Omniscient: Live Without Fear

     Omniscient follows Nina, a young Brazilian working for Omniscient System Company as a trainee. Omniscient System Company monitors, programs, and constructs fly sized drones that keep an eye on all citizens inside the city, and instantly reports crimes committed, its boasted as security and privacy, not just security. Their motto Live without Fear also plays a crucial part of their society, as only four murders have occurred in the last 10 years. Nina after acing an evaluation for the company to become a full time employee goes home to find her father dead, a former employee for the company she is hoping her ties can help locate the footage of the murder and find the murderer themselves the problem occurs though that no human is allowed to access the drones footage. However due to her dads drone not signaling there was a crime, it is instead covered up leading to Nina having outbursts at work, and eventually teaming up with stranger turned friend Judite to scheme a crime. The crime and planning involves breaking into the main computer at Omniscient, violating the privacy of every citizen, just to locate her fathers footage.

Elements of Technology Practice so far in the show include, the usage of futuristic phone like devices, and constant state of surveillance. The constant state of surveillance, and allude to a whole generation of citizens growing up under surveillance lead to the very polite, and orderly society. The biggest use of this big brother like culture is to stop crime, and whenever  a crime is committed that person is publicly put on every television, with their crime listed. Though claiming to value privacy and security, my overall feeling is that this is just a giant control method used by the city, and so far near the end of episode one my feeling is turning out to be true. The usage of drones to control citizens does not extend outside the city, and the culture shock of many is real, especially Nina who is part of the surveillance generation. There is an overwhelming sense of both anxiousness and privacy invasion throughout the entire first episode, with the drone monitoring the heartbeat, sweat, and breathing of people as well as watching them shower, and sleep all in the name of security. 

    Dominant Representation and Hegemonic View is undoubted the key themes in this show, one corporation with a monopoly on peoples lives and security paid for by the city. If there was a message Omniscient would let you know, however the only time this isn't the case is when they are outside the drones reach, and in this case is a subversive discourse where Nina and Judite can discuss committing crimes, and other such things without being reported on and publicly shamed, along with the fines and jail time that follows. The entire show gives me big brother like vibes, but put to 10 and though it's hard to get into (partly because I don't speak Portuguese) it is fun to watch and see how mad some people get at their drones, or how sub servant they are "living" a life monitored.