Science fiction and fantasy, especially on English-language television, traditionally means one thing: big special effects. Epic fantasy drama series Game of Thrones was sold to audiences as The Sopranos with dragons. Disney has been bringing new takes on Star Wars and the Marvel universe to television for years now. Even Star Trek is back with multiple series.
Foundation, Raised by Wolves, The Wheel of Time, Halo and many more: they’re big flashy series featuring spaceships and monsters and big budget visuals, focused on all-action adventures taking place far, far away where the fate of the galaxy is just another day at the office.
How does Europe compete with that? With a piece of rope.
Historically there’s often been a more thoughtful, thought-provoking current running through European science fiction. Instead of Star Wars, think of movies like Solaris or Stalker where humanity bumps up against the essential unknowability of the universe and finds itself reflected back in all its flaws.
Suzanne Clément in 'The Rope'. Source: Les Films de l’Instant / Versus Production
French-language drama The Rope (which is loosely adapted from a German novel set in the 19th century; pretty much everything aside from the rope is new) follows in their footsteps. Only this time, the challenge to everything we know is just lying on the ground waiting for someone to trip over it.
A team of scientists from across the globe led by Agnès and Bernhardt Mueller (Suzanne Clément and Richard Sammel) have come together in an isolated observatory in a forest in a distant corner of Norway. Their base is past their prime, and so is the group; their upcoming observation is a last roll of the dice for a team that’s failed to live up to their potential.
At least they’re still aiming high, hoping to gather data that will help them map the furthermost reaches of the universe and understand the origin of everything around us. Their theory is that by using what they call “repeaters”, or Fast Radio Bursts, they can receive signals from the far side of the universe. And then, right before they begin to harvest the data that just might confirm their theories, they find a rope.
To be more accurate, they find a length of rope, running past their base and out into the woods. There’s no end in sight: pulling on it doesn’t roll it up. For some at the base, this rapidly becomes a mystery that must be solved. There’s only one way to find out where the rope leads, and that’s by following it wherever it may go. Led by Bernhardt and Serge (Jean-Marc Barr), they begin their trek into the forest.
It’s a journey into the unknown that’s chilling in its simplicity. Who wouldn’t want to know where this mysterious rope leads? Having it appear next to a group of scientists already on a quest for meaning suggests one particular path. But as they (and we) soon discover, the rope is heading in a direction all its own. Just how far are Bernhardt and his team willing to go for answers?
Jean-Marc Barr Source: Les Films de l’Instant / Versus Production
Each of those following the rope has their own reasons for wanting to follow it to the end. Sophie (Jeanne Balibar), is an astrophysicist who welcomes the rope as an escape from her incurable cancer. Analyst Leïla (Christa Théret) is also struggling, in her case with depression, while her partner (and the team’s cook) Joseph (Tom Mercier) is more interested in saving their relationship. As for English intern Dani (Planitia Kenese), she’s driven by a desire to find some spiritual meaning in the world.
Agnès and the others who refused to accept the rope’s silent challenge soon find the wait for their friends in the woods going from uncomfortable to unsettling. The police are called, a search begins. Meanwhile, for those following the rope, the woods around them become more sinister and threatening. Just what exactly do they hope to find at the end, and why can’t they let the rope go?
Jeanne Balibar, Jean-Marc Barr, Richard Sammel and Planitia Kenese. Source: Les Films de l’Instant / Versus Production
The best science fiction has always been built around ideas. The Rope takes humanity’s quest for knowledge and makes it literal. After the first day following the rope it’s clear it isn’t getting any shorter, and the end is nowhere in sight. The group is starting to fracture and turn against each other. And if one end of the rope is taking them nowhere, how do they know the other will still lead them home?
Three-part series The Rope starts on SBS Viceland 11.05pm Tuesday June 14 and screens weekly. The full series is also streaming .
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