Netflix’s The Society is a case study about leaders in a dystopian reality
Review by Angelo Lorenzo
When high school students return to their town in West Ham, Connecticut after a failed field trip, they find themselves alone. With the disappearance of their families, they rebuild their society from scratch. This is the premise of Netflix’s 2019 young adult series, The Society. Filled with stellar cast and multiple viewpoints that present a number of compelling conflicts, the series may give us a clue about what it would be like if we’re left on our own.
But retain a supermarket stocked with supplies, diners and cafes with fully operational machines and equipment, and a church as a suitable venue for gathering, survival might not fully be at stake. What the youngsters need, however, is what every society may require so every citizen can do their part to survive — someone to lead them and reassure their safety, security, and hope for a better life despite their circumstance. The series is keen on representing this amidst the angst, love life crises and heartbreak, self-discovery, and the issues and excitement of growing up we see getting portrayed in most media geared towards the targeted age group.
To instill order, the society imitates the kind of leadership they had back when they were in high school (since, technically, school no longer exists for these teenagers). They elect their student president, Cassandra Pressman (played by Rachel Keller) to lead them when it comes to making tough collective decisions, especially in terms of rationing their supplies, getting themselves to work menial tasks such as sweeping the church hall in order to receive their share, and solving the mystery behind their families and their entire town’s disappearance.
The early days may have gone smoothly, but everything rolls downhill when other teenagers express their discontent from the kind of order they live in. This compels other residents to showcase their way of getting things done, unveiling leadership styles that greatly reflect the kind of leadership some societies in the world see and undergo today. We see a troubled and problematic kid named Campbell (Toby Wallace) whose abusive tendencies with his girlfriend and live-in partner Elle (Olivia DeJonge) led him to introduce a brutal system that manipulates society with fear and intimidation. His gunshot during the final scene in the first episode, when the society has gathered within the church, although aimed at no one, exemplifies this.
Then there is Harry (Alex Fitzalan) who falls into depression and drug addiction when he gets frustrated and disappointed about sharing his property with others against his will. One could say that he is that typical rich kid who goes to school and flaunts his lifestyle to his peers, thereby gaining popularity in the normal world. Although the communal way of living has become effective in this society — wherein the residents share houses and take responsibilities — this does not sit well with Harry who is then motivated to run a campaign against this system. In his speech during a debate with Cassandra’s sister, Allie (Kathryn Newton), he elaborates how important it is to own back their property as it was their way of life prior to their families’ disappearance.
One important takeaway from the series is perhaps its representation of the different styles of leadership. But the competition to take the position happens much later in the series after a whirlwind of events either challenges their survival (food poisoning, attempted murder, a bloody execution, etc.) or opens opportunities for nostalgic recreation (house parties, prom, and Thanksgiving dinner).
Cassandra takes position based on principles, qualifications, and experience. These qualities lead the mass majority to follow her. Campbell, on the one hand, takes advantage of his parents’ gun with a flare of threats to instill fear. He even goes on to acquire a decent number of followers despite his actions. Allie, Cassandra’s younger sister, replaces her sister after a bloody tragedy leaves the society reeling for a new one. Although qualities of leadership may not necessarily be dependent on genes, Cassandra’s advisors feel that Allie becomes the most qualified based on family ties, and encourage her to take her place. Eventually, she faces head on with Harry who believes that people should feel entitled to owning and keeping their properties instead of sharing resources in a time when the latter becomes limited.
Case in point, these aspiring leaders vary in styles and motivation. Just as there are leaders in the world today who have acquired their authority through various means, Netflix’s The Society delves deep into their façade. The series may well be an attempt to acknowledge that leaders are more than who we perceive of them on their platform — a concept which isn’t entirely far from reality. There are some who feed on people’s frustrations, some who intensify rage, and some who trigger fear and perpetuate misinformed prejudice. But there are also those who inspire collective action, redirect society back to their senses, and unite diverse groups of individuals who belong to different backgrounds.
But leaders take the role and responsibility not only as figures who we look up to, but also as representatives of society in general. With this consideration, they may well be people who exemplify the qualities that encourage society to thrive without leaving anyone behind or dividing communities into conflicting factions. The series presents a society that practices juvenile democracy where young adults start to have their fair share in giving and receiving. This means that a leader who takes position has to learn to adjust to people’s needs and solves issues that loom over them — be it the end of the world or the rebuilding of a new civilization. Then again, this may only be made possible when society learns to work together.
Netflix’s The Society also has the elements of drama that usually make up a series targeted towards young adult viewers. But its representation of present world issues and realities brought about by leadership styles is not hard to miss. Designed as entertainment, it can also be viewed with the lens of education. After all, every society’s downfall may be caused by the poor decisions made by their leaders or the people’s fault to choose an unfit one.
