Can’t get enough “Children of Men”?
Timothy Sexton, one of five screenwriters credited with adapting P.D. James’ 2002 “Children of Men” novel into the 2006 motion picture starring Clive Owen, has now created a Lifetime series that could have been pitched as “Children Of Men: The Series.”
“The Lottery” is set in the year 2525. All the kindergartens have just closed because no woman has given birth in six years. (As best I can tell, P.D. James gets no on-screen credit for inspiring the new series, which is okay, since “The Handmaid’s Tale” – which also predicted a infertility pandemic – was published way back in 1985.)
When a hot female scientist manages to create 100 embryos, the project apparently becomes a series about secretive government agents who covet the all-important babies-to-be.
... Whatever potential The Lottery has to look at the connection between fertility and power, or the timely issues of women’s reproductive autonomy--or a simple dramatic fight over the future of the species--is wasted with flat characters and flimsy political intrigue that plays like a duller version of Scandal. …
... if you like these kinds of shows, Lifetime’s contribution to the genre is certainly intriguing. The premise sets it apart, the premiere promises a lot of plot wrinkles and a fast pace, and the acting (with a few exceptions) is decent. … Who knows what’s ahead for this lad and everyone else in the show, but the premiere certainly leaves you curious to find out.
... The pilot is smack dab in the middle of all right. The action is active, the suspense tense, the actors game. It seems a little silly at times, but meet it halfway and the hour passes painlessly. …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
... The show presents itself with utmost seriousness, but it’s tough to take seriously. While quite different for Lifetime with its dark, futuristic setting, the conspiracy elements feel overly familiar and formulaic. …
... If “The Lottery” can keep up the promise of its premiere, it will punch a winning ticket. …
... When the show turns its attention to Kyle, as he copes with the government’s interest in Elvis and finds his parental rights challenged, it feels like a human story set in extreme circumstances. But the thriller side of “The Lottery”? That’s a losing ticket. …
... Ultimately, there’s more ambition in the concept than ingenuity in the execution. …
... Its pilot was a solid start, although, despite the intriguing premise, the episode also raised a greater number of questions—more about logic than the show's mythology—than it answered. The Lottery has promise, and is a striking change of pace for Lifetime. But until more is known, it remains a gamble.…
10 p.m. Sunday. Lifetime.
