and how much damage they can do, and these are the little moments where the show felt like Halo.
In conclusion, the Halo series is an average sci-fi TV show which barely follows the source material while the showrunners proudly admit that they never played a single game. It is evident that the creators of the show do not care about the fanbase of the original Halo series and want the show to "appeal to a broader audience".
Abhoy Hriddo is replaying the old games to get the nostalgia he was hoping for. Send him your thoughts at abhoyhriddo@gmail.com