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The long-awaited Halo TV series is nearly here, after development started way back in 2013. Although not set to premiere until March 24 on Paramount+, and already being renewed for Season 2, reviews of Season 1 have begun to appear online. (This post will be updated later today with GameSpot’s review.)
Halo is developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane for the streaming service Paramount+, with Oscar-winning veteran movie director Steven Spielberg “godfathering” the project. Spielberg is said to have personally seen every script and helped choose the showrunners, writers, and cast.
The Halo series was directed in part by Otto Bathurst, the director behind Black Mirror’s shocking debut episode, The National Anthem. Pablo Schreiber plays Master Chief on the Halo TV show, with Natascha McElhone as Dr. Halsey. Jen Taylor, who voices Cortana in the video game series, will play Cortana on the show as well.
Although there’s no critical consensus just yet, so far you can see a sampling of review scores and excerpts below, and a greater overview at GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Halo
Based on: Halo seriesWritten by: Kyle Killen, Steven KaneStarring: Pablo Schreiber, Natascha McElhone, Yerin Ha, Charlie Murphy, Jen Taylor, Shabana Azmi, Bokeem Woodbine, Kate Kennedy, Natasha Culzac, Bentley CaluRelease Date: March 24
Daily Beast — 80
“Halo’s adaptation accuracy is mildly undercut by the moderately creaky narrative wheels it’s set in motion. … [However] with top-notch CGI and a lead performance from Schreiber that lends new depths to his famously one-dimensional hero, Halo appears to have the firepower to become its own uniquely formidable sci-fi titan.” — Nick Schager [Full review]
The Playlist — 75
“Schreiber has always conveyed vulnerability under his stoic, strong exterior. He takes what could have been a bland character and makes him interesting enough that viewers will stay engaged to see what he does next. ” — Brian Tallerico [Full review]
Variety – No Score
“The series boasts an impressive budget used wisely, with distinct production design distinguishing one planetary location for another and spaceships zipping through endless stars. That alone lets Halo keep apace with its contemporaries.” — Caroline Framke [Full review]
IndieWire – C+
“It’s exactly what you expect. While Halo features a few minor pivots in these early hours, there’s very little to spoil and even less to spark curiosity that’s not already present.” — Ben Travers [Full review]
The Hollywood Reporter — 50
“Maybe Halo does play as more exciting and specific if you have an internal checklist of game elements — weapon types, helpful acquisitions, character or planetary allusions — you’re looking to have acknowledged. For those of us who don’t necessarily crave or appreciate those things, Halo has a generic story, limitedly engaging characters and a clearly high special-effects budget that yields respectable but unremarkable results.” — Dan Fienberg [Full review]
IGN — 7/10
“As much as the premiere focuses on capturing the iconic weapons and technology from the games, it also shows a willingness to move its story in dramatically different directions.” — Jesse Schedeen [Full review]
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