Halo Episode 1 Review: Initial Contact

Halo Episode 1: Contact

Launching a Halo television show in 2022 feels unusual. While the franchise was a major Hollywood topic in the 2000s, the Halo series as a whole seems less significant now. Though the latest game, Halo Infinite, received positive reviews, the unreserved enthusiasm seen in the original Xbox and Xbox 360 days is absent. Can the Halo TV show usher in a new golden age for the franchise?

The first episode answers both questions with a "no," while still providing decent sci-fi entertainment. “Contact” offers some geeky fun, though it lacks polish and shine.

A quick clarification: the TV series is not directly canon to the games. Instead, it uses an alternative "Silver Timeline," allowing creators to adapt familiar concepts from games, books, and comics as they see fit for the new medium.

The show aims to make Master Chief more outwardly expressive than in the games, and Pablo Schreiber makes a strong first impression. While comparisons to Steve Downes's smoother, deeper voice or the stoic animated character are inevitable, Schreiber's glimpses of confused humanity offer promise for this interpretation of the Chief.

Yerin Ha balances portraying a believable teenager and a developing soldier effectively, though the script doesn't always provide enough depth. She briefly showcases her skills in a scene where she's tasked with creating propaganda against her own faction, making it compelling enough to maintain her vulnerability. However, Kwan's interactions with the Chief require her to quickly shift from shock to action, and future episodes may allow for more exploration of their individual characters. (An early attempt by the Chief to tell a joke, which falls flat, aims for sincerity and humor but occurs too soon in their relationship and world-building to land effectively).

As a fan of the game lore, I'm surprised the show is revealing so much so early. Initial descriptions of the "Silver Timeline" as neither a reboot nor canon were confusing. I might be revealing my bias by taking a stance on this. Much of the fandom holds strong opinions about the franchise's recent years, adding to the show's unusual timing. However, as a Halo fan since 2001, I see placing the insurgents at the forefront as rich narrative potential. In the games, they are barely seen, serving only as backstory for humanity's readiness for the alien crusade. Now, they offer our perspective on the story.

There's a discussion here about utilitarianism: the UNSC's methods are clearly deceptive. (In the books, Parangosky oversaw a project to sell weapons to Covenant rebels.) On the other hand, the Spartan program works. Or does it? In reality, the Spartans don't save civilians in the opening scene; Kwan's survival is essentially an accidental byproduct of the Spartans acting as indestructible shields for UNSC spies. Master Chief is beginning to realize this might be the series' core theme.

A significant element missing from the first episode is insight into Halsey's feelings for the Chief. The narrative hints at a twisted mother-son dynamic between them. This seems like a missing emotional anchor in the subplot involving Miranda's father, Jacob Keyes (Danny Sapani), and Halsey. However, this cannot be fully explored yet, as the show needs to maintain secrecy around the Chief's past.

Still, the show has carefully woven together many other overlooked plot threads from the games. Seeing Shabana Azmi as Parangosky, a particularly deep cut from the lore, was a pleasure. However, it might be a concern that much of the show's enjoyment comes from familiar faces (in this alternative timeline) rather than character dynamics. Conversations among UNSC characters are slow, and the sterile sets, while likely intentional, verge on generic.

One episode in, Halo as a television series has had a competent but unremarkable start. Any commentary on war and surveillance the show intends to make will need to be backed by genuine entertainment, especially if it hopes to reach viewers both within and outside the fandom.