Welcome to New London, a utopia governed by three rules: no privacy, family or monogamy. A place where everyone belongs to everyone else.

Sky’s starry new production of Aldous Huxley’s classic dystopian 1932 novel takes the source novel and expands it in new ways, and how willing you are to accept these changes will ultimately influence how you feel about it. Beyond the basic plot and character names, this new sci-fi show dials down the Huxley, figuring on ideas they feel more relevant to a 21st century audience.

This is the first TV series based on the property; it previously was a three-hour two-part TV movie in 1980 starring Keir Dullea, and then an even leaner 87 minutes in the 1998 TV movie featuring Peter Gallagher and Leonard Nimoy. This version certainly benefits from the extended running time that nine episodes affords it, though the question will be whether it can sustain the story to the end.

We open on the glossy New London to the ironic tones of Goldfrapp’s happiness. Everybody seems to be having a great time in this drug-controlled, orgiastic society. In this opening hour we meet Jessica Brown Findlay’s (Misfits) Lenina Crowne, a scientist who is being chastised by her superior Bernard Marx (Game of Thrones’ Harry Lloyd) for spending too much time with the same person, instead of sharing herself. Everyone works within a clearly delineated class system, with the Alphas at the top, doling out brightly coloured pills to keep the status quo.

Outside of the city is the Savage Lands adventure park, a bleak reminder of how things used to be, before society became enlightened. Populated by outcasts who put on shows for the visitors, this is where we meet our hero, Alden Ehrenreich’s (Solo: A Star Wars Story) John the Savage, a special effects technician eking out a meagre existence in a dead end job. He has hopes for greater things, and his wishes might just come true.

Verdict: A solid opener that piques enough interest to pull you back for more. It doesn’t feel particularly original, but let’s see how it develops. 7/10

Nick Joy