Biohackers is a thrilling sci-fi series created by Christian Ditter for Netflix. The show revolves around the life of a young student, Mia Akerlund (Luna Wedler), who joins a prestigious biomedical research center to uncover the truth behind her family's past. Mia's family has a secret link to the biotech industry, and she is determined to find out what it is.
Mia is not only an intelligent student, but she is also a biohacker. Her passion for gene editing leads her to the lab of her previous classmate, Jasper (Adrian Julius Tillmann), who introduced her to the budding scene of intelligent biohacking. However, the reckless approach scares her, and she leaves the lab to work with Professor Tanja Lorenz (Jessica Schwarz) at Freiburg University.
Mia's arrival coincides with the start of the new semester, which means working with some of the brightest minds in the field. As she integrates into the research center's daily life, Mia meets Niklas (Thomas Prenn), the center's leader and Tanja's boyfriend. With him, Mia shares a connection that she can't explain.
As the series progresses, Mia slowly uncovers a sinister plot while trying to balance her studies with her personal life. She finds herself in a web of lies as she uncovers the truth behind her family's involvement in the biohacking industry. She also realizes that Jasper's lab has been conducting unethical experiments on humans. A clash between the two scenes leads Mia to discover that her family is at the center of it all.
The show has a few strong points. The storyline is very intriguing, and the actors play their respective parts exceptionally well. Luna Wedler is terrific as the determined, amateur biohacker. Mia's character is multi-dimensional and there is so much more than what meets the eye. The supporting cast adds weight to what would have been a predictable plot. Jessica Schwarz's character is the perfect foil for Mia's character, and both share an interesting relationship.
The show's cinematic appeal also deserves a mention. The camera work and lighting are brilliantly executed, immersing the audience in the show's universe. The show also tackles significant ethical issues surrounding gene editing, corporation greed, and the abuse of biotechnology for personal gain. It challenges our perceptions of how the power to manipulate the human genome can have unintended consequences.
The show is structured with a mix of flashbacks, voiceovers, and present-day situations. This adds an element of suspense, keeping the audience guessing what will happen next. However, some viewers might find the show's pace a bit slow, and the script (especially at the start) somewhat confusing. This is primarily due to the way the storyline is presented
Biohackers is a series that ran for 2 seasons (12 episodes) between August 20, 2020 and on Netflix