See (TV series)

See is an American science fiction drama streaming television series produced for Apple TV+ starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard in leading roles. It is written by Steven Knight and directed by Francis Lawrence. It also stars Sylvia Hoeks, Hera Hilmar and Christian Camargo. Executive producers include Knight, Lawrence, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Kristen Campo. The series premiered on November 1, 2019, and it has been renewed for a second season, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming was temporarily delayed.
Premise.
In the early twenty-first century, a virus wiped out all but two million humans, those surviving having lost the sense of sight. "See" takes places centuries later, where society has found new ways to interact, build, hunt, and survive without vision. In the mountains, Baba Voss, the chieftain of the Alkenny tribe, takes in and marries a woman, Maghra, who comes to the Alkenny seeking shelter. Baba Voss has been unable to father children, and the woman is pregnant when she first arrives. 
The biological father, Jerlamarel, is an outlaw wanted by the Queen of the Kane Dynasty of Kanzua Dam for the heresy of being "sighted" (the ability to see). Word spreads of Jerlamarel siring children, prompting a witch hunt for Jerlamarel and his offspring. Baba Voss must protect his family and his tribe against the Queen's army.
"Alkenny" and "Kanzua" are alterations of Allegheny and Kinzua, real-life locations in present-day western Pennsylvania.
Production.
Development.
On January 10, 2018, it was announced that Apple had given the production a series order for a single eight-episode season. The series was set to be written by Steven Knight and directed by Francis Lawrence, both of whom were also expected to executive produce alongside Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Kristen Campo. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Chernin Entertainment and Endeavor Content.
The Wrap reported on November 7, 2019 that Apple has ordered a second season of the show.
Casting.
A July 2018 announcement revealed that Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard had been cast in series regular roles, followed by news that Yadira Guevara-Prip, Nesta Cooper, Sylvia Hoeks, and Archie Madekwe had joined the main cast a month later. On October 18, 2018, it was reported that Christian Camargo and Hera Hilmar had been cast in series regular roles. Oliver Rae Aleron and Spencer Prewett from Archspire appear in a cameo in the first episode. In January 2020, it was announced that Dave Bautista would be joining the series for season 2, playing the brother of Baba Voss. In February 2020, news followed that Adrian Paul would also be joing the cast, playing a character named Lord Harlan.
Filming.
Principal photography for the first season commenced on September 17, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and ended on February 8, 2019. In October 2018, filming was reported to be taking place in Coquitlam Eagle Mountain, north Vancouver (water shed), Rutheford service road, Pemberton, Deroche, Delta at Boundary Bay, mission, Squamish Valley, Youth Detention Center Burnaby, Allouette in Mapleridge and the Campbell River and Strathcona Provincial Park areas of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Filming for the second season was expected to begin on February 3, 2020 and end on July 10, 2020. However, in March 2020, production was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2020, it was reported that "See" would resume filming on October 14, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. The second season finished filming on March 18, 2021.
Reception.
Critical Response.
The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a 43% approval rating based on 51 reviews, with an average rating of 5.27/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though its capable cast is clearly game, an over-reliance on gore and a grimly—and at times comically—convoluted narrative blurs "See"s bold vision." On Metacritic the series has a weighted average score of 37 out of 100 based on reviews from 21 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".
"Variety"'s Daniel D'Addario was critical of the show, saying it: "Wastes the time of Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, among others, on a story that starts from a position of fun, giddy strangeness and drags itself forward at a lugubrious pace."
Ben Travers at IndieWire responded positively: "Steven Knight's action-drama is a strange-but-effective blend" and "the balance isn’t quite there yet, as episodes don’t exactly earn their hourlong run time. Momoa, meanwhile, fits the role well."