16 Benedict Cumberbatch Things to Watch After You See Doctor Strange
By Lacy Baugher
Benedict Cumberbatch and Anamaria Marinca in “The Last Enemy”. (Photo: BBC)
The Last Enemy
Set in a futuristic London that’s beset by terrorism and obsessed with surveillance, Bandersnatch Cumberland plays reclusive mathematician Stephen, who returns to England for his brother’s funeral. (Cumberbatch playing a shy genius – who would have guessed??) Anyway, it turns out once Stephen gets home, he discovers that his brother – and his brother’s secret wife – wasn’t exactly what he seemed.
The story deals with a political cover-up centered on a secret medical experiment that may have accidentally created a deadly virus. Oh, and also the government has created a scary centralized computer database. It has all available government and corporate information in one place. And, as a result, it can track and monitor anyone using their credit, phone and internet activity. This is all very YA dystopian novel 101, but it creates some nice tension in places.
The Last Enemy really wants to be a show that tackles the complex moral and social issues brought to light in a post-War on Terror society. Unfortunately, it’s not particularly nuanced, and spends too much time on several (frankly, quite dull) subplots. Plus side, Cumberbatch looks rather young and adorable. He is also joined by several fantastic co-stars, including Once Upon a Time’s Robert Carlyle and Supergirl’s David Harewood.