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Greek mythology lovers rise up, Jeff Goldlum’s ancient gods-inspired Netflix series has just dropped and it is set to be a wild ride.
From the Percy Jackson series to Disney’s Hercules, humanity has long been fascinated with the epic world of ancient Greek divinity – and the messy politics between the gods and their interactions on earth.
Whether you are a longtime lover of Greek mythology or a Netflix viewer delving into this world for the first time, Kaos promises a fresh, modern take on the Mount Olympus figures so many people know and love.
The eight-episode comedy show – from End of the F***ing World creator Charlie Covell – is described as ‘cerebral, offbeat and imaginative’ by the streaming service and has already received several positive reviews.
The Guardian’s five-star review called it a ‘furiously fun masterpiece’, while inews praised it as a ‘bling, bloody retelling’.
So for those intrigued by this raunchy new star-studded series, read on if you dare.
What is the Netflix series Kaos about?
The show is set in a present-day alternate Crete in the city Heraklion (aka Malaga in Andalusia), under the thumb of President Minos.
The official Netflix synopsis reads: ‘Almighty Zeus finds a wrinkle on his forehead and becomes desperate to defy the prophecy that threatens his sovereignty over gods and mortals.’
What happens when you mix an all-powerful ‘unstable’ god with a midlife crisis? Absolute chaos.
Essentially it’s ‘the pantheon of gods versus humans with Zeus at the top of the mythological food chain’. As Zeus grows more and more paranoid that those around him are plotting his downfall – there’s one man who is.
Prisoner Prometheus is orchestrating his doom with the help of three blissfully unaware humans Riddy, Ari and Caeneus.
Of course, fans can expect appearances from familiar divine faces such as wife Hera, son Dionysus, and brothers Hades and Poseidon who all have their own fires to put out as this unconventional family grows ever more dysfunctional.
‘There are secrets that people are keeping, like in any family, but after over 2,000 years together, you can imagine!’ A-Lister Jeff teased in a Netflix interview.
What does Kaos actually mean?
The name of the show stems from the ancient Greek word χάος (a direct descendant of today’s English word chaos) which means ’emptiness’ or ‘abyss.
This concept in turn stemmed from the Greek author Hesiod and his work Theogony which poses his interpretation of the origin of the Greek Gods.
According to Hesiod, Chaos was the original presence in the universe that eventually birthed Erebus (Darkness) and Nyx, per the Britannica.
Since then, it has become a core aspect of early Greek mythology, and Roman Metamorphoses creator Ovid is the scribe who defined chaos as the word we know today – to mean disorder and confusion.
As put by Covell: ‘The world is kind of born from chaos. We think the word chaos is bad. But actually, chaos is good, possibly.’
Who does Jeff Goldblum play in Kaos?
Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum plays the head honcho Zeus himself and, in his trendy interpretation of the legendary character, described him as a god with ‘trust issues’.
‘Zeus imagines himself to be infinitely immortal, but that’s a mistake,’ Jeff, 71, told Radio Times, adding that his character suffers from ‘psychological wounds and vulnerabilities.’
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He echoed this while on This Morning, describing the show as ‘darkly hilarious, moving and profound’ and a ‘rollicking good tale’.
‘My character is kind of a narcissistic, megalomaniacal, petty, paranoid, unhinged, abuser of power,’ Jeff explained. Try saying that in one breath!
As put by The Guardian, Jeff plays a ‘white-suited and debonair [who] swaggers happily round his sprawling palace and gardens on Mount Olympus [a luxury health spa in the show],’ until his ‘ neuroses and insecurities’ after discovering a wrinkle.
Where have you seen the Kaos cast before?
There are plenty of big names and rising stars within the cast of Kaos.
Aside from Jeff, who has made a name for himself in hits such as Independence Day and The Grand Budapest Hotel, his wife Hera is played by Janet McTeer.
Janet is best known for previous roles in Me Before You and Allegiant as Edith Prior. ‘Janet is all by herself – a lighthouse, a planet, the whole, deeply powerful constellation,’ Jeff praised about his castmate.
Meanwhile, Prometheus is portrayed by Stephen Dillane who notably starred in Game of Thrones as Stannis Baratheon and featured in 2017 best picture Oscar winner The Darkest Hour.
Aurora Perrineau who plays human Riddy, keen-eyed fans may recognise from Jennifer Lawrence film Passengers and Westworld where she played C.
And, of course, Dionysus star and British actor Nabhaan Rizwan can be found in the award-winning BBC series Juice as his career climbs from strength to strength.
Orpheus is brought to life by Irish actor Killian Scott who has appeared in shows such as Dublin Murders, Damnation and Ripper Street as Augustus Dove.
Zeus’ brother Hades is played by Harry Potter star David Thewlis who has recently wowed fans in true crime drama Landscapers and The Sandman.
On the flipside Poseidon star Cliff Curtis has appeared in Meg 2: The Trench and Avatar: The way of the Water as Tonowari.
Finally, viewers will definitely have spotted Doctor Who star Billie Piper, who also led hit series I Hate Suzie, playing the mysterious and elusive role of Cassandra – based off the doomed mythological soothsayer.
Another smaller cameo is portrayed by British comedian Suzy Eddie Izzard who plays one of the three fates, Lachy, a timeless and immortal being who exist on a different plane of prophetic existence.
The cast also includes: Misia Butler as Caenus, Susan Wolldridge as Pious Agatha, Leila Farzad as Ari and Michelle Greenidge as The Tacita.
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Kaos is now available to stream on Netflix.
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