—- This article contains a minor spoiler for the events of the first episode. If you'd rather know nothing, go straight to to start watching —
Arcadia kicks off with a heart-pounding chase by law officers through the streets of a city – the mostly grey, concrete-dominated streets, which nicely flag that this story isn’t going to unfold in a wonderful, trouble-free near-future version of the world.
No, this is Arcadia, a walled Flemish-Dutch society where all the citizens have a chip in their hand so the government can keep track of where they are and what they do. Where each citizen has a score, based on their education, activities and adherence to the laws – and if your score dips below 8, you’ll be banished to the Outer World.
Shield officer Alex Jans chases an impressively agile suspected criminal in the opening scenes of 'Arcadia'. Credit: Maarten De Bouw
This is a problem for Peiter Hendriks (Gene Bervoets), a senior administrator whose daughter Luz doesn’t fit the mould in this rule-driven society. Hendriks is the grandson of one of the founders of Ardacia; his grandfather headed the team that developed the algorithm for the citizen scores. Hendriks and his family – his second wife, Cato (Dutch actress Monic Hendrickxx, who has also worked in Australia – she won an AFI Best Actress award in 2008 for her role in the film Unfinished Sky); daughters Milly (Abigail Abraham) and Luz (Lynn Van Royen); and step-daughters Alex (Melody Klaver) and Hanna (Ellie de Lange) – all have good scores, and thus a comfortable life in this divided society.
When black-clad officers from The Shield (the military police) descend on Alex’s engagement party, and the entire Hendriks-Jens family is arrested, it’s soon revealed that some of those excellent marks are the result of score fraud.
The eight-part drama (season 2 is also in development) – one of the most expansive Belgian series every made – will grab those who like some good dystopian alt-world action, but can just as easily be viewed as a clever drama that will keep viewers guessing.
Pieter Hendriks (Gene Bervoets) and family, including his wife Cato (Monic Hendrickx), in court. Credit: Maarten De Bouw
It’s not giving too much away to say that Hendriks confesses, hoping to protect his family – but the family has their scores docked too, even Milly and Alex, who both work for The Shield.
When Alex says, of Hendriks’ impending exit to ‘Outside’, that “there is nothing out there to survive on”, some of the harsher episodes of survival series Alone spring to mind. And it seems pretty clear that Hendriks is not in the league of .
But that’s yet to come, and what’s happening already is the testing of family ties. Who knew, or suspected, the manipulation of scores? Cato, mother to this blended family after a disaster that claimed the lives of Alex’s father, among others, is trying to hold things together. Milly is trying to think of ways to help her father. Alex says she should report the conversation after several of the other women admit they knew what was happening. Where we had hints of their personalities so far, now it’s becoming clear.
What’s not clear, yet, is the role a mysterious organisation known as The Visor plays in this dystopian society. On the day of her step-father’s eviction, Alex looks disturbed when told a representatives of The Visor want to talk to her, and the camera’s lingering shot on an unsettling face-like logo above the lift she’s about to enter, to go to the meeting, makes it clear she’s got reason to worry.
When Hendrik is given just one minute to say farewell to his family – those that turn up to say goodbye, that is – it’s understandably emotional. Yet not everyone is in tears. It might be beautiful out there, says Luz. We hope, knowing it’s very likely to be to be the opposite, that she’s right, all the while wondering (or at least, I did), what we’d say if we had only one minute to say farewell to those we love.
When Hendriks is dumped into the wilds, well, without giving much away, let’s say beautiful isn’t the word you’ll be looking for. And that racing heart that might have settled down after the start of the episode? Yep, the heart rate will be spiking again.
And that’s just the first episode.
Scans keep track of everything, even Regulator Marco Simons (Maarten Heijmans) on the way to make an arrest. Credit: Maarten De Bouw
As the series unfolds, Shield Regulator Marco Simons (Maarten Heijmans) is tasked with finding out which family members knew about the fraud. Meanwhile, the fallout from their docked scores changes the lives of the family members. Gentle Luz, who’s been shielded by family members most of her life, steps more into the real world, including an unlikely friendship with Simons. Milly makes a choice that will take her away from her own husband and child. Alex must choose whether she betrays the family, while Hanna, a nurse, is frustrated by a system that won’t allow her to help those with low scores. Meanwhile, Visor agent Lena Harms (Natali Broods) is chasing answers about an attack that killed hundreds of people 15 years ago, among them Milly and Luz’s mother, along with Alex and Hanna’s father, and outside the walls … well, things are happening out there, too.
Her work with The Shield takes Milly Hendriks (Abigail Abraham) outside Arcadia's walls. Credit: Maarten De Bouw
Arcadia’s motto is "Everyone gets what they deserve” but it’s clear that’s not the case. What happens when citizens don’t match society’s expectations? How far will people go to protect their lives and their families? And is there a life outside Arcadia's algorithm?
“Maybe we shouldn’t be living the way we are,” says Hanna, trying to comfort a troubled Luz. For the Hendriks-Jens family, and for Marco Simons and his extended family, too, the repurcussions of the score fraud will change their lives forever.
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Arcadia - seasoon 1, episode 1
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