HBO Max has a show that combined the best elements of Dune and Star Wars, but it ended far sooner than it should have. While HBO Max isn’t well-known for its science fiction offerings, at least not as much as streaming services like Apple TV and Disney+ are, it does have a few great shows in its catalog. In fact, some of the best shows on HBO Max are sci-fi projects, like Station Eleven and Scavengers Reign.
One of the best sci-fi shows on HBO Max takes a lot of inspiration from both Star Wars and Dune. Almost all science fiction draws from those two legendary titles in some way, but HBO Max’s Raised by Wolves takes it even further. Where other sci-fi movies and shows may borrow elements like space travel and genetic modification, Raised by Wolves mirrors the epic scale and feel of both Star Wars and Dune.
Raised by Wolves follows two androids, Mother and Father, who raise a group of human children after the Earth was destroyed by a war between atheists and Mithraics, followers of an ancient religion. Mother and Father are tasked with raising the children as atheists to both preserve humanity and to ensure that no religious war ever threatens the species again. The very fate of the species is on the line, but that’s just the start of Raised by Wolves‘ epic story.
Raised By Wolves Feels Like A Sci-Fi Epic Comparable To Dune Or Star Wars
Dune and Star Wars have stood the test of time so well due, in part, to the almost mythic and legendary stories they tell. Raised by Wolves is one of the few sci-fi shows that imitates that grandiosity and epic feeling of those franchises. The world of Raised by Wolves feels incredibly lived-in, both in the war that destroyed Earth and in the layers of secrets surrounding the androids and much more.
The show was also executive produced by Ridley Scott, the mastermind behind Blade Runner and Alien, and its first two episodes were directed by him. Scott’s influence can be seen throughout Raised by Wolves, and it makes the show’s epic qualities even clearer. This series feels larger than life, its many plots and secrets are perfectly interweaved with one another, and the entirety of Raised by Wolves feels like a modern myth.
Raised by Wolves also takes a few more direct inspirations. The war that destroyed the Earth in Raised by Wolves bears a striking resemblance to the Butlerian Jihad in Dune, while the androids are locked in a mythic battle between their better natures and their more evil sides, just like the light and dark sides of the Force in Star Wars. Both in specific elements and in the general feel of the show, Raised by Wolves is a near-perfect spiritual successor to Star Wars and Dune.
HBO Max Squandered Raised By Wolves After Just Two Seasons
The only bad part about Raised by Wolves is the way HBO Max handled it. Despite glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike — the show was actually more acclaimed in its second season than its first — HBO Max canceled Raised by Wolves after just two seasons. Executive producer David W. Zucker revealed to Screen Rant that Raised by Wolves was canceled because of the merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. in April 2022.
Raised by Wolves‘ cancelation was also a major disappointment. As previously mentioned, the show got even better in its second season and was finally finding its stride. Raised by Wolves season 2 also ended with several unanswered questions and lingering cliffhangers, like an ancient android who wanted to devolve humanity, and Marcus’ life hanging in the balance. Like Firefly before it, Raised by Wolves desperately needed another season it likely will never get.
As if to add insult to injury, after canceling Raised by Wolves, WarnerMedia also removed the series from HBO Max in 2022. That decision was reportedly made so Warner Bros. could license Raised by Wolves out to other streaming services along with shows like The Time Traveler’s Wife (via Deadline). Though it was reportedly cut to be licensed out, Raised by Wolves currently isn’t available to stream anywhere.
In fact, as a result of WarnerMedia’s actions, Raised by Wolves is one of the most difficult shows to watch in the streaming age. According to JustWatch, the only way to legally watch Raised by Wolves is by purchasing a physical copy of the disc, either DVD or BluRay. The show is also sometimes scheduled on free streaming services like Tubi, but only in its live programming, and there are no set dates for the show at the time of writing. HBO Max didn’t just end Raised by Wolves, it annihilated it.
- Release Date
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2020 – 2022-00-00
- Network
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HBO Max
- Showrunner
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Aaron Guzikowski
- Directors
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Alex Gabassi, Luke Scott, Ernest R. Dickerson, Lukas Ettlin, Ridley Scott, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Sunu Gonera
- Writers
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Aaron Guzikowski
