Extrapolations

Apple TV+ (dir. Scott Z. Burns, 2023), March-April 2023, 8 episodes

Analysis by Meïssa Atmani, Lauren Giuriceo, Haley Hamilton, Victoria Shuster, and Zhanning Zhao

“Extrapolations” is a futuristic TV series set between 2037 and 2070, exploring various hypothetical scenarios of climate change impacts. The show presents eight distinct narratives across its eight episodes, each highlighting diverse challenges and consequences stemming from climate change in different years.

Episode 1: 2037: A Raven Story

This first episode introduces an apocalyptic world only 13 years from now where the global temperature is rapidly approaching the 2.5 degree Celsius ceiling of no return from climate catastrophe, predicted in the 2015 Paris Climate Accords. The episode opens with a powerful scene featuring a 22-year-old activist delivering an impassioned plea via hologram, urging global citizens to take control of their future.

Wildfires have reached the formally temperate northern latitudes of the Adirondacks in NY and Western Russia and air quality continues to worsen. The ice caps are melting rapidly, causing significant sea level rise. The humanitarian crises that follow these ecological disasters embroil youth protests which range from peaceful rallies to marches to self-immolation. Despite their strength in numbers, the ultra wealthy who hold the power to make change seem largely unaffected – a disturbing parallel to our current global political climate. 

This rallying cry and subsequent inaction from corporations sets the stage for the COP42 summit in Tel Aviv, where world leaders are mired in debates over climate inaction.

At the summit, tensions rise as France voices concerns about temperature increases, while other nations struggle with basic needs like water due to severe droughts. The instability caused by these environmental challenges underscores the widening gap between wealthy nations (and the wealthy individuals within those nations) and those in desperate need – who are being preyed upon by the wealthy individuals of the other nations.

This episode introduces several main characters, each with their own subplot which unfold throughout the series. We meet:

• the young Rabbi Marshall Zucker, who sees the people of Israel as in dire need of religious and social support during the climate crisis. 
• Rebecca Shearer, an park ranger hoping to work for the company Menagerie2100, a gene-capturing initiative aimed at preserving animal species for future reintroduction. 
• the Elon Musk-type billionaire Nicolas Bilton, who runs the mega-cooperation Alpha.

Much of this episode focuses on Alpha, which profits off of climate catastrophe through any means necessary: retrofitting flooded buildings, selling water purification technology, and mining the North Pole for precious metal to make batteries. Though all of these examples may have positive societal impacts, Bilton makes it very clear in private conversations that profit is his main goal, as he alludes to in the suggestive statement regarding his water purification technology, “the man whose house is on fire is incredibly easy to negotiate with”. As the global population approaches 9 billion, the disparity between the wealthy elite and the impoverished masses becomes starkly evident, with corporations like Alpha prioritizing profit over planetary health.

News Headlines of wildfires across the globe projected on Bilton’s personal olympic sized swimming pool

However, in the public eye, Bilton spins the narrative that “Climate change is a symptom of capitalism. I am here to suggest” he proclaims, “that it is also the cure”. The episode ends when Bilton’s business developer meets a grim fate in the Arctic, where he is killed by a walrus while feigning a hunt.

This final scene sends a symbolic warning back to Bilton and the viewers: Nature always wins and if we are not working with her, she will put us in our place. In the context of technological advancement as the solution to the climate crisis, this episode leaves us with a question:

Can we actually bring about positive change through a practices that still supports infinite growth in a finite system?

Technology:

• Holograms – instill the emotional affect of physical presence (In the context of protest, you get this without the danger of actually being there)
• Smart glasses – allow the user to be completely disconnected both auditorily and visually from their surroundings without anyone around them noticing
• AI Voice Service
• Water Purification and Building Retrofitting Technology – patented and sold, these exemplify the commodification of humanitarian crisises

Climate Change Impact: Wildfires, Hazardous Air Quality, Droughts, Significant Coastal Flooding

Main Characters: Marshall Zucker, Nick Bilton, Rebecca Shearer

Episode 2: 2046: Whale Fall

This episode follows the life of biologist Rebecca Shearer who is now an architect for Managerie2100 in 2046 and her 9-year-old son Ezra.

Rebecca’s work involves tracking and communicating with the last few humpback whales left on Earth. Daily oceanic temperatures soar above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which has decimated the krill populations, threatening whale extinction. Utilizing advanced translation technology, Rebecca’s job is to learn the whale’s language and communicate with them. While the explicit purpose of this job is to collect data that can be stored for future generations to use when, in theory, the ocean is safe enough for scientists to reintroduce the species.

Here Rebecca is seen flying an electric helicopter over the burning Amazon to her job talking to Eve the whale. This frame emphasizes the illogical (and potentially eugenicist) nature of this conservation movement that devotes most of its resources on gathering information on worthy charismatic megafauna (the humpback whale seen on the projection) rather than figuring out how to address the ecological systems crisis as a whole (the wildfires across Colombia that rage below).

However, Rebecca develops a close relationship with Eve, who we discover is the last Humpback Whale. Through her conversations with Eve, it is evident that she views her work as a way to learn from the beings who have lived in healthy relationship with their environment (unlike humans), in hopes to use said wisdom to address the climate crisis through a new lens.

The difference between Managerie’s intentions and Rebecca’s come to a head when Rebecca discovers that her superiors were lying to and manipulating Eve to gather more about her mating patterns and that they ultimately intended on getting the whale to commit suicide so their rival company would not have access to humpback whale DNA.  Rebecca’s realization that her superiors prioritize genetic blueprints over individual lives exposes the ethical dilemmas within conservation science.

The subplot of this episode involves Rebecca’s son Ezra, who suffers from a condition called “summer heart” – the result of his mom being exposed to too much wildfire air pollution while pregnant. Here we see how the environmental crises of today have lasting effects on generations to come.

One of the ways to combat the illness is artificial cold exposure. Ezra is seen playing a VR game called “Winterchill”, as seen here, where he can safety play with other kids with summer heart. 

Moreover, Interestingly, getting angry (activating sympathetic nervous system?) makes the condition flare up and is very dangerous. So to stay safe, you must stay calm, happy, and perhaps you could extend that to complacent. Anger, fear, sadness are all normal and much needed reactions to the climate crisis – they motivate mobilization and change.

So what does it mean for the future of bottom-up change if the health ramifications of the climate crisis make dangerous the very emotions that create change?

To end this episode, Rebecca gives Ezra a stuffed animals Humpback whale with a voice recording of when they went extinct (revealing that Eve, the last humpback, has died) and other information about them. He adds this to his unfortunately large collection of stuffed animals gone extinct.

Ezra receiving a new stuffed toy when an animal goes extinct poignantly symbolizes the erasure of real-life biodiversity, replaced by artificial memories. This moment encapsulates the episode’s theme of loss and the artificial preservation of what once thrived naturally.

“Whale Fall” critically examines the consequences of climate change on both a macro and micro level, illustrating the personal and ecological devastation. It challenges viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of life, the ethical responsibilities of conservation, and the urgent need for comprehensive action against climate change.

Technology:

• VR medical cold exposure game – this not only commodifies medical treatment, it also places a positive value on virtual interactions, deemphasizing real life. It is important to note that while e must be critical of such marketing strategies, for the child living with this illness, escapism seems to be a necessary evil to support their mental health
• News relayed through real pet dog

Episode 3: 2047: The Fifth Question

In this episode, the global temperature has caused cataclysmic sea level rise. Miami is underwater. Rabbi Marshall Zucker has moved back to Florida and is fighting to save his temple, Temple Israel, from the rising sea levels. The floods force residents to wade through water for daily tasks. Climate refugees, of which we discover there are 24 million, flee in droves, showcasing the human cost of the crisis. Marshall’s fight for the temple gets complicated.

We meet a new family, Harris Goldblatt, his new wife, and his daughter, Alana, a preteen who expresses significant anger at religion’s seeming helplessness in the face of disaster. Her capitalist father, Harris, offers a bribe to secure the temple’s protection by the city, sparking a moral dilemma for Marshall. The bribe succeeds, but at a terrible cost – a homeless shelter loses its protected status. Alana, furious at both her father and the Rabbi, exposes the corruption. A hurricane then devastates the city, forcing Marshall to flee the rising water. Now homeless himself, Marshall ends up in a Tallahassee shelter. Despite the bleak situation, a glimmer of hope emerges as he finds solace in helping others.

Analysis:

The clash between Marshall and Alana embodies the generational shift in environmental thought. Marshall represents a preservationist approach, valuing historical sites. Alana, disillusioned with religion due to the crisis, represents a more radical perspective. Her anger towards her profiteering father reflects an eco-feminist stance that emphasizes social justice alongside environmental protection. The episode explores the struggle of faith in the face of climate catastrophe. Alana’s skepticism reflects a growing rejection of traditional religious explanations for disasters. While Marshall clings to his faith, it’s shaken by the harsh realities he faces. The episode doesn’t condemn religion, but acknowledges its difficulties in offering solace when the world seems to be falling apart. Despite the bleakness, the episode ends with a flicker of optimism that compassion and community can endure. Perhaps in a world struggling falling apart human connection and action can provide meaning and purpose.

Episode 4: 2059: Face of God

Setting: Washington D.C., United States, the skies above India  

Climate Change Impact: Implications of Geoengineering

Characters: Dr. Jonathan Chopin, Rowan Chopin, Gita Mishra, President Elizabeth Burdick 

Technology: Geoengineering, Carbon-neutral and perpetually flying planes, drone proliferation  

Synopsis: Episode 4 of Extrapolations dives into the debate of the plausibility and ethics of geoengineering as a solution to increasing atmospheric temperatures. Using calcium carbonate, Rowan Chopin and Gita Mishra have the capability to alter the atmosphere to deflect sunlight away from the earth’s surface, cooling the earth. Geoengineering, and a project like this, is untestable, unreplicable, and irreversible, posing immense danger to all living beings should something unexpected occur.

Gita and Rowan, unafraid of losing their lives or the consequences that come after challenging the United States government, give the President an ultimatum: either the United States helps them plan a dispersal of calcium carbonate or other chemicals to geoengineer the planet, or they do it themselves. Gita’s plane gets shot down, which prompts Rowan to continue her legacy and deploy calcium carbonate all over the world through drone technology. 

Critiques: This episode highlights the fact that geoengineering requires only one nation (or person) with the means to buy the necessary compounds and methods to deploy them. All it takes is one ambitious (and arrogant) billionaire, like in this episode, which is another social danger in itself. In the face of Gita and Rowan’s determination, the President of the United States and the other powerful world leaders could only accept, observe, and react to the dispersal.

Episode 5: 2059 Part II: Face of God

Setting: Takes place in India

Climate Change Impact: Extreme air pollution and heat

Characters: Gaurav & Neel

A reality, where the world functions during the night, there is a curfew in the morning when the sun rises and people are no longer allowed outside and go to bed. As pictured above people sleep in air tight sleeping bags almost to cool themselves and protect from the extreme heat while sleeping. The episode focuses on two main characters Gaurav and Neel who are smuggling rice seeds, stolen from a seed vault. Many of the themes throughout this episode is a fear of technology, with novel oxygen devices, and the danger of such increases in oxygen and decreased air quality.

Episode 6: 2066: Lola

Setting: London, 2066

Characters: Ezra(Rebecca’s son with a summer heart), Natasha, Lola, memory cloud dealer

Main theme:

• Ethic Issue: Exposed personal information and lack
  • Ezra ultimately chose not to buy back the retrieved memories from the dealer. In response, the dealer threatened to make Ezra’s memories of Lola public. Soon after, Ezra discovered that Lola’s image was being used in an advertisement for “Exowomb,” highlighting the unethical commercialization of personal information in the digital age. This scenario illustrates how private data such as photos is becoming more transparent and accessible online that could be used for commercial gain. Additionally, the episode serves as a commentary on the dangers of over-reliance on external digital services like cloud storage, which can lead to potential vulnerabilities and exploitation.

• Cache Clock
  • Ezra had previously spent a substantial amount of money to treat his congenital summer heart due to global warming. Unfortunately, he later developed gradual dementia due to the irreversible decay of neurons in his brain. To preserve his fading old memories, Ezra relied on a memory storage company called Cache Clock that used blockchain technology, which incurred higher costs as global temperatures rose. The need for increased cooling for the blockchain servers led to higher fees for users like Ezra. After allocating most of his finances to his initial treatment, Ezra found himself unable to afford the high costs of memory storage. Consequently, he downgraded his membership, which resulted in reduced storage space. This forced him to delete many of his childhood memories, including moments spent with his mother and the last humpback whale. The only memories Ezra chose to retain were those with his late girlfriend, Lola, who tragically passed away from complications related to summer heart during pregnancy. 
  • The “Cache Clock” technology turns the fantasy of externally storing memories into reality, ensuring that every moment can be easily accessed. However, this commodification of memory storage emerges as a luxury disproportionately available to the wealthy, exacerbating social inequalities. While the rich can afford to preserve their memories and stave off conditions like dementia, the poor suffer from these ailments and bear the brunt of climate change related diseases, despite the wealthy’s significant role in contributing to environmental degradation. This scenario highlights the ethical and social implications of such technological advances in a world marked full of disparities and environmental injustice.

• Pack
  • Ezra works for a company that specializes in “memory escort” services. These services include role-playing as someone else by accessing detailed information from stored memories, such as clothing, accents, and habits, to facilitate convincing emotional mimicry. Additionally, the company offers sensory experiences that allow consumers to relive intimate memories with someone from their past. In his role, Ezra acts as a father figure for a family whose original father abandoned them. He spends time with the daughter weekly, engaging in activities like playing games and telling stories. However, due to his limited memory storage capacity, the story of the last humpback whale, a cherished tale from his own fading memories, cannot be retrieved.
  • The rise of companies like “Pack” mirrors the growing emotional needs in a society deeply impacted by climate change. As more individuals succumb to various diseases or natural catastrophes, the living increasingly cling to the past as a coping mechanism to avoid the harsh realities of the present. Furthermore, the prevalent use of mimicry in the show suggests that an individual’s essence can be easily replicated based on superficial details, reflecting a societal devaluation of personal uniqueness. This portrayal critiques a culture that, out of a desire for comfort or simplicity, overlooks the rich complexity of individual identities.

• Live the moment
  • Ezra had previously spent a substantial amount of money to treat his congenital summer heart due to global warming. Unfortunately, he later developed gradual dementia due to the irreversible decay of neurons in his brain. To preserve his fading old memories, Ezra relied on a memory storage company called Cache Clock that used blockchain technology, which incurred higher costs as global temperatures rose. The need for increased cooling for the blockchain servers led to higher fees for users like Ezra. After allocating most of his finances to his initial treatment, Ezra found himself unable to afford the high costs of memory storage. Consequently, he downgraded his membership, which resulted in reduced storage space. This forced him to delete many of his childhood memories, including moments spent with his mother and the last humpback whale. The only memories Ezra chose to retain were those with his late girlfriend, Lola, who tragically passed away from complications related to summer heart during pregnancy. 

Episode 7: 2068: The Going-Away Party

Setting: San Francisco, 2068

Protagonist: Anna, August, Sylvie, Nic, Elodie

Main theme:

• New lifestyle
  • By the year 2068, the global temperature has raised by 2.44 celsius and total population reached 9.96 billion. The Earth has become a place where the pollution levels are so extreme that it’s no longer safe to live outdoors. Those who survive spend the majority of their time inside, and venturing outside requires the use of oxygen masks to breathe amidst the ever-present smog. The once vibrant ecosystem has collapsed, leading to the extinction of many species, and the natural wind and sunshine have been replaced by perpetual haze.
  • The economy of the world has shifted dramatically too.Traditional currency has been replaced by carbon credits, a necessary adaptation to manage pollution and resource scarcity. These credits are now the primary means of obtaining essential goods. Fresh vegetables and meats have become luxury items, available only to those who can afford to spend significant carbon credits, mirroring the exacerbating economic disparities in the future an emphasis on the socio-economic consequences of environmental neglect​.
  • Kelp has emerged as the primary ingredient in most food and drink products for human beings due to its abundance and environmental adaptation, implicating that human beings may neither preserve a sustainable future nor construct a equal society where everyone enjoys high welfare.
  • Society has also adapted to this new normal in personal interactions. Upon returning indoors from the polluted outside, individuals must undergo thorough sanitization processes. Personal habits have also evolved; for instance, Sylvie represents a growing number of people who have developed a preference for completely avoiding physical contact with anyone to minimize health risks and maintain personal safety, which is a key factor contributing to the conflict between her intimate relationship with her husband August.

• Contactless sex
  • In the episode, Sylvie’s cheating with Nic at the New Year’s party highlights a unique aspect of human adaptation to environmental degradation. During their intimate moment, Sylvie’s strict no-contact policy leads to an unconventional hook-up where both people masturbate while looking at each other. This scene underscores Sylvie’s priority for her own health and safety above everything else, reflecting a self-centered approach towards personal interactions. It also illustrates the broader theme of how humans adapt their everyday behaviors in response to severe environmental challenges, reflecting the close relationship between nature and daily life.

• New tech: Chip & Infertility Bot
  • In the future, artificial intelligence has also permeated every corner of human society. First, human beings can choose to insert chip in their brain to help build a computer and hologram projected within the vision. However, the price of chip means that some people have to use an inexpensive version (as with Hulu!) with compulsory commercials. Such capitalization predicts that in the future the commodification would invade our biological body, which is supposed to be the last pure land, just like the gradual disappearance of wilderness from planet and gradual compromise of rising temperature.
  • Furthermore, August and Sylvie, due to their infertility, have adopted a robotic baby, representing another unique application of artificial intelligence to fulfill social roles traditionally held by humans. However, the introduction of such “infertility babies” could pose unforeseen risks. Forming parental bonds with an AI might disrupt human relationships and change the overall social development of conventional children. Additionally, these robots, together with the chips above, prompt important questions about how to properly integrate AI into society in a way that maximizes their benefits while minimizing potential damage to human connections and population dynamics.

• Life Pause and its Ethical Dilemma
  • Life Pause is a cutting-edge technology that uploads someone to the cloud until the planet heals itself in the next few centuries. When the biodiversity is reconstructed, the company would reanimate you into a decarbonized utopia in a body of your choice. By 2068, technology enabling the digitalization of consciousness has neared its developmental peak, marked by a significant milestone: scientists successfully transferring a dog’s consciousness into a digital form.
  • This innovative approach not only promises a second chance at life in a rejuvenated world but also poses ethical questions about sustainability, ethical responsibility, and social crisis. For example, August, possessing the opportunity to upload himself, almost made the decision to leave his tumultuous marriage behind. August’s decision underscores a deeper societal crisis below the technology, which brings the question that does technology actually help us solve problems or help privileged troublemakers escape the responsibility.
  • This technological breakthrough, while impressive, also introduces significant social consequences, particularly in terms of personal relationships. August, given the rare chance to upload his consciousness, considered using this opportunity to exit not only this blighted earth but his own troubled marriage. This choice highlights a broader societal issue underlying the technology, prompting a critical question: Does technology truly help solve our problems, or does it merely provide a method for the privileged to escape their responsibilities?
  • Furthermore, the limited availability of this technology has deepened existing economic disparities. Life Pause starkly illustrates the inequalities inherent within capitalism. Predominantly, the wealthiest individuals, who contribute significantly to environmental degradation, are the earliest to access and benefit from this technology, which allows them to dodge the deteriorating conditions they created. Such scenario not only provoke ethical questions regarding fairness and accountability but also accentuate the sharp divisions between those who can afford to avoid the repercussions of pollution and those left to face them with limited solutions.

Episode 8: 2070: Ecocide

Setting: International Criminal Court of Justice in The Hague

Climate Change Impact: Ethics of technological development and culpability in regard to global climate change 

Characters:  Nick Bilton, Lucy Adobo, Decima Kabua, Martha Russell

Technology: Carbon drawdown product, AI judges at court

The episode centers on the topic of ecocide, as Nick Bilton is blamed for exacerbating global carbon emissions and is in court against Lucy Adobo, who represents the global ecological community against the crimes of Bilton and his company, Alpha. The episode mostly happens in The Hague at the ICC which is controlled by three IA judges that are supposed to represent all moral ethics, beliefs, and perspectives of the world, acting as multicultural and intersectional as well as unbiased figures of truth. Throughout the episode we observe the technological dependence that humans have developed, not only to fulfill transportation and communication needs but also to hide their identity (through holograms). Adobo gathers plenty of testimonies and ex-employees of Bilton to showcase the unethical actions that Alpha has had on the environment and environmentally vulnerable living communities. At the end of the episode we discover that a machine to draw down carbon emissions was developed decades ago and influential corporation leaders hid it and set the maximum amount of carbon withdrawal low so that it won’t affect their financial benefitting of climate change environmental and socio-political consequences.  As Bilton is finally judged guilty of crimes against the planet, the episode ends with a hopeful conclusion that advocates how humanity as a whole should feel guilty and complicit in climate change, since “the issue has never been technology, but us” (Lucy Adobo), but still will be able to change and do better.

Critiques: 

As the show attains its final climax, the conclusion on the fate of humanity is clear. Humanity is the problem, as an individual we all are complicit in mass extinction, soil degradation and weather irregularity. By following this argument the show ends by inviting the individual to exercise change from within in order to stop the derailing effects of climate change, but by doing so exacerbates climate anxiety since ALL humans are seen as complicit at the same level as the villains of the show such as Alpha are. The series also explores the double-edged sword of technology. It’s shown as both a contributor to global warming and a potential solution. This contradiction is highlighted when Bilton, convicted of crimes against nature, is sent to a space prison—a facility that likely emits a substantial amount of carbon. These contradictions within the episode underscore how our current system, heavily focused on corporate development, fails to find sustainable solutions outside its established framework, hence only seeking solutions within the implemented unsustainable system.

Cross Temporal Themes

Relationships between Parent and Child

Within Extrapolations, the theme of parent-child relationships permeates all episodes. As time progresses, the relationships between parents and their children and the strain that the climate crisis puts on their relationships change but maintain a similar structure. Extrapolations captures the generational divide in the desire for action and willingness to change habits for the betterment of the climate. 

Beginning with Episode 1, 2037: A Raven Story, the series opens with Marshall Zucker, a young adult fresh out of Rabbi schooling, who defies his parents’ wishes to return to Miami, choosing instead to serve the Jewish community in Israel. Marshall sees Israelis in more need of a religious figure and confidant than the citizens of Miami because of the forest fires and dangerous air quality ravaging the country. Despite the natural disasters, children still desire to break from their parents’ expectations and demands. 

In Episode 3, 2047: The Fifth Question, Marshall is a Rabbi for the Miami congregation his parents promised him. He meets a girl, Alana, who challenges both Marshall and her parents in their faith and complacency during the climate crisis. Battling significant sea level rise, Alana is reluctant to complete her Bat Mitzvah because of her confusion as to why God would allow such destruction, injustice, and crisis to occur on earth. She sees her father as her biggest adversary because they do not see eye-to-eye on the severity of the climate crisis, and Alana goes so far as to call the FBI on her father for a bribery scheme to save the Temple from sea level rise. Alana challenges her parents and their beliefs of what is right just as Marshall did a decade earlier, offering a lens of continuity and the reality of human nature. 

A second continuous plotline around parent-child relationships begins in episode 2, 2046: Whale Fall, with Ezra and his mother, Rebecca Shearer. Rebecca, a marine biologist and conservationist, prioritizes the health and happiness of her son, who suffers from “Summer Heart,” a chronic illness from his birth in a wildfire. She seeks to provide him with memories of his late grandmother and experience the last of the wildlife before species go extinct, wishing her son the best and richest experiences as any good parent would. 

Fast forward to episode 6, 2066: Lola, Ezra is an adult. His Summer Heart has advanced to early-onset memory loss, so he must upload his memories onto a server Cloud Cashe to save them. The memories of his mother, grandmother, and the wild species he holds dear but must let go of when he can no longer pay for storage. The internal conflict between untethering himself from his past and childhood relationships and moving forward with his life is a painful one. But Ezra moves on and plays a fatherly role in his for-hire position as Harlyn’s parent. His love for Harlyn’s mother, Natasha, and Harlyn, and Ezra’s desire to join their lives conveys that despite the deletion of his mother and their memories together, the love she showed for him and the lessons she taught him about parenting withstood the delete and played a deeper role in forming who Ezra is as a person. Thus, without conscious recollection of what his own parents were like, Ezra desires to be the best caregiver he can for Harlyn.

A final example of the contentious relationship between parent and child regarding the outlook on carbon dioxide levels is in episode 4: 2059: Face of God. Dr. Jonathan Chopin must navigate the accusations of conspiring with his son, Rowan, and Rowan’s step-mom in an act of bioterrorism. The duo enter a stand-off with the United States Government as they threaten to deploy thousands of tons of calcium carbonate into the atmosphere from their carbon-neutral fleet of jets to begin geoengineering. Other nations take the threat seriously and shoot down the step-mom’s plane. But, Rowan has the technology to independently release the calcium carbonate and permanently alter Earth’s atmosphere. Throughout the episode, Jon tries to argue with his son not to deploy the compounds. He then resorts to pleading and begging on account of the safety of both himself and the entire planet. Though his father is an expert in the field, 22-year-old Rowan exhibits more sensitivity and fear of the status of Earth’s climate, and with a youthful, radical streak, releases the chemicals across the earth, unphased by the consequences. With more examples like this one, Extrapolations captures the parent-child relationships through the decades that resemble those of today while also exacerbating the current generational divide between perceptions of danger and urgency over the climate crisis, increasing as the situation continues to worsen.

Religious Faith

Commodification

Extrapolations explores the theme of commodification through its depiction of a futuristic society where every aspect of life, including, memories, and wildlife, and oxgen can be commodified and traded. The show delves into the consequences of such a society, where human experiences are reduced to mere commodities, leading to a loss of authenticity and a profound sense of alienation among its characters.

Episode 2: Commodification of Wildlife

In Episode 2, Rebecca Shearer, a biologist is employed by Menagerie2100, a company specializing in genetic replication of endangered animals for future regeneration and commercial purposes. The episode exposes Menagerie2100’s unethical practices, including questionable means of obtaining genetic material from endangered species. This storyline highlights the theme of commodification, specifically critiquing the exploitation of wildlife for economic gain and the controversial concept of reviving extinct species for profit.

Episode 4 Part II: Commodification of Oxgen

In Episode 4 Part II, the show illustrates a future reality where the commodification of oxygen has become a stark reality. Set in India, where air quality has deteriorated significantly, the episode depicts streets lined with vendors selling oxygen. People are forced to pay for every two minutes of oxygen they breathe, highlighting the extreme measures individuals must take to access clean air. This portrayal serves as a poignant commentary on the commodification of essential resources and the potential consequences of environmental degradation.

Episode 6: Commodification of Memory

In Episode 6, Ezra grapples with the consequences of using Summer Heart, which includes early-onset dementia. Throughout the episode, Ezra frequently consults ‘Minds Eye,’ a technology akin to iCloud, for guidance. He is confronted with a difficult decision: to delete certain memories to free up space for new ones, much like how we manage storage by deleting photos. Ezra’s struggle stems from the emotional weight attached to his memories. Each memory represents a part of his life, a piece of his identity and experiences that define who he is. The idea of deleting memories, even if it means making room for new ones, forces Ezra to confront the fragility of his own identity and raises questions about the nature of memory and self.

Extrapolations serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of commodification, highlighting the importance of preserving authentic human experiences in a world increasingly dominated by technology and consumerism

Heroes and Villains

Nick Bilton

Alpha CEO and a zillionaire, Bilton’s character encapsulates high end capitalism and wealth accumulation. Through his significant ownership of patents, real estate and connection with influential political figures, Bilton prioritizes capitalization over long term sustainability and the well being of other individuals and species. In Episode 2 his conservation research for whales shows itself to be a grant scheme to monetize biodiversity loss and the popularity of flagship species by creating new products and services off that extinction. Bilton represents all the stereotypical wrongdoings attributed to corporate capitalism, he is not only a cruel CEO but also lies and is selfish to his co workers and adopted daughter. 

Episode 4 : Gita Mishra

Gita Mishra and her son Rowan’s willingness to use geo-engineering stems from a frustration of the lack of effort and empathy that core Global North countries have towards the rest of the world. Throughout the show both characters are depicted as villains, and ecoterrorists, since their strategy could have negative consequences for humans and the environment alike. However, one could argue that their intentions spike from a place of hope and frustration for the lack of governmental intervention. That being said, their characters’ psyche and crimes serve to showcase the lack of international cooperation in regards to solving the climate crisis and increasing people’s livelihoods worldwide. 

Episode 8 : Lucy Adobo

As Lucy battles against Nick Bilton in court her role serves as a defendant of the people, species and habitats that cannot fend for themselves. She not only attempts to break down conspiracies around Bilton but also empowers his victims to step up and call out against a corrupted and corporate based system. 

American Environmental Thought (Meïssa)

Contrast in Privileges and Priorities in regard to the Wild – Episode 2 and 4

Episode 2 revolved around the emotional and cultural implications that biodiversity and flagship species loss has on Rebecca, a scientist, and her child. The episode puts special emphasis on the loss of wilderness, as it highlights historic Euro-American beauty standards regarding nature that Cronon addresses in 1996 in “The Trouble with Wilderness.” For example, the death of the last whale played a significant emotional toll on the main characters, highlighting this species as a flagship animal, compared to how normal it is for Rebecca and her child to have a dog, which seemed to receive less interest and importance compared to the whale. Therefore, highlighting that the dog as a species might not be considered as valuable as a whale ever, or not until its species are at risk of extinction. 

On the other hand, Episode 4 addresses struggles and vulnerabilities that affect communities that do not have the privilege nor the priority to “care” about other species. As Gaurav and Neel engage in their quest, the connection between the human and nature is not put in the forefront, which highlights the inequality in terms of quality of life and air for people in India in contrast to the United States. This brings to the fore how communities that are more climate vulnerable do not have the bandwidth to prioritize pristine and pure wilderness. The show invites the audience to assess how climate change vulnerabilities are intrinsically tied to global socio-economic dynamics and privileges.

Use of AI to represent cultural and spiritual diversity of beliefs and ethics – Episode 8

Natalie Diaz is a scholar and activist that focuses on decolonial processes regarding human-nature relationships and the ways we practice environmentalism. In her book Postcolonial Love Poem, Diaz writes about the difficulties of empowering indigenous belief systems and ideas in the political frameworks of current capitalist societies. Episode 8, at the ICC, shows how through AI technology they have developed a jury system that reflects “legal and ethical traditions across the globe”. This innovation underscores the critical role of representing minority and subaltern groups to foster an intersectional appreciation of nature’s sacredness and value. Having said so, in Postcolonial Love Poem Diaz writes “How can I translate – not in words but in belief – that a river is a body, that there can be no life without it?” (Diaz 2018, 48). This interrogation advocates for the empowerment of indigenous voices AND presence, a presence that is not only in words but also in actions and understandings of human-nature dynamics and realities .However, the reliance on virtual judges to encapsulate diverse philosophies and beliefs presents a technocentric solution to achieving intersectional standards of justice and truth. While this acknowledges the necessity of such representation, it also reveals a dependency on technology, suggesting a skepticism about the adequacy of human multicultural collaboration to dismantle entrenched power structures.