Once again I’m late to the party, yet falling madly in love with the series once I watched it.

What a beautifully balanced show Sense8 was; expressing trauma and joy, action and fun, intimacy and group dynamics; being hunted, individual loneliness leading to the discovery that no one is ever alone in a series of beautiful journeys eight different people make.

This is the first television series to challenge Hannibal for Number 1 in my regard. Hannibal was the first series I was certain challenged Babylon 5 for my Number 1, although Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Witchblade, and Sherlock came close. How curious, yet appropriate another show by J. Michael Stracynski should take the top space in my regard, not that JMS was alone in writing Sense8. The Wachowskis, whom I’ve only just become aware of, even though I’ve loved some of their movies made this happen as well. I’m starting to look up some of their other works besides The Matrix movies, curious about what else they’ve done.

I had the same reaction to Bryan Fuller, once I realized he was the one behind Hannibal, that he’d also been involved with Heroes and Pushing Daisies. I wanted to find the rest of his work and I loved what I found. Hannibal, however, has a special place in my heart as does Sense8.

I found myself falling in love with all of the characters in Sense8; not just the cluster itself, but those connected to them; how they connected to other. The series felt like it was all about connection; a network of sensates reaching out to embrace others. I loved Capheus’s optimism, Will’s wide-eyed surprise at everything he was encountering, balanced out by a determination to get to the bottom of it, leaving no one behind. Kala’s innocence and intelligence mingled into an endearingly eccentric and strong character who kept evolving and learning. Sun’s wide-eyed waifish vulnerability was a powerful contrast with her physical prowess, leading her to open up with other characters while aiding them their strength. Wolfgang seemed so standoffish and tough, yet a boyish gentleness sparkled in him when he interacted with certain people, kindled more and more when he spent time with his cluster. Riley seemed so fragile and introspective when we met her, communicating more through music than words, yet she rallied at other character’s vulnerable moments, showing a strength which got Will and the rest of her cluster through many a crisis. Nomi was just as vulnerable, yet intelligent and focused, matching Will in determination to understand what was happening, supported every step of the way by her amazing girlfriend, Amanita. Amanita, wow, what a woman, how she rallied to Nomi’s side, never losing her own quirky wit, bringing a little of old San Francisco with her mom, her dads, and her book shop connections. Lito was so melodramatic, yet tender-hearted, made all the more thoughtful by his love for Hernando, the professor who loved art, not to mention Dani, the friend who gave a strong voice to women who love seeing men together and become a loyal ally of that love. Offering opposition was the sinister Whispers, hunting the cluster from its birth. His story, the way wove in with Will’s was fascinating. He managed to say “Hello, Will” with a certain unique intimate menace in the wake of many a Hannibal Lecter, something I tip my hat to him for doing. Whispers and Jonas provided an interesting balance to Angelica, the cluster’s mysterious mother; beginning to weave the network in which Angelica’s cluster would find their places in.

It was a fascinating weave, ending on a satisfying note. At the same time, flights of fanciful fandom took off in many directions, especially as the sensates became more public. Has this cluster come out? Whom have they come out to? Did Kala reveal what she was to her family? (Probably, although her stepfather could be a problem.) Is Sun in charge of her brother’s company now? What will happen to Capheus since the local sensates reached out to him? Will he win his election? Will Lito come out as a sensate as his movie premieres? Will Lito’s former manager regret letting him go? (I hope so.) Does some fragment of Whispers cling to Will’s mind, haunting him? This has the most fanfic potential for me. I would love to see Will give birth to a cluster of his own, yet I’m unclear on how sensates find themselves expecting. The moment Jonas told Will either gender could give birth to a cluster felt like a teaser for Will, of what may happen in his future. I imagined two girls in his cluster having a lot of love for each other they express by fighting each other, causing Will no end of headaches. :)

There are so many delightful possibilities for the Sense8 universe. I’m so glad to have discovered it. Thank you, JMS, Lana, and Lilly for providing this wonderful series.