Philip K. Dicks Electric Dreams is a sci-fi anthology series of ten epic, ambitious and moving standalone episodes, each set in a different and unique world some which lie in the far reaches of the universe and time and others which are much, much closer to home. While the stories may be worlds apart, central to each is the poignant and warm exploration of the importance and significance of humanity.
Each episode is inspired by one of Philip K. Dicks renowned shorts stories and has been adapted by an exciting list of leading British and American writers and directors. The series also features an all-star roster of cast who head up this thrilling, audacious and emotional journey into the far reaches of imagination.
Crazy Diamond
Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award winner Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, Boss Baby) will play Ed Morris in the ultimate Philip K. Dick comic film noir nightmare Crazy Diamond, inspired by the story of the same name. As average a man as ever there was, when approached by a gorgeous synthetic woman with an illegal plan that could change his life completely, a smitten Ed decides to help... and then his world really begins to crumble. Also, appearing alongside Steve Buscemi are BAFTA award winner Sidse Babett Knudsen (Westworld, Inferno), BAFTA and Royal Television Society award winner Julia Davis (Nighty Night, Black Mirror, Gavin & Stacy, Love Actually), BAFTA and Royal Television Society award winner Joanna Scanlan (No Offence, Bridget Joness Baby, Getting On). Crazy Diamond is written by Tony Grisoni (The Young Pope, Red Riding, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and directed by Marc Munden (National Treasure, Utopia).
The Commuter
BAFTA-winning actor Timothy Spall (Mr Turner) will star in The Commuter. He plays Ed Jacobson, an unassuming employee at a train station who is alarmed to discover that a number of daily commuters are taking the train to a town that shouldnt exist. The Commuter is based on the short story of the same name by Philip K. Dick and is written by BAFTA-winning Jack Thorne (National Treasure, This is England, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child). The episode is directed by Tom Harper (War & Peace, Peaky Blinders).
Impossible Planet
Jack Reynor (Macbeth, Free Fire, Jungle Book) and Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange, The Martian, Top Boy), lead the cast of Impossible Planet as two disillusioned, disenchanted and indifferent space tourism employees who take up an elderly womans Geraldine Chaplin (A Monster Calls, Doctor Zhivago) request for a trip back to Earth the existence of which is a long-debunked myth. She appears easily confused, plus shes rich so, for the right payment, whats the harm in indulging her fantasies? As the journey unfolds, however, their scam begins to eat away at them and they ultimately find themselves dealt a bittersweet surprise. Written and directed by David Farr (The Night Manager, Hanna, McMafia), the episode is based on the short story The Impossible Planet by Philip K. Dick.
Human Is
Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony award-winner and Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston (Trumbo, All the Way, Breaking Bad) will star opposite Essie Davis (Game of Thrones, The White Princess, The Babadook) in Human Is. Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones, Clash of the Titans) also appears along with Ruth Bradley (Humans, The Fall). A woman (Essie Davis) suffering in a loveless marriage finds that upon his return from battle, her emotionally abusive husband (Bryan Cranston) suddenly appears to be a different man - in more ways than one. This episode cuts to the heart of Philip K. Dicks core concern - what, truly, defines us as human? Human Is was written by Jessica Mecklenburg (Huff, Stranger Things) and directed by Francesca Gregorini (The Truth About Emanuel, Tanner Hall).
Father Thing
Greg Kinnear (Heaven is For Real, As Good As It Gets), SAG Award winner and Academy Award nominee, stars as Father in Father Thing written and directed by Emmy award winner Michael Dinner (Sneaky Pete, Justified, The Wonder Years) who also serves as executive producer on the series. In this episode the world is under attack as aliens quietly invade our homes. Charlie (Jack Gore - Billions), our young hero must make the most difficult decisions imaginable, to protect his Mother, played by Mireille Enos (The Catch, The Killing, World War Z) and the human race, as he is among the first to realize that humans are being replaced by dangerous monsters.
Real Life
Anna Paquin (True Blood, the X-Men films) plays Sarah, a policewoman living in the future who shares headspace with George, played by Terrence Howard (Empire, Lee Daniels The Butler) a brilliant game designer, as each pursue violent killers whose plans could have shattering consequences. In a race against time, sharing a bond that no one else can see, they learn the very thing that connects them can also destroy them. Additionally, rounding out the cast of the episode Real Life are Rachelle Lefevre (Under The Dome, Twilight), Lara Pulver (Underworld: Blood Wars, Sherlock), Jacob Vargas (Luke Cage, Sons of Anarchy), Sam Witwer (Once Upon A Time, Being Human), and Guy Burnet (Hand of God, Hollyoaks). The episode is written by Ronald D. Moore (Outlander, Battlestar Galactica) and directed by Jeffrey Reiner (The Affair, Fargo, 12 Monkeys)
The Hood Maker
Richard Madden (Game of Thrones, Cinderella), Holliday Grainger (The Finest Hours, Cinderella) and Anneika Rose (Line of Fire, Silent Witness) star in "The Hood Maker. An episode is set in a world without advanced technology and where mutant telepaths have become humanitys only mechanism for long distance communication. But their powers have unintended implications and when the public begin to embrace mysterious, telepath-blocking hoods, two detectives with an entangled past are brought in to investigate. Richard Madden will play Agent Ross, Holiday Grainger plays Honor and Anneika Rose plays Mary. "The Hood Maker" is written by Matthew Graham (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes) and directed by Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane, Kinky Boots).
Kill All Others
A man hangs dead from a lamppost, apparently murdered and inexplicably ignored by passersby, after a politician (Vera Farmiga - Bates Motel, The Departed) makes a shocking statement encouraging violence. When one man (Mel Rodriguez - Last Man on Earth, Getting On, Little Miss Sunshine) dares to question the situation he becomes an instant target. Written and directed by Dee Rees (Bessie, Pariah), this episode stars Mel Rodriguez (Last Man on Earth, Getting On, Little Miss Sunshine) as the extraordinarily average Philbert Noyce, Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton, Kong: Skull Island) as Lenny and Glenn Morshower (Aftermath, Supergirl, Bloodline) as Ed, his co-workers, and Sarah Brown (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, General Hospital) as Philberts wife Maggie Noyce.
Autofac
Juno Temple (Vinyl, The Dark Knight Rises) and Janelle Monae (Hidden Figures, Moonlight) star in Autofac. Despite society and the world as we know it having collapsed, a massive, automatic product-manufacturing factory continues to operate according to the principles of consumerism - humans consume products to be happy, and in order to consume continuously, they must be denied freedom of choice and free will. When a small band of rebels decide to shut down the factory, they discover they may actually be the perfect consumers after all. Temple will play, Emily, one of the rebels and Monae appears as Alexis, an Autofac representative. Jay Paulson (Mad Men, Grimm) and David Lyons (Revolution, ER) will also appear in the episode. Peter Horton (Greys Anatomy, American Odyssey, Thirtysomething) directs the episode written by Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim, Clash of The Titans).
Safe And Sound
A small-town girl (Annalise Basso - Captain Fantastic, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Cold), already gripped with social anxiety, moves to a big futuristic city with her mother (Maura Tierney - The Affair, The Good Wife, ER). Exposed for the first time to urban societys emphasis on security and terrorist prevention, it isnt long before her school days are consumed by fear and paranoia. She soon finds guidance and companionship in the most unexpected of places. Safe & Sound is written by Kalen Egan (The Man In The High Castle) & Travis Sentell (Believer with Reza Aslan) and directed by Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World, Terminator Genisys)
Commissioned by Channel 4, who will premiere the series later this year in the UK, and by Amazon Prime Video for the U.S.
That is a really fucking solid lineup of cast+writers+directors. The combination of Jack Thorne, Timothy Spall, and Tom Harper makes that episode my most anticipated one. Then again, I do love Janelle Monae a lot. Then again Dee Rees is one of the most exciting directors working in the industry. Then again...
