History Series / Utopia

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/utopia_537.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"It's a graphic novel. It's about a scientist who makes a deal with the devil."'']]

''Utopia'' is a ScienceFiction ConspiracyThriller that ran for two seasons on Channel 4 between 2013 and 2014. The action, set in the present day, follows four members of an online forum who come into posession of an [[MacGuffin original manuscript]] for the long-awaited second volume of a graphic novel, written by a ReclusiveArtist in a mental asylum who [[AuthorExistenceFailure died before it could be published]]. However, when the fifth member of their group is murdered by a pair of brutal assassins, the rest find themselves on the run while trying to figure out what secret hidden in the manuscript could be so important.

''Utopia'' is a ScienceFiction ConspiracyThriller that ran for two seasons on Channel 4 between 2013 and 2014. The action, set in the present day, follows four members of an online forum who come into posession of an [[MacGuffin original manuscript]] for the long-awaited second volume of a graphic novel, written by a ReclusiveArtist in a mental asylum who [[AuthorExistenceFailure died before it could be published]]. However, when the fifth member of their group is murdered by [[ThoseTwoBadGuys a pair of brutal assassins]], the rest find themselves on the run while trying to figure out what secret hidden in the manuscript could be so important.

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Arby and Lee, the hitmen. Lee's absence is one of the first triggers for Arby's HeelFaceTurn.

An [[Series/UtopiaUS American remake]] created by Gillian Flynn debuted on Creator/PrimeVideo in 2020.

* AntiVillain: Almost the entirety of the Network fit this. Though attempting to indiscriminately sterilize 90% of humans on the planet and willing to do whatever they feel is necessary to accomplish that, they're doing so to avert poverty, war and starvation on an unprecedented scale.

* AntiVillain: Almost the entirety of the Network fit this. Though attempting to indiscriminately sterilize 90% of humans the planet they're doing so to avert poverty, war and starvation on an unprecedented scale.

* AntiVillain: Arguably, the entirety of the Network. They're attempting to sterilise 90% of the planet in order to hopefully avert poverty, war and starvation on an unprecedented scale.

** Milner is apparently a Network mole inside [=MI5=], but she [[ReverseMole also claims she's spying on the Network for the protagonists]]. Then she turns out to be [[BigBad Mr. Rabbit]], making her this all along.

* {{Adorkable}}: Ian.

* TheDreaded:
** Arby. Lee says, "Nothing scares me. Nothing in the world. Except him."

''Utopia'' is a ScienceFiction ConspiracyThriller that ran for two seasons on Channel 4. The action, set in the present day, follows four members of an online forum who come into posession of an [[MacGuffin original manuscript]] for the long-awaited second volume of a graphic novel, written by a ReclusiveArtist in a mental asylum who [[AuthorExistenceFailure died before it could be published]]. However, when the fifth member of their group is murdered by [[ThoseTwoBadGuys a pair of brutal assassins]], the rest find themselves on the run while trying to figure out what secret hidden in the manuscript could be so important.

''Utopia'' is a ScienceFiction ConspiracyThriller broadcast on Channel 4. The action, set in the present day, follows four members of an online forum who come into posession of an [[MacGuffin original manuscript]] for the long-awaited second volume of a graphic novel, written by a ReclusiveArtist in a mental asylum who [[AuthorExistenceFailure died before it could be published]]. However, when the fifth member of their group is murdered by [[ThoseTwoBadGuys a pair of brutal assassins]], the rest find themselves on the run while trying to figure out what secret hidden in the manuscript could be so important.

A US remake created by Creator/DavidFincher and [[Literature/GoneGirl Gillian Flynn]] and directed by Fincher was under development at Creator/{{HBO}}, but has been shuttered as of Summer 2015. It is now set to debut on Amazon Prime in 2020, without Fincher's involvement. The original show was unfortunately cancelled by Channel 4 in 2014 after two seasons.

Not to be confused with the Fox reality show or the [[Series/Utopia2014 Australian comedy]].

A US remake created by Creator/DavidFincher and [[Literature/GoneGirl Gillian Flynn]] and directed by Fincher was under development at Creator/{{HBO}}, but has been shuttered as of Summer 2015. It is now set to debut on Amazon Prime in 2020. The original show was unfortunately cancelled by Channel 4 in 2014 after two seasons.

A US remake created by Creator/DavidFincher and [[Literature/GoneGirl Gillian Flynn]] and directed by Fincher was under development at Creator/{{HBO}}, but has been shuttered as of Summer 2015. The original show was unfortunately cancelled by Channel 4 in 2014 after two seasons.

'''''Utopia''''' is a ScienceFiction ConspiracyThriller broadcast on Channel 4. The action, set in the present day, follows four members of an online forum who come into posession of an [[MacGuffin original manuscript]] for the long-awaited second volume of a graphic novel, written by a ReclusiveArtist in a mental asylum who [[AuthorExistenceFailure died before it could be published]]. However, when the fifth member of their group is murdered by [[ThoseTwoBadGuys a pair of brutal assassins]], the rest find themselves on the run while trying to figure out what secret hidden in the manuscript could be so important.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/utopia_537.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"It's a graphic novel. It's about a scientist who makes a deal with the devil."]]

->''"We all have a mission in life. This is yours."''\\
-- '''Conran Letts'''

Not to be confused with the Fox reality show or the [[{{Series/Utopia2014}} Australian comedy]].

* ChekhovsSkill: Wilson's ability to dislocate his thumbs.

* DownerEnding:
** Series 1 ends with Milner revealing herself to be Mr. Rabbit and capturing Jessica Hyde, who had been carrying Janus inside her blood all along. Becky's Deels Syndrome triggers and she flees from Ian and Grant. Wilson Wilson is left to die following his FaceHeelTurn.
** The Series 2 ending is made even worse by the show's cancellation: [[spoiler: Wilson assumes command of the Network as the new Mr. Rabbit, even going so far as to make the cuts on his stomach, and is going ahead with the plan to release the Russian flu pathogen on a smaller scale. Dugdale faces even more scrutiny (cameras installed in his home) and is once more under the Network's thumb with his family being threatened. Philip Carvel, Ian, Becky and Jessica are all captured by the Network. Pietre wakes up in the hospital as armed thugs are capturing everyone, but his fate is unknown.]]

** Arby.
--> '''Lee''': Nothing scares me. Nothing in the world. Except him.

* TimeshiftedActor: The series 2 premiere is a WholeEpisodeFlashback set in the 70's. Milner, the Assistant, Jessica Hyde and Pietre are all portrayed by younger actors than they are in the present day.

* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: After issuing many an order, Letts is eventually handed a noose by his own assistant.

* BlatantLies: In the fifth episode of series two, Geoff claims that someone is blackmailing The Network for £20 million in cash, and his evidence for this is the message written in newsprint. When [[spoiler:Wilson]] asks Geoff whether the 'blackmailer' wants it in sterling, he then points out how ludicrous the request was because the accumulated weight of the (£50) notes would weigh half a ton, which would require a van at least to transfer.

** Jessica Hyde's bears a resemblance to "Jekyll and Hyde," foreshadowing her dual role of good and evil and of being the carrier of Janus, the genetic trigger named after the two-faced god. In-universe, it also references the fact that she's "hiding" from the Network. Arby's real name is Pietre, "Peter", and he's Jessica's brother; Peter and Jessica... Rabbit?
** Milner is also very similar to milliner - someone who makes [[NiceHat hats]]. [[Literature/AliceInWonderland Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit]], anyone?

* RealityRetcon: Donaldson discovered that the 2002-2003 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome SARS]] outbreak wasn't actually a viral epidemic, but rather a bunch of unconnected respiratory infections. The Network responded by disgracing and discrediting him so that no one would take him seriously. The Series 2 premiere devoted a major part of its running time to linking real world events to the series' backstory. For example, the assassination of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldo_Moro Aldo Moro]], the Conservative Party's victory in 1979, the murders of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Sykes_(diplomat) Richard Sykes]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airey_Neave Airey Neave]], along with the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_accident Three Mile Island incident]] all happened due to the actions of the Network.

* FrameUp: Grant is eventually framed by the Network for a massacre at a primary school through a digital alteration of the CCTV footage of Arby committing the act. As Jessica points out, it is not designed to hold up in a court, but it makes Grant a fugitive, and that much easier to apprehend him. Likewise, Ian is framed for sex crimes [[spoiler:and, later, for the murder of his brother.]]

* ColorWash: The series is shot in vividly over-saturated colours.

* BigBad: Mr. Rabbit, aka Milner.

* PaintingTheMedium: The season 2 premiere is a WholeEpisodeFlashback set in the 1970s. To highlight this, the show assumes a 4:3 aspect ratio, and is shot with lower resolution cameras.