Halo - Review Season One
Halo, the science-fiction military media franchise, has been a behemoth in the video game industry for decades. Unfortunately, season one fails to capitalize on its rich material. Instead, it presents a tedious and tangled mess.
Before I watched the show, all I had was a vague concept of the setting and characters of the Halo my video game world. With my limited background, I approached the Paramount+ series purely from the perspective of a television fan.
Halo is set in the 26th century and features the United Nations Space Command (UNSC), the military wing of the United Earth Government (UEG). Amidst humanity's conflict with a theocratic-military coalition of alien races bent on exterminating them, the UNSC grapples with a movement of independence among Earth's colonies—the Insurrectionists.
The narrative kicks off when Master Chief John-177 (played by Pablo Schreiber) stumbles upon a mysterious artifact that not only escalates the war with the Covenant but also triggers unexpected changes in the cybernetically enhanced super-soldier. Following a Covenant onslaught that decimates the small Insurrectionists outpost on the planet Madrigal, the SPARTAN experiences visions that make him question his orders, prompting him to go AWOL alongside the sole survivor, Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha). The Master Chief soon discovers that the artifact is a fragment of a device capable of unveiling the whereabouts of a massive super-weapon coveted by the Covenant for their religious agenda.
Lack of clarity
While loyal fans have criticized the series for diverging from the source material, as someone unfamiliar with the canon, these inaccuracies do not bother me. However, what does concern me is the storytelling's lack of focus and emotional core.
The logical heart of the show should have been Master Chief John-117—who even I knew to be a character from the video game. Thus, when John disregards orders to rescue Kwan Ha, I assumed the series might explore their evolving relationship, akin to a pseudo-parent-child dynamic (similar to the Mandalorian and Grogu). However, John unexpectedly abandons Kwan with a SPARTAN deserter, Soren (Bokeem Woodbine). Meanwhile, the Covenant entrusts a young human ward named Makee (Charlie Murphy) to infiltrate UNSC forces and retrieve the artifact for her masters.
At this point, the narrative splits off into several plot arcs that unfold throughout the season: the quest to unlock the artifact's secrets, Kwan Ha's mission to liberate Madrigal, the Master Chief's increasingly tumultuous relationship with Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone), and the political conflicts within the UNSC.
While there are sporadic bursts of action scattered throughout the season, they are overshadowed by prolonged periods of character-driven drama. Juggling the multiple plotlines proves to be too much for the show, causing it to struggle in effectively developing its characters. Consequently, it fails to deliver a well-paced and emotionally engaging story. By the end of the season, I didn't care about the characters and what happened to them.
Master Chief and the dysfunctional team
First, while the character is intended to be stoic, I found him uninspiring. Although Pablo Schreiber delivers a competent performance in the role, the character lacks depth. This is troublesome because the Master Chief can be a captivating and multidimensional character. John-117 isn’t a ‘good’ man; he is a battle-hardened killer, forged into a relentless weapon through years of harsh training, and physical, psychological, and chemical abuse—and it shows. Despite attempts to make us care for his troubled past, the emotional connection never fully materializes. Even with Cortana (voiced by Jen Taylor) as his guide and companion, something is missing. His actions are erratic. As such, I struggle to see him as a natural leader or a competent super-soldier who commands the unwavering trust of an entire army.
Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) is just a weird character. While she serves as a counterpart to John, especially after they both remove their emotion suppressant pellet. Even though I don't particularly like her, her struggles with her newfound emotions are more authentic than John’s, especially her sudden fear during a battle with the Covenant.
Furthermore, the dynamic within Silver Team feels disjointed, with John and Kai on one side and Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac) and Vannak-134 on the other. This lack of cohesion undermines their credibility as a team. I was expecting more camaraderie and trust from the core of the SPARTANs, but it fell short.
Dr. Halsey: The caricatured mad scientist
Natascha McElhone shines as Dr. Catherine Halsey, the enigmatic founder of the super-secretive (and highly controversial) SPARTAN program. Initially depicted as a maternal figure to John-117, her character transforms into a morally ambiguous scientist who believes the ends justify the means in her quest to elevate humanity. However, this transformation feels rushed. More time spent establishing her role as John's maternal figure or as a key figure within the UNSC would have made her eventual 'betrayal' more impactful. Unfortunately, her portrayal as a work-obsessed, overly intelligent (and somewhat evil) scientist comes across as one-dimensional and lacks nuance.
Miranda Keyes (Olive Gray) serves as a foil to her mother, Dr. Halsey’s. While both share a common goal of ensuring humanity's survival, Keyes emphasizes the principles of honor and duty instilled by the UNSC, and her father, Captain Jacob Keyes (Danny Sapani). Nonetheless, her character appears pretty generic as she tries to step out of her mother's shadow and earn her respect at the same time.
The superfluous Makee
Makee (Charlie Murphy), the Covenant’s human spy, is a character whose potential remains untapped throughout the season. It's frustrating to witness the supposedly formidable United Nations Space Command fall for her obvious ploy to infiltrate their secure space on behalf of the Covenant.
Furthermore, the rushed romantic subplot between John and Makee feels forced and uninspired. Their sudden intimacy, following a single daytime walk in the park, lacks the depth and emotional resonance that such a relationship should have. For a more satisfying impact, the show should have developed their connection much earlier, allowing for a more gradual exploration of the romance between two people raised on opposing sides of a war.
Makee's double-(triple-)cross and subsequent demise was rushed and lacks narrative depth. It would have been more compelling to witness her internal struggles and conflicted loyalties unfold over a longer period, adding complexity to her character and enhancing the overall storytelling.
The forgettable Insurrectionist
Although Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) serves a purpose in the series premiere, her continued presence is not justified. Her storyline feels disconnected from the main plot, rendering her character's development and motivations uninteresting and inconsequential.
Similarly, Soren (Bokeem Woodbine), who John-117 tasked with caring for Kwan, adds little to the overall narrative. Neither do I care for his backstory as a deserted SPARTAN-II turned pirate, nor do I understand his role in the larger plot.
Overall, both characters contribute little to the series.
Who is the villain?
One glaring omission in the season is the portrayal of The Covenant, particularly the Prophets, as the primary antagonists. Their limited screen time and lackluster depiction fail to evoke the fear and menace they should embody as the leaders of genocidal aliens. Instead of showing the infighting of the UNSC, the show should have emphasized The Covenant as the true threat to humanity.
Moreover, the series quickly establishes humanity's UNSC as morally ambiguous, mirroring the ruthlessness and oppression of The Covenant. The UEG’s harsh colonial rule has fractured the society, which birthed the Insurrectionists and pirates.
The showrunner's depiction is noteworthy because it avoids the simplistic portrayal of patriotic humans as good and aliens as evil. Nonetheless, it negatively affects the viewer. With both factions and almost all characters depicted as morally bankrupt and morally compromised, I’m left questioning who to root for in the conflict. This lack of clarity and the absence of a formidable antagonist diminishes the stakes and undermines the narrative tension. Why should I care for the Master Chief, or any human character, if they don’t have a (monstrous) foe?
Short on action
The first few minutes plunge viewers into the chaos of the conflict on Madrigal and showcase the Covenant brutality and the heroism of the SPARTANs. Sadly, this gripping opening sequence proves to be an outlier rather than the norm for the series. Despite the occasional thrilling fight scene, the show predominantly focuses on interpersonal relationships. It lacks the adrenaline-fueled battles I expected from a military science-fiction show that is about humanity's fight for survival against an alien foe.
Although Halo boasts a substantial budget, its visual presentation fails to fully capitalize on its financial resources. While there are visually striking moments, the overall execution falls short of expectations for a production with a reported $200 million budget.
Conclusion
Halo fails to capture the essence of a space epic akin to Battlestar Galactica, complete with battles and complex political and social tensions. While world-building is essential, the narrative and character development fall short.
Moreover, the showrunners missed a significant opportunity with Cortana's character; they failed to capitalize on the potential for a compelling AI protagonist. Her internal struggle between her programming and burgeoning attachment to Master Chief feels rushed and underdeveloped.
Season one should have focused on the Master Chief and Cortana, battling against the Covenant for humanity's survival. To increase emotional investment in the characters, the series could have delved deeper into their relationship and created the subsequent conflicts with Dr. Halsey.
The show's storyline would have been more effective if it had a longer runtime of 24 episodes, allowing for a deeper exploration of the characters and their dynamics. As it is, though, the show grapples with a convoluted plot and sluggish pacing that left me disconnected from the story.
Despite its shortcomings, I remain hopeful for the second season. I hope the new showrunners take the viewer’s numerous criticisms to heart and present us with an upswing in action and storytelling that redeems the series’ lackluster debut.
