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'Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey' -- What Happened to Warren Jeffs and the FLDS?
'Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey' -- What Happened to Warren Jeffs and the FLDS?
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is a brutal, often disturbing Netflix documentary about the effects of absolute power when placed in the hands of horrific men drunk on the worst aspects of fundamentalist religion. If you've just watched the documentary and have some questions, we've got answers.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual abuse, assault or family violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit www.thehotline.org. You can also text HOME to 741741 connect with a Crisis Counselor. In an emergency, call 911.
Where is Warren Jeffs now?
Warren Jeffs was convicted of two counts of child sexual assault in 2011. At that time Jeffs was already behind bars for being an accomplice to rape, a crime he was convicted of in 2007 after spending a year on the FBI's most wanted list.
Jeffs is serving time at Louis C. Powledge Unit, a prison in Palestine, Texas. He was given a life sentence plus 20 years back in 2011. He won't be eligible for parole until July 2038.
In 2007, while in prison, Jeffs tried to hang himself. He's also taken part in lengthy hunger strikes. In 2009 a judge ordered he be force fed as a result. In 2011 he was put into an induced coma after excessive fasting. In 2019 his own lawyers said Jeffs had "suffered a mental breakdown" and was not fit to provide admissible testimony in an additional deposition for the alleged abuse of an underage child.
What happened to the FLDS?
The FLDS is still up and running and, according to one documentary released in 2018, Warren Jeffs is allowed visits from family in prison and still runs the sect to this day.
Current members still treat Warren Jeffs as their prophet and believe he was wrongly convicted. As per reports, church membership oscillates between 6000 and 10,000.
According to some members of the group, members have to take time to pray for Jeffs' release.
What happened to 'Zion'?
The Yearning for Zion Ranch, AKA the YFZ Ranch was seized by the State of Texas in 2014. It was a 1,700-acre ranch and home to over 700 members of the FLDS. After multiple raids on the ranch, Texas finally took physical possession of the ranch on April 17, 2014.
Where is the FLDS based now?
If you watched the show you'll know FLDS headquarters were initially in Short Creek in Arizona. Since the takeover of the YFZ Ranch, newer church settlements have been built in Pringle, South Dakota, Mancos, Colorado, Minot, North Dakota and Grand Marais, Minnesota.
What has the Mormon Church said about Warren Jeffs and the FLDS?
In 2006 the Mormon Church sent out a statement saying it was "misleading and inaccurate" to call Warren Jeffs a Mormon. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discontinued the practice of polygamy in 1890 via a 'Manifesto'. In 1904 a second 'Manifesto' established excommunication as a punishment for those who refused to stop the practice of polygamy.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro review: Sublime camera, disastrous software
Huawei Mate 30 Pro review: Sublime camera, disastrous software
Huawei started 2019 strong with the excellent P30 Pro phone, but things went downhill from there. Due to concerns that its equipment could be used to spy on the US and other companies, the Chinese tech giant has been banned from using technology from US companies. As a result, it can't license Google Mobile Services. The Mate 30 Pro, its latest flagship, has no Google Play Store, and no apps like Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube.
It has the striking appearance of a futuristic slab of aluminum and glass, but I knew I was in for a rough ride just moments after booting up the Mate 30 Pro. Entering the AppGallery, Huawei's version of the Google Play Store, I was encouraged to download some of its most popular apps: Weibo, WeChat and the China Drama Channel. It quickly became clear that Huawei doesn't have much to offer its non-Chinese customers.
One question has enshrouded the Mate 30 Pro since Huawei's tech ban: Can Huawei, a huge, powerful company with deep resources, find a way to neutralize the loss of Google?
The answer, unfortunately, is no.
The Mate 30 Pro is an exceptional piece of hardware. Its quad-camera setup shoots outstanding photos (sometimes better than the iPhone 11 Pro) a dazzling 6.53-inch waterfall display is the centerpiece of an inspired design, and its 4,500-mAh battery goes and goes and goes. But the fiasco that is Android without full Google support makes it impossible to recommend.
Even more galling is the Mate 30 Pro's price. The phone starts at AU$1,599 in Australia, which converts to $1,100 or £830. (No availability has been announced for either the US or UK.) Yes, it's a premium phone and premium parts ain't cheap. But as a proposition to you, the buyer, that much money for a partially functioning phone is preposterous.
Huawei tries Android without all of Google
Since Android 10 itself is open-source, the Mate 30 Pro still runs Google's most recent operating system fine. But since Google Mobile Services requires a license, Huawei has no access to the Google Play Store or any of Google's apps.
Instead, you'll use Huawei's AppGallery, which the company says has over 45,000 apps. That sounds like a lot, but I could count the useful apps in the AppGallery on one hand.
There's no Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Netflix, Disney Plus or Reddit. You won't find Google apps, like Gmail, Maps or YouTube. (You can log into Gmail through Huawei's native email app, though.) Even if you do install Google apps by downloading their APKs -- the Android equivalent of Windows' .exe files -- they won't work without authentication from Google Mobile Services. Uber doesn't work either, since the ride-sharing app runs Google Maps. Losing Google's suite of apps is devastating; losing almost every useful app in the Google Play Store is debilitating.
Huawei's AppGallery has over 45,000 apps. You'll find few of them useful.
Ian Knighton/CNET
Of all the apps I download onto every new phone, only one was available: Spotify. When I tried to find Spotify in the AppGallery a week later, however, it appeared to have been pulled. TikTok (which is owned by Chinese company Bytedance) was available at first, then disappeared and then appeared again.
To get around the software obstructions I downloaded APKs from assorted websites. It was a dodgy process, and worked inconsistently. Some apps ran fine, others crashed after a few moments and others still didn't work at all.
It was a total mess.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro's camera credentials
If Huawei phones have been known for one thing, it's cameras. Huawei beat competitors to the punch with dual-lens cameras (P9), a dedicated Night Mode (P20 Pro) and 5x optical zoom (P30 Pro). Photography is undoubtedly the Mate 30 Pro's greatest strength.
The phone has a fantastic quad-camera setup. The main shooter has 40 megapixels. Then there's an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, which has a 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom; a 40-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens; and there's a 3D "time-of-flight" sensor that helps with depth perception.
The Mate 30 Pro has less zoom capability than Huawei's current flagship the P30 Pro, which has 5x optical and 50x digital. But it has a bigger, better ultrawide-angle sensor over the P30 Pro. This is a worthwhile trade, because I find ultrawide-angle capability much more useful than better zoom functionality.
Some Portrait shots give the subject brushed, lightened skin.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Others work better.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
The Mate 30 Pro's quad-camera setup generally captures crisp, vibrant shots.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
See that fountain all the way in the back?
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Here it is, shot with 30x zoom.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Photography isn't perfect. Thanks to heavy software processing, skin can look artificially brushed in Portrait shots. This processing also makes Night Mode superfluous: Low-light shots capture an impressive amount of light, and toggling on Night Mode often results in overkill. I didn't have the option to shoot a dark photo even when I wanted to because the scene is brightened with software by default.
But despite these issues, the Mate 30 Pro has one of the best camera setups on any Android phone. Photos generally look spectacular, with rich color and crisp detail.
And Huawei packed in another innovative trick, but this time for the video camera. The Mate 30 Pro features stupefying slow-motion capabilities. There are four options: 4x, 8x, 32x, 64x and an astonishing 256x. That 256x option uses AI software to slow things down to 7,680 frames per second.
Slow-motion cameras need more light, so you'll need a reasonably bright environment to take advantage of ultra-slow-mo. And since 256x slow motion makes 25 seconds out of one-tenth of a second, you'll need good timing to shoot the split second you want in slow-mo. But I found the feature super fun to play around with. It makes something as little as a water splash look spectacular.
Good parts, bad phone
In regards to hardware, the Mate 30 Pro is luxurious in every aspect.
Its 6.53-inch, 2,400x1,176x-pixel screen is beautiful, bright and crisp. Its OLED screen is a waterfall display, meaning it wraps around the side of the phone all the way to the aluminum back. Videos and browsing were a joy, and the glass body felt more luxe to hold than aluminum. The downside is that there are no volume buttons, so I had to tap the side of the display to activate an on-screen volume slider instead. This generally works OK, but makes quick volume changes more cumbersome than they need be.
Powered by Huawei's own Kirin 990 processor and 8GB of RAM, the Android heavyweight felt silky smooth to use. But where the Mate 30 Pro really shines is battery life. Running it through CNET's battery test -- turning the phone on Airplane mode and looping an HD video -- it lasted 24 hours, 12 minutes. That's crazy.
The best phone you shouldn't buy.
Ian Knighton/CNET
I wish I could say that the Kirin 990 CPU also scored well on Geekbench 5, a benchmark we run to test a processor's efficiency. Saying it performed well would be a safe bet but, after downloading the APK for Geekbench 5 from four different sites, the app never worked. I could try searching for more Geekbench APKs, but I think this anecdote is an apt encapsulation of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro.
It's a beautiful device with powerful parts and a sublime camera. But its software situation is a disaster. Don't buy this phone.
Originally published Dec. 17. Update, Dec. 28: Adds video review, comparison to iPhone 11 Pro camera.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Google Pixel 4 XL
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
OnePlus 7T
iPhone 11 Pro
Display size, resolution
6.53-inch OLED
6.3-inch OLED
6.3-inch AMOLED; 2,280x1,080 pixels
6.55-inch AMOLED; 2,400x1,080-pixels
5.8-inch OLED Super Retina XDR; 2,436x1,125 pixels
When you think of streaming TV shows and movies, there's a good chance that Netflix is comes to mind first. Though competition from rivals like HBO Max and Disney Plus is fierce, it's still the best choice for streaming entertainment, period.
Netflix includes a wide variety of familiar network shows and more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its myriad competitors. Despite challenges with retaining subscribers and a price bump, the world's first major streaming service remains our favorite choice thanks to its huge library of constantly refreshed content and its easy accessibility across different devices. In 2021, Netflix won 44 Emmys, making history and racking up more than the next two media companies combined. If you're looking for something new to watch, Netflix should be your top choice.
Like
Strong recommendation engine
Easy to use across different devices
Offline downloads available
Extensive list of movies and shows
Massive selection of original programs
No commercials
Don't Like
Cost for premium plans is on the higher end
Can't watch shows as they air on other networks
Depending on the plan you choose, Netflix costs between $10 and $20 per month, which is at the higher end for a streaming service, as you can see in the chart below. Its recent price increase shook up the streaming world and moved Netflix closer to HBO Max in terms of cost. However, the pricier package lets you watch up to four screens at once, and create different user profiles, so in theory, you could split it among friends to lower the price. Thanks to its sheer variety and number of new things to watch, Netflix also gives you the most bang for your buck.
Streaming Services Compared
Netflix
Peacock
HBO Max
Disney Plus
Apple TV Plus
Amazon Prime Video
Hulu
Monthly price
Starts at $9.99
Basic free with ads, ad-free for $5
$9.99 for basic with ads, $14.99 for ad-free
$7.99
$4.99
$8.99 (or included with $140/year Prime membership)
Basic $6.99 with ads, ad-free Premium for $12.99, Live TV for $70
The Office, 30 Rock, Bel-Air, early access to Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Game of Thrones, Dune, Euphoria, DC titles
The Mandalorian, Loki, Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, CODA, Severance
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, Reacher, The Wheel of Time
Handmaid's Tale, Pen15, The Great, Bob's Burgers
Mobile downloads
Yes
Yes (Premium Plus plan)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4K HDR available
Yes (on Premium plan)
No
Yes (limited titles)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Number of streams:
1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium)
3
3
4
6
2
2 (Unlimited with Live TV $9.99 add-on)
How Netflix started vs. how it's going
Between 2012-2013, Netflix premiered its first original TV shows, including Lilyhammer, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. Today, it has a catalog of more than 1,500 original TV shows and movies, including global hits like Stranger Things, Emmy winners such as Bridgerton, The Queen's Gambit and The Crown, as well as Oscar-nominated movies such as The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick… Boom! and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Though the company's been known for its commercial-free streaming experience since its inception, there are plans to introduce an ad-supported tier before 2022 ends. Additionally, Netflix aims to crackdown on password sharing by charging a fee for extra users on an account. The program is still in the pilot phase, but the days of crowdfunding your Netflix subscription may soon be over.
As of 2022, Netflix has more than 220 million paid subscribers across 190 countries, after seeing a major spike in users during the pandemic. A dent in its subscriber base caused numbers to drop by 200,000, but there are still reasons to keep the service, with the main draw being its content.
What shows and movies does Netflix have?
Netflix may have had the first-to-market advantage in the world of streaming services, but it's kept its momentum with its increasing number of original shows and movies -- many of which have won critical acclaim and major awards and nominations.
Compared to other streaming platforms, you can't beat Netflix's slate of original TV shows that are now considered among the best of the modern era of television, including those mentioned above plus many more, such as Squid Game, Ozark, Never Have I Ever, Money Heist and Cobra Kai.
Read more: Netflix: The 49 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch
Outside of TV shows, Netflix's original programs include a wide range of comedies, dramas, foreign films and shows, documentary series, anime, stand-up comedy specials and reality dating and competition shows. Not all of them are runaway hits, but many of them are, and there's enough to explore interesting shows that may not have found a home on traditional network TV. And at a time when going to the movies is more fraught than it once was, Netflix offers a place to find new films: In 2022 alone, Netflix is set to release over 100 new movies, at least one per week. The selection spans across genres and geography, and includes K-dramas, animated features, and fantasy book adaptations.
Stranger Things is one of Netflix's powerhouse originals.
Netflix
Netflix typically adds shows a full season at a time, though not while a show is airing on network TV -- so if you don't have cable or another platform like Hulu, you'll have to wait to watch for a few months to watch seasons in full.
One complaint: Netflix content sometimes can come and go without warning. The only way to tell if something is leaving the service in the next 30 days is if you happen to tap on the details page for the given show or movie -- or search online for everything coming and going in a given month.
Another potential content issue to flag: In recent years Netflix has lost some of its most popular content (such as The Office, which moved to NBC's Peacock, Daredevil, which moved to Disney Plus and Friends, which moved to HBO Max) as other networks created their own streaming services. While it started as an online video store that was trying to offer every movie and TV series online, it may be slowly becoming more akin to the old HBO -- mostly featuring its own original programming, complemented with some things it licenses from other companies.
What's it like to use Netflix?
I first subscribed to Netflix back in the first streaming days of 2007, so using the platform feels like second nature at this point. Even if you're new to it, it's pretty user-friendly: Open the app and tap on your profile (if you have one set up), and you'll see a homepage. You'll see Popular on Netflix, Continue Watching, Trending Now, Top Picks for you and a number of (sometimes oddly specific) other categories based on shows you've watched before. Mine include Critically-acclaimed Witty TV Comedies and Suburban-dysfunction TV Comedies, for example.
Netflix's design encourages scrolling -- there are so many different categories to look through, and then shows and movies within those categories to continue scrolling into. You can create a watch list to help you cut down on this, but the vast, colorful library makes it easy to spend more time looking through options than actually watching a show, so be careful.
The Netflix app operates similarly across various devices. My home page on the web browser is nearly identical to that on my Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick, both in content and layout. It's more condensed on the smaller iPhone and Android phone screens, but still follows the same format, and has a clear "Downloads" tab to find content to save to watch offline on your device.
Rows and rows of content on Netflix can keep you busy.
James Martin/CNET
One difference between devices is voice commands: You might find it more or less difficult to fire up a Netflix show from your device's home screen depending on which voice-capable device you're using.
For example, when you say, "Watch Stranger Things" on the Apple TV and the iOS app on iPhone, it will first have you click which specific show (Stranger Things or Beyond Stranger Things), and then will take you to an Apple TV page for the show, and there it will give you the option to open Netflix and start episode 1. On Amazon Fire TV Stick, you can say, "Watch Stranger Things," and it will open Netflix automatically if you're logged into the app. On the Roku 4K stick, if you say, "Watch Stranger Things," it will take you right to the first episode in the app. Those are more hardware-side concerns, but interesting to note.
Once you're in the Netflix app, though, voice commands work the same across devices: Go to the Search tab, hold the microphone button to dictate, and say the name of the show you're looking for.
When you select a show or movie to watch, you have the option to fast-forward, rewind, add subtitles and change your audio settings. If you have a Premium account and a big enough 4K TV, watching in Ultra HD makes for a very cinematic experience. The show or movie you choose will also show up in your "Continue watching" section at the top of your homepage for easier access.
How much does Netflix cost?
Netflix offers three pricing plans: Basic, Standard and Premium. Here is how the costs and features break down:
Netflix plans
Basic
Standard
Premium
Monthly price
$10
$15.50
$20
Number of screens you can watch on at the same time
1
2
4
Number of phones or tablets you can have downloads on
1
2
4
HD available
No
Yes
Yes
Ultra HD available
No
No
Yes
All plans include the ability to watch on any device, and the full, unlimited collection of movies and TV shows. All allow cancellation at any time. Netflix also offers a one-month free trial.
Netflix's Basic plan costs more than Prime Video ($9 per month), more than Hulu's ad-based plan ($7 per month) but less than its more comparable no-ads plan ($13 per month). If you're on a shared Netflix account with family, chances are it's a Premium one ($20 per month) -- if you're actually splitting it between four people, that's only $5 per month each, and a strong value for all of the original content available, including some in 4K Ultra HD. Plus: No commercials on any plan.
What features do you get on Netflix?
Outside of general streaming, if you have the Standard or Premium plan, you can create different profiles for different users, and find your own list of personalized recommendations.
Netflix's recommendation game is strong, from "Because you watched" carousels that have been improved by the new "two thumbs up" feature, to the option to remove content from your home page, to its "Play Something" shuffle feature for when you're unsure what to stream.
The platform also has a particularly appealing kid's section, with a solid catalog of content including CoComelon, Pokemon: Master Journeys and Trolls: The Beat Goes On! and a much more kid-friendly user interface – including the mystery box feature added earlier this year.
If you subscribe to the Premium plan, you can watch certain shows and movies in 4K Ultra HD on 4K TVs. You'll need a steady internet connection speed of at least 25 megabits per second, and streaming quality set to Auto or High.
Netflix has more 4K content than just about any other streaming service, and a lot of its 4K shows and movies are also available in HDR. High dynamic range provides an even bigger improvement in image quality than 4K according to CNET's tests, with better contrast and color, and the difference is especially apparent on large, higher-end televisions. Netflix supports the two major HDR formats, generic HDR (aka HDR-10) as well as Dolby Vision. If you have a device that handles Dolby Vision, Netflix will play content (if available) in that format by default.
You can search for a selection of 4K TV shows and movies on the service with the Premium plan.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Data usage varies by format, ranging from about 1GB per hour for the standard-definition video to up to 7GB per hour for the highest-quality 4K streams. Downloading and streaming take up a similar amount of data, according to Netflix. If you want to avoid having Netflix eat up all of your data, you can take certain steps laid out on Netflix's website to adjust your data usage settings.
All subscribers can download TV shows and movies on the Netflix app on mobile devices for offline viewing, though certain titles aren't available to download.
Read more: 9 Handy Netflix Tricks That Can Help Make Streaming Better
Should you get it?
Netflix remains my favorite streaming platform of the increasingly large bunch. It has a huge selection of movies and TV shows old and new, tons of high-quality original programs, and an easy-to-navigate interface.
Even though it no longer offers a free trial, it's worth trying Netflix for a month if you want something new to watch.
Save Big on a New Phone for Prime Day: Google Pixel 6, Motorola Edge and More
Save Big on a New Phone for Prime Day: Google Pixel 6, Motorola Edge and More
This Prime Day, Amazon is offering deals on some of CNET's favorite Android phones, including the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. If you're taking advantage of today's deals, don't forget to check out our Prime Day live blog and anti-Prime Day deals at competing outlets.
When shopping for a new device, consider your budget and what matters most to you in a phone. Do you care about having the best camera, or do you mostly use your phone for reading and streaming Netflix? Are you planning to hold on to your phone for the next three to five years, or do you usually upgrade every two years? These questions can help shape your decision, and you can read more about how to find a new phone in our full guide.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The combination of price, design, cameras, processor and software make the Google Pixel 6 one of the best value phones you can buy. The Pixel 6 exemplifies the best of what Google services and Android 12 have to offer. Google updated the design, added new camera hardware and even made its own processor for the phone, the Tensor chip.
Read our Pixel 6 review.
Google
The Google Pixel 6 Pro's unique design, great software additions, superb camera quality and solid all-round performance have already earned the phone an excellent rating in our full review. With performance that's every bit as good as its design, it's the best phone Google has ever made. The main camera is on par with the best iPhones. And at $699 for the base 128GB model in this sale, it trounces its premium phone rivals in price.
Read our Google Pixel 6 Pro review.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The OnePlus 10 Pro earned a good score in our review thanks to its slick design, its powerful performance, long battery life and its price tag, which undercuts its main rivals. It needs a few improvements -- most notably to the camera, charging and waterproofing -- but this flagship offers a great overall experience. If you're after a top-end 5G phone that's a bit different to your friends' iPhones and Galaxy phones then it's a solid option to consider.
Motorola
We praised the Motorola Edge for its long battery life and smooth screen, which can boost its refresh rate up to 144Hz. Our biggest complaint about the Edge was that it didn't do enough to stand out against competitors at its normal price of $700. But it's still a solid overall choice for those who prioritize having a fluid screen and long battery life above all else in a phone, even if that means settling for a camera that's just average. Read more in our full Motorola Edge review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you're looking for a good budget phone that comes with a basic stylus and support for 5G, then the Moto G Stylus 5 is a great pick. The cell phone features a stylus that you can store inside the phone along with a built-in Notes app to help with productivity. This phone also offers a 48-megapixel main camera, a spacious 6.8-inch screen and a large 5,000-mAh battery.
Read our Moto G Stylus 5G review.
Looking for something else this Prime Day? Check out our roundups of the best deals under $50 and best deals under $25.
Cowboy bebop tv series netflix cowboy bebop netflix tv show cast netflix s cowboy bebop cowboy bebop netflix cast of cowboy bebop netflix cast of cowboy bebop netflix netflix series netflix stock price netflix subscription netflix sandman netflix support
Netflix's Cowboy Bebop TV series review: A rare success
Netflix's Cowboy Bebop TV series review: A rare success
There's nothing quite like Cowboy Bebop. The stylized, over-the-top galaxy-spanning sci-fi adventure combines the pacing of an old-school Hong Kong action film with the melodrama of classic westerns -- all to the tune of a bumping jazz soundtrack. The landmark 1998 anime series focusing on space cowboys and lost souls was, simply put, a vibe, and a richly eclectic one at that.
It's no secret Cowboy Bebop is among one of the more sacred and influential anime shows of the last 20 years, and it's a series I have fond admiration for. That's what made the prospect of a live-action adaptation something to feel a little apprehension about.
Thankfully, Netflix's debut season of the live-action Cowboy Bebop is not only a fun, thrilling romp that gets the vibrant, soulful gestalt of the original series. It also leaves its own mark in ways that sometimes improves upon the anime from creator ShinichirÅ Watanabe. It starts streaming Friday.
Like the original, the live-action Cowboy Bebop sees a dysfunctional crew of bounty hunters riding a thin line between poverty and comfortable squalor in the distant future. Throughout the 10-episode season, the trio of bounty hunters -- Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda), and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) -- take on different jobs across the galaxy. These gigs entangle them with oddball criminals and unnerving villains, and tug at various threads connected to the tragic pasts of each character.
The backbone of the new series is the chemistry between the trio of bounty hunters. When they're not arguing over food and minor inconveniences, they get caught up in missions across different planets stuck in a culturally stagnated society gripped by late-stage capitalism. Cho's portrayal of the aloof but always cunning Spike is a fantastic turn for the actor. Cho manages to nail Spike's natural cool and swagger, along with his iconic fluffy hair. When Spike's murky past comes to light, Cho effectively shows his character's darker side.
Jet Black is the rock of the crew, serving as the unofficial captain of the Bebop -- the ship they use to travel across the galaxy. Shakir's take on the character is a dead ringer for his animated counterpart. He perfectly captures the deadpan nature of Jet while also showing his tenderness when bonding with his crew and loved ones.
But the clear standout is Pineda as femme fatale Faye Valentine. Pineda's take is not only true to the seductive and ruthless nature of Faye, but adds a far more playful and endearing spin. She's an absolute blast to watch on screen and elevates an already great cast, giving the trio of bounty hunters a charming sense of camaraderie.
Spike, Jet and Faye (plus Ein, the "Data Dog") make for a fun group of characters to hang with.
Netflix
Generally, characters mirror their anime counterparts, but a notable deviation concerns Vicious (Alex Hassell) and Julia (Elena Satine), Spike's primary antagonist and long-lost love, respectively. They have greater dimension in the Netflix series, and are given more to do within the plot -- which is an interesting if serviceable dive into the murkier side of the criminal underworld in the far future. The two characters have actual pathos and weight in the story. Hassell in particular looks like he relishes every scene he's in as Vicious, while Satine casts some ambiguity in Julia's presence, particularly during the later episodes.
While I generally liked what the live-action show does for Vicious and Julia, a part of me felt that their collective climax was underdeveloped, even though I liked the direction it sets for future seasons. With an ensemble cast, the show spends a lot of time juggling different storylines, and unfortunately, Vicious and Julia's arc suffers as a result.
The live-action show also updates some of the more unsavory aspects of the original series that's better left in the past. The anime featured several antiquated views of sexuality. The live-action show addresses this by revamping characters, such as Gren (Mason Alexander Park), who's now a recurring, nonbinary character with more relevance to the story. Some episodes from the anime series featured dated stereotypes of gay and transgender characters, so it's great to see the new show giving these characters a more enlightened and meaningful presence.
While the new series uses many familiar characters, storylines and iconic scenes as building blocks, its more serialized plot deviates from the anime in great ways that I won't spoil here. Instead of the largely episodic nature of the original, with many episodes isolated from the larger plot, the live-action show carries a more connected story thread throughout the season. This consistency helps lay out the framework of 2071's galactic civilization and the many unsavory and endearing characters within.
Daniella Pineda shines as Faye Valentine.
Netlix
It also dives deeper into the original series' lesser-seen and unknown aspects, which I found super enticing. Early episodes keep things simple, but the floodgates gradually open, explaining civilization "post-Earth" and how life has become complicated following humanity's forced expansion to the stars. The live-action show does well to illustrate the scope of Cowboy Bebop's universe, and despite keeping things low-key, the ambition and craft is still there.
There's plenty of action to see unfold throughout the season, which seamlessly blends together fierce martial-arts brawls and John Woo-style gun battles. While the show is stylized in its approach to action and set pieces, the actors can't contort and bend in the same impossible ways as their animated counterparts. This leaves some of the more heightened action scenes feeling subdued and scaled back, which can come at odds with the pacing of the story. Still, there are thrilling moments that switch between exciting and cool-looking fights and truly gruesome moments.
I did enjoy seeing this rearrangement of stories put together to tell a more connected plot, and it was nice seeing moments and characters foreshadowed. However, the Netflix series does sometimes struggle to keep its momentum going, especially after a strong set of opening episodes. This is especially felt in the back end of the season, with some characters and plot threads feeling undercooked. Still, the live action series managed to win me back over with its endearing sense of style and lovable characters, which closed the season out with a nice twist and a tease for what's to come.
The anime series was very much a show of its era, and the live-action show retains that late-'90s aesthetic, featuring retro technology like CRT monitors and analog computers. This gives the sense of the show's universe feeling uncomfortable and lived-in, with characters clinging to worn down and broken relics of the past -- both technological and philosophically. It's a visually pleasing and grounded look at life in space.
Several of the anime's iconic moments are re-created, with some twists, in the Netflix series.
Netflix
Just like the anime, there's an active element of social commentary in Netflix's show, casting a light on capitalism in space and how life has been devalued in the future. While it's largely in the periphery, there is a compelling anti-capitalist undercurrent throughout, with characters decrying the rise of corporations and how the police serve the ruling class. This in turns helps to elevate the original series' setting and premise, making it feel all the more poignant as a show in 2021.
The new series mostly succeeds at re-creating and expanding upon the original's signature style and soulful tone. One of the reasons for that is original composer Yoko Kanno's work on the live-action series. Classic songs like Rush, Green Bird and The Real Folk Blues return too. But because Kanno and her band The Seatbelts produced an entirely new soundtrack for the show, the music feels equally nostalgic and fresh. If you told me these songs were from a lost album from the original show, I'd believe it.
Netflix's Cowboy Bebop stays close to the spirit of the original series, but it truly is at its best when it does its own thing. It doesn't always stick the landing, and some aspects of the show might be better left for animation, yet those stumbles don't take away from the fact that I still had a blast binging through the season. It's one of the rare successful live-action adaptations, and Netflix's Cowboy Bebop is a fun and solid first outing that works as a nice companion to the original series. It may not hit every right note, but it's got a spark that'll keep the music going.
