Prime Video is the streaming home of a vast array of sci-fi shows. Among them is a surprisingly obscure series, Electric Dreams, which perfectly combines Black Mirror’s storytelling format with Philip K. Dick stories. Deriving its name from one of Philip K. Dick’s most iconic novels, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the show is a one-season anthology that deserves a lot more attention.

Despite being hard to adapt, Philip K. Dick’s stories and books keep getting translated for the big and small screens. While adaptations like Blade Runner have transcended their source material and turned into full-fledged franchises, others like A Scanner Darkly remain relatively lesser-known.

Regardless of how well-known a Philip K. Dick adaptation is, it is always hard not to be hyped about how his sci-fi vision would be captured on the screen. An upcoming Netflix show, The Future Is Ours, is also set to do the same by adapting The World Jones Made. Before the Netflix sci-fi show premieres, though, fans of the author’s work must watch Electric Dreams, which is an underrated sci-fi gem on Prime Video.

Prime Video’s Electric Dreams Delivers Philip K. Dick’s Stories In Black Mirror’s Format

Like Netflix’s Black Mirror, Electric Dreams drops viewers into a new standalone dystopia with each new episode. With each episode, it walks through distinct tech-driven anxieties humanity faces when technology begins to reshape one’s identity. Similar to Black Mirror, Electric Dreams, too, is a mixed bag where some episodes are far more hard-hitting than others.

However, despite the similarities between the two, Electric Dreams manages to etch its own identity because it picks very specific Philip K. Dick stories for each episode instead of trying to be completely original like Black Mirror. While Black Mirror‘s scripts serve as cautionary tales written for today’s tech environment, Electric Dreams attempts to update PKD’s mid-century short stories.

What further elevates the sci-fi series is its incredible cast. Just like Black Mirror ends up having some big names as its leads, Electric Dreams, too, features well-known actors like Bryan Cranston, Richard Madden, and Benedict Wong in its roster. Even from a visual standpoint, the show seems perfectly cyberpunk as it contrasts “high-tech” against the miseries of ordinary people in dystopian worlds.

Electric Dreams Is A Mixed Bag, But Has Some Incredibly Memorable Episodes

Black Mirror is considered a masterpiece because some of its best episodes are phenomenal additions to the sci-fi genre. However, like most anthologies, Black Mirror, too, features several underwhelming installments in its long runtime. Electric Dreams is the same. While some of its episodes have linear and predictable plots, others stay with you long after the credits start rolling.

Viewers who only wish to watch its best bits must check out its first episode, “Real Life,” which stars Bryan Cranston. It explores two overlapping VR realities where neither protagonist knows which life is rea​​​​​​​l. Another great episode is “Autofac,” which has Janelle Monáe​​​​​​​ as its lead. This one hits even closer to home because it shows how AI continues consuming resources and shipping products even after humanity’s collapse.

Viewers who want to watch something that aligns more with Philip K. Dick’s unconventional storytelling and weirdness must also check out “The Hood Maker.” The episode in the Prime Video sci-fi show, starring Richard Madden, features everything from mutant civil rights in a retro-futuristic society to state surveillance.

Electric Dreams

Release Date

2017 – 2018-00-00

Network

Channel 4

Directors

David Farr, Francesca Gregorini, Jeffrey Reiner, Julian Jarrold, Marc Munden, Peter Horton, Dee Rees, Tom Harper