Halo S1 (2022) Review

Halo S1 (2022)

Halo follows John 117, the Master Chief, who, after discovering an artifact on the planet Madrigal, finds himself questioning everything he knows about himself and the UNSC, in a race against time to find the ring. 

Never have I seen a show go so far out of it’s way to butt-fuck the original source material as Paramount has now done with Halo. Set in a different timeline from the games (of which the creators didn’t look at at all), this series acts as a prequel of sorts, before the fall of Reach. Now, the purist in me outright hates this show, as they unnecessarily show us Chief’s face, him getting laid, and give us a wildcard version of John that is so entirely different from the Chief all of us know and love, that he is nearly unrecognizable. CBS and Paramount did the same thing with Halo as they’ve done with Star Trek for some time now, and say fuck all when it comes to accuracy or just making a good show. 

When trying to be objective however, there is still some things to enjoy. The action, though few and far between, is excellent and carries a real video game feel that is simply a blast as Chief mows through droves of Covenant and Brute forces. I don’t entirely hate John’s arc because it’s one that make sense, being angry over his kidnapping and indoctrination into the Spartan program; it’s just messy and results in a needlessly dramatic bit of storytelling between him and Halsey, who is every bit a villain in this timeline. Here’s hoping that with that huge finale, we stick more to a more quiet, reserved Chief, and less on the silly bullshit with Kwan Ha, who was easily the worst thing about this season. 

We get a fine cast, starring Shabana Azmi, Yerin Ha, Bokeem Woodbine, Natasha Culzac, Bentley Kalu, Jen Taylor, Danny Sapani, Olive Gray, Charlie Murphy, Kate Kennedy, Natasha McElhone, and Pablo Schreiber. Issues aside, Schreiber makes for a pretty good Chief, filling out the suit well and nailing the physicality, just wish we had gotten a more toned back approach to his character instead of the emotional mess he always comes off as. 

Halo Season 1, directed by Steven Kane, is, for fans of Halo, a serious middle finger to the fanbase, changing Master Chief and his story on such a unnecessary level that, while it seems rectified with the finale, still leaves a bad taste in your mouth. 

4.3/10