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Jasneet Singh is a writer who finally has a platform to indulge in long rants about small moments on TV and film in overwhelming detail. With a literature background, she is drawn to the narrative aspect of cinema and will happily rave about her favorite characters. She is also waiting for the Ranger's Apprentice novels to be adapted... but the cycle of hope and disappointment every two years is getting too painful to bear.
When you first hear about the premise of AMC's Soulmates, your mind will immediately wander to Black Mirror. More specifically, Black Mirror's "Hang the DJ", a world where romance and companionship are computerized into reliable, unfeeling algorithms. The idea of using technology or science to rein in the messiness of human emotions isn't new in the slightest, but Soulmates, in which everyone can take a test to find out who their one and true partner is, does set itself apart slightly. Instead of solely honing in on technology and how it can be applied, the anthology series explores human reactions to the idea of being able to optimize your life.
In the futuristic universe of Soulmates, a scientist discovers the "soul" gene that can be matched up to one other person in the world, resulting in a test that people can take to locate their soulmate. The results only show when both parties have taken the test; otherwise, they simply remain in the system until the other does. The underrated anthology contains six episodic stories, following characters from all walks of life who navigate a world where destiny is one payment away and deal with the social and personal consequences of that.
'Soulmates' Is Not Just the Romantic Version of 'Black Mirror'
Image via AMCApart from the brief description above, Soulmates makes no effort to delve into or question the technology at the crux of the show. It is simply referred to as the ubiquitous "test" that holds a promise of romantic perfection, and that's all the series really needs. Instead, each episode focuses on the "what ifs" of this new era. What if you're already married when you take the test? What if someone uses this test against you? What if one soulmate isn't enough to fulfill all your needs after the life experience you already have? What if the "best" isn't necessarily better than "good?" What if your soulmate is dead? And, what if you're matched with someone you cannot conceivably be with?
As a result, we get six vastly distinct episodes that each challenge the idea of perfection in their own ways. The first episode, "Watershed," is the most like Black Mirror, as it focuses on a married couple who navigate this new lifestyle of watching people getting paired with their soulmates and how that impacts their own relationship. It has a dark, strained, and gritty tone that is completely different to others, like Episode 4, "Layover," which almost plays out like a light-hearted romantic comedy. The tonal differences in each episode make the series easy to watch in short tidbits, especially as their fast-paced and condensed storytelling propels us towards a usually ironic and satisfying ending.
Exploring the what-ifs not only gives us easy-to-binge and tonally disparate stories, but ties in intriguing themes that keep us on the hook. A lot of it revolves around the idea of achieving an optimized life and why that isn't necessarily the only path for everyone. We get an episode on polyamory and how one person sometimes cannot be the end all and be all for someone. Another episode focuses on how confronting the idea of a perfect soulmate can force you to learn things about yourself, as the character struggles to decipher how they could be matched with a person of those values. Each story has little provocative moments that question what a "perfect" relationship or person is supposed to look like. So, Soulmates cannot simply be reduced to the romance version of Black Mirror, but instead finds its own line of questioning that opens up new ways to view relationships, making it a crime that it flew under the radar when it first came out.
'Soulmates' Boasts a Star-Studded Cast That Delivers Nuance Each Episode
What's really surprising about the fact that Soulmates didn't immediately find an audience is its cast. Each story is filled with talented actors, including Sarah Snook (Succession), Bill Skarsgård (It), Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things), Malin Akerman (The Hunting Wives), David Costabile (Breaking Bad) and many more. With a stacked cast like that, what's not a surprise is that we get a range of reliably nuanced and dynamic performances in each story. The actors effortlessly hook us into each story, from Snook's tentative and deadpan vulnerability as a married woman questioning her relationship, to Skarsgård's unpredictable and palpable chemistry with Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as they go careening around Mexico. Their performances become the cornerstone to how we perceive the various relationships explored in the show, bringing the emotional complexities of each what-if to life.
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Even though Soulmates was overlooked when it first came out, it still deserves its own audience. Fans of Black Mirror or sci-fi dystopia will find the stories deeply satisfying, especially since the show's what-if approach gives itself space to further expand the universe. When you're itching for more after finishing this season, don't despair because there is a second season on the way and there are still plenty of ways Soulmates can interrogate the idea of a perfect romance. So, if you're looking for an unsettling iteration of romance to cozy up to, then Soulmates is the perfect match.
English (US) ·