Unchosen Review
Director: Jim Loach and Philippa Langdale
Date Created: 2026-04-21 21:35
3.5
Unchosen Review: Directed by Jim Loach and Philippa Langdale and created by Julie Gearey, Netflix’s latest psychological thriller unfolds over 6 episodes, each roughly 40 minutes long. The series stars Asa Butterfield as Adam, Molly Windsor as Rosie, and Fra Fee as Sam, Aston McAuley as Isaac, alongside strong supporting performances from Siobhan Finneran, Christopher Eccleston and others.
Unchosen Review
Netflix’s Unchosen opens with a look into The Fellowship, an ultra-conservative religious organisation where members shun contact with the rest of the world, calling outsiders “the unchosen.” Members live by a code of strict rules: men are in charge; women must submit to them; modern ways are corrupting. Amidst this environment is Rosie, a new mother whose life appears to be pious and well-regulated, albeit somewhat stifling.
However, the moment of truth arrives at what appears to be an everyday gathering that rapidly turns into a chaotic scene when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and her daughter runs away into the woods as a result of the storm. In that very moment, Rosie violates one of the main principles of her society by defying the men and venturing out on her own. This is precisely when she encounters the mysterious man, who saves her daughter and then vanishes into thin air.
At this point, the story takes a turn for more complexity. Rosie can’t seem to get the mysterious man out of her head, but when he shows up out of the blue and seems injured and frail, she takes the risk to nurse him back to health. This is where the story shifts focus from outside conflict to inner struggle. On the one hand, she’s torn between her regular life and the realisation that her whole world might be based on deception.
On the other hand, there are several instances that depict the mechanics of the cult under the veil of organisation. The punishment of nonconformists is depicted here, and it’s usually quite disturbing. Just one minor transgression can lead to public humiliation, ostracism, and even more extreme punishments. It’s actually possible to say that this is where some of the strongest moments come in, because they emphasise the precarious nature of “community.”
The marriage of Rosie to Adam is yet another point that takes centre stage. While at first it seems like an ordinary marriage, it soon emerges that this too is anything but ordinary. In fact, it has a whole lot more to do with control than anything else. As Adam begins rising through the ranks of the cult, control and power begin playing an increasingly important role.
The first thing that I like about the Netflix series Unchosen from the start is the mood that the show manages to create. There’s this eerie sense of calm surrounding the community inhabited by these characters. The pale colours, the strict structure of the day, and the controlled way of conversation all contribute to the feeling of entrapment that hangs in the air. The audience can already sense Rosie’s inner struggle even though she doesn’t admit it at first. The show successfully shows how these communities work through more than just laws.
Rosie, played by Molly Windsor, is the heart of the show, and in general, she does quite well. It takes her some time to accept what’s happening to her, but there is desperation in her actions and words which make it convincing. She seems confused and helpless, but gradually becomes angry and desperate, adding to the development of her personality.
In the case of Adam, played by Asa Butterfield, however, he seems to be written with an intent not to be likeable at all. His character is supposed to reflect the power and control in the cult society and is convincing enough, although the plot often lacks some interesting aspects of his character. Lastly, the character played by Fra Fee, Sam, is intriguing right from the start.
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In terms of theme, there is plenty of good in the episode. It explores issues of power dynamics in particular, and especially in relation to religious structures, such as the dominance of men over women. With respect to Rosie’s storyline specifically, one theme that stands out is the erosion of freedom when the guise of faith and duty takes over. There is also the issue of the distortion of one’s reality through isolation. The show’s treatment of morality in terms of Rosie and Sam is also interesting because it brings up issues of freedom and captivity.
But what begins to go wrong for Unchosen in terms of its execution is when the show moves further along. The first few episodes are able to establish some good tension, suggesting that there is an explosion coming somewhere down the line. However, as the show goes on, the promise of said explosion does not come through the way one would hope. Rather, what results is that the level of tension does not rise; in fact, it seems to be getting weaker.
One more problem was the lack of developed characters. Despite the development of the main group of characters, many side characters are one-dimensional. However, it seems even more disappointing when it comes to the group, which should consist of various people, whose personalities, as well as their beliefs, should create a complex environment, yet most of them seem stereotypical. It looks like the series does not advance any ideas and repeats the same situations throughout the entire plot.
The slow pacing isn’t any help either. Given that this is a series of six episodes, one would expect something more coherent in terms of its narrative flow; however, in Unchosen, it comes across as being very slow. The show takes a lot of time to repeat what is already obvious and what is not clear, and when it gets to the last few episodes, it seems like the slow pace never ends at all.
However, there is no denying that the production design and tone of Netflix’s Unchosen series have to be commended. Indeed, the show is able to create an atmosphere that shows how confining life is for those in the cult. The environments have been designed in such a way that makes the viewer believe that this is a place that stifles one’s identity.
Netflix Unchosen Review: Summing Up
Ultimately, Julie Gearey’s Unchosen works better as a show when it focuses on its premise and its emotional pull. This show has an interesting concept, and its exploration of themes like control, religion, and identity is well done. However, because the pacing was inconsistent and the character arcs weren’t as fleshed out, this show isn’t quite as effective as it could have been. While the series is intriguing, it’s not as emotionally charged as one would expect it to be.
