This is one of those documentaries that make you wonder if these are indeed the best of times or the worst of times. We are basically children playing god, with science that is a lot more advanced than our capacity for reason. And this documentaries does a good job at covering both the incredible feats we are now capable of (with hints of even more fantastic things in store in the future) and all the societal and moral struggles we are barely equipped with to handle the implications and consequences. The pacing may be a bit uneven at times but all in all, highly recommended.
27 Reviews
Good documentary
tgannon-2917517 August 2021
Quite interesting and thought provoking, but what's with the dog breeder dude? Those hounds of baskerville he had in pens looked both rabid and miserable. The dude is like half Ramsay Bolton and half Gandolph. It's worth a watch...
Unmissable
julymermaid8 May 2021
I went into this with cliched expectations for what a documentary on a topic such as this might look like. Boy was I wrong.
This is an excellent balanced documentary which shows you both sides of the argument and covers all of the complex ethical concerns for a subject such as this. The human stories are sensitively and beautifully woven throught and keep your attention till the very end - enough to want to binge watch this.
I came away from it with a lot of excitement for what the future may hold and also some misgivings .... I'm waiting for my son to be old enough to be able to show this to him. Absolutely unmissable.
This is an excellent balanced documentary which shows you both sides of the argument and covers all of the complex ethical concerns for a subject such as this. The human stories are sensitively and beautifully woven throught and keep your attention till the very end - enough to want to binge watch this.
I came away from it with a lot of excitement for what the future may hold and also some misgivings .... I'm waiting for my son to be old enough to be able to show this to him. Absolutely unmissable.
Must watch
myotherpetisdog28 October 2019
I finished watching all episodes in one set. Very very interesting. If in the beginning of the series I knew exactly what I think about genetic modifications, I wasn't so sure by the end of the last episode. Should we leave natural selection to mother nature or take it into our hands? Should we save and or cure every sick person? When we don't see them, know them, it is one thing, but we start thinking differently after we get to know them, like in these series. Does science exist for the sake of science itself? Seems so if no one can afford to use its discoveries and technologies. This applies not just to very rare genetic conditions, but to illnesses that affect thousands. Institutions of science seem concerned (in the series) almost exclusively with health and perfection of a physical body, leaving mental, psychological health out of equation. It is uncharted territory, but it is emotions that make us human. I was waiting to hear about The Gaia hypothesis, yet, no one has mentioned it. I think it is extremely important for every scientist to know, understand The Gaia principle which proposes that living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on Earth to form a synergistic and self-regulating, complex system that helps to maintain and perpetuate the conditions for life on the planet BEFORE they start messing with genetic modification of all things alive. Be it a human, or a rat or a mosquito.
Might be one of the most important documentaries made in recent years
mingsphinx24 October 2019
It can be a little boring at times but if you stay with the series and see for yourself the promise of gene therapy, you will understand why public understanding of this technology is so urgently needed. Once people grasp how potent gene editing is, they are going to want it more than they would anything else. The problem is that none of us know what the consequences will be when gene therapies become widely used and accepted.
It might be one of the consequential documentaries made in recent years because Unnatural Selection chronicles the rise of the gene editing revolution. Years from now people will look back (with regret I think) at the cowboy recklessness that unleashed disaster upon the world. Changing the DNA of any organism that can reproduce could have profound implications for the world we live in, not always for the better. But if you are a biohacker, to you the world we live in is already not only unsustainable but also in deep crisis. So to them there is no reason not to try something new, even if it may have potentially catastrophic consequences, to try and make the world a better place.
That sense of grasping at a possible utopia from a paradise that has fallen seem to underlie the motivations of many of the people who were profiled. And therein lies the danger for all of us because they believe that they can make the world a better place and are willing to force the rest of us to go along with or without our consent. It is also worthwhile to look at the ignorance of some of these people and their undisguised greed for life and wealth to see why the gene editing movement is not likely to end well for all of us.
It might be one of the consequential documentaries made in recent years because Unnatural Selection chronicles the rise of the gene editing revolution. Years from now people will look back (with regret I think) at the cowboy recklessness that unleashed disaster upon the world. Changing the DNA of any organism that can reproduce could have profound implications for the world we live in, not always for the better. But if you are a biohacker, to you the world we live in is already not only unsustainable but also in deep crisis. So to them there is no reason not to try something new, even if it may have potentially catastrophic consequences, to try and make the world a better place.
That sense of grasping at a possible utopia from a paradise that has fallen seem to underlie the motivations of many of the people who were profiled. And therein lies the danger for all of us because they believe that they can make the world a better place and are willing to force the rest of us to go along with or without our consent. It is also worthwhile to look at the ignorance of some of these people and their undisguised greed for life and wealth to see why the gene editing movement is not likely to end well for all of us.
Very important series!
p-k_bang26 October 2019
The equivalent of a book that you can't put down!
monicapews-1776426 October 2019
My husband and I rarely watch the same show with the same amount of joy or excitement. This show however, has grabbed us both in a way that we weren't expecting. It is so well made; the story is excellent, to the point where we'll hit the pause button and discuss our thoughts and beliefs before resuming the episode. This is a heartfelt documentary that everyone needs to watch. I hope this is the beginning of the fall for the pharmaceutical company's control on drug pricing. This show is so complex! The points being brought up are so important to shed light on, and I hope it sparks as much interest for you as it did for us. You need to watch this.
Interesting, but it dragged
mark-a-ferguson16 April 2020
The first episode focused mostly on the scientific breakthroughs in gene editing in the past few years and where state of the medical and biohacking community is at, and it was fascinating. The next three episodes all really focused more on the ethical questions which, while important, I felt caused the series to begin to drag. I was personally more interested in the science around all of this and the documentary was lighter than what I was looking for in this area. This probably could have been condensed to two or three episodes and would have had better pacing.
Compelling, Spellbinding and Fascinating
royhectorkabanlit29 October 2019
The series is about Genetic Engineering, Bio-Hacking and Bio-Hackers. I've always been interested in those hence I found this series to be extremely compelling, extremely spellbinding and absolutely fascinating. Once I started watch it, I just didn't want to stop.
The message of the series is basically that the discovery of CRISPR technology in 2013 now allows the Bio-Engineering of Humans and any organism on Earth, and actual, real-world applications of it is now rolling out. Also featured are two individuals with genetic diseases, one of which was cured.
It also tackled the controversial Gene Drive, which can be used also as a Weapon of Mass Destruction in that it can eradicate a species, starting with Mosquitos in Africa which is set to start implementation at the end of 2019.
And lastly, Designer Babies have started to be available in the Ukraine. I agree with what some of the individuals in the series said, the next generation will be more and more exposed to the technology of Genetic Engineering, and then the generation after that Designer Babies will become common.
The message of the series is basically that the discovery of CRISPR technology in 2013 now allows the Bio-Engineering of Humans and any organism on Earth, and actual, real-world applications of it is now rolling out. Also featured are two individuals with genetic diseases, one of which was cured.
It also tackled the controversial Gene Drive, which can be used also as a Weapon of Mass Destruction in that it can eradicate a species, starting with Mosquitos in Africa which is set to start implementation at the end of 2019.
And lastly, Designer Babies have started to be available in the Ukraine. I agree with what some of the individuals in the series said, the next generation will be more and more exposed to the technology of Genetic Engineering, and then the generation after that Designer Babies will become common.
Just Okay...
MaverickV24 August 2020
I had more expectations around this documentary - that it will take a more informed and holistic approach to the whole genetic engineering (editing) debate...Some decent stories in the 2nd episode where changes in human lives suffering from some genetic illnesses are portrayed and those lives an see some improvements...(though as per my understanding we can Only help people with mutation in single gene; multiple gene mutations like cancer are way out of our reach)...And some stories which try to portray these immature biohackers who neither have the discipline to understand the nuances of gene-editing nor have the integrity and ethics to fathom the ramifications of their stunts, are pathetic....
Nothing is ever black and white
Dicrostonyx10 March 2021
A bit self-repetitive at times but all in all I think it's a good documentary. As for improvement, it would have been interesting to see more of the science behind genetic engineering and how it works. Also, I think there would have been room for more fruitful debate. However, not biased at all in my opinion and proves that there are more than two sides to an issue.
Thought-provoking and enlightening
OneAnjel12 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Overall, the series seems to be intent on convincing us that the government has been irresponsible with our access to healthcare and that it needs to desist from controlling mutations available to the general populace via CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats). It has a lot of good points. But excessive use of "democratic" as slang for equitable or impartial, low cost, obtainable etc makes me realize how so many people inaccurately associate the Democrat party with these ideals. History tells us the Democratic party was formed in order to retain the right to own slaves and has consistently shown a propensity to force division among the people in order to maintain power. The term democratic does originally mean the right to hold out, not the right to accepted or be provided for.
Lots of complaining about the exorbitant cost of pharmaceuticals and medical procedures in E2 is annoying but begs the question: Is Big Pharma forcing the poor and middle-class to take over their own health-care, which may eventually obliterate the for-profit mega-structure? There should be some equality, I agree. After all, mankind has been tweaking DNA for centuries -- why should it now be regulated by the government?
As the series mentions, the majority of research & treatments are taxpayer funded; however, not all. It's more and more common for pharmaceutical companies and investors to fund their own research, noting the huge profits.
Look at the fitness industry, which many of us were brought up to believe was a choice and based on vanity. They continue to demand huge profits for simple things based on interest. In actuality, being fit means being healthy for over 70% of people (those without genetic disease). If more people understood the implications of eating clean and avoiding toxins, both the health and fitness industries would wane into a tiny segment of where our hard-earned money ends up. This is a huge subject, but suffice to say that in the diet and fitness aspects, the government has been inclined to allow marketing and profit to obliterate our health and common sense.
However, things like cancer can never be eliminated or controlled through gene manipulation simply because cancer is something that happens because of toxins, not because of genetics; healthy genes are compromised by the introduction of foods and substances that limit or disrupt our body's own ability to maintain its lymphatic and blood systems. And in the hands of government regulation of what is covered under insurance, we see an increase in cancer and a decrease in recovery in those who obtain those covered treatments - they don't work but the insurance company's hands are tied because of what they can or can not be reimbursed for. It is an enormous problem that keeps us all in a kind of gilded cage.
Overall, E1 & 2 are informative but aimed at the laymen and designed to uphold the notion of de-regulating gene manipulation, at least in part because of the inability to achieve medical help due to the prohibitive costs. One man, who appears to be a simple dog owner, is shown with lab equipment in his barn and processing genes with no hair net, lab coat, or so forth. Another reminds us that science is not a concept owned by the government. I tend to agree that while it may make sense to patent a flying car, for example, and expect profit for things like military weapons things that affect society should have limited ability to profit. We're allowed to make our own protein for pennies on the dollar, or create our own facial scrubs, develop our own baby food and even grown our own consumables. We are generally given wide leeway to live based on our personal decisions and beliefs. And, pointing again to diet, those who are the most healthy tend to avoid even purchasing from the monopoly of processed and treated foods. There is strong evidence that humans are more successful when they veer away from industries that have only profit in mind. But at this late point in the snowballing of medical and pharmaceutical profiting (and processed foods profiting), simply asking the government to enact regulations is a ship that has sailed, in my opinion. It is time to take control back as individuals and, unfortunately or not, some of the choices are: give it back to the government, or hand it over to guys with dogs on farms, so to speak. But some action should be taken.
Lots of complaining about the exorbitant cost of pharmaceuticals and medical procedures in E2 is annoying but begs the question: Is Big Pharma forcing the poor and middle-class to take over their own health-care, which may eventually obliterate the for-profit mega-structure? There should be some equality, I agree. After all, mankind has been tweaking DNA for centuries -- why should it now be regulated by the government?
As the series mentions, the majority of research & treatments are taxpayer funded; however, not all. It's more and more common for pharmaceutical companies and investors to fund their own research, noting the huge profits.
Look at the fitness industry, which many of us were brought up to believe was a choice and based on vanity. They continue to demand huge profits for simple things based on interest. In actuality, being fit means being healthy for over 70% of people (those without genetic disease). If more people understood the implications of eating clean and avoiding toxins, both the health and fitness industries would wane into a tiny segment of where our hard-earned money ends up. This is a huge subject, but suffice to say that in the diet and fitness aspects, the government has been inclined to allow marketing and profit to obliterate our health and common sense.
However, things like cancer can never be eliminated or controlled through gene manipulation simply because cancer is something that happens because of toxins, not because of genetics; healthy genes are compromised by the introduction of foods and substances that limit or disrupt our body's own ability to maintain its lymphatic and blood systems. And in the hands of government regulation of what is covered under insurance, we see an increase in cancer and a decrease in recovery in those who obtain those covered treatments - they don't work but the insurance company's hands are tied because of what they can or can not be reimbursed for. It is an enormous problem that keeps us all in a kind of gilded cage.
Overall, E1 & 2 are informative but aimed at the laymen and designed to uphold the notion of de-regulating gene manipulation, at least in part because of the inability to achieve medical help due to the prohibitive costs. One man, who appears to be a simple dog owner, is shown with lab equipment in his barn and processing genes with no hair net, lab coat, or so forth. Another reminds us that science is not a concept owned by the government. I tend to agree that while it may make sense to patent a flying car, for example, and expect profit for things like military weapons things that affect society should have limited ability to profit. We're allowed to make our own protein for pennies on the dollar, or create our own facial scrubs, develop our own baby food and even grown our own consumables. We are generally given wide leeway to live based on our personal decisions and beliefs. And, pointing again to diet, those who are the most healthy tend to avoid even purchasing from the monopoly of processed and treated foods. There is strong evidence that humans are more successful when they veer away from industries that have only profit in mind. But at this late point in the snowballing of medical and pharmaceutical profiting (and processed foods profiting), simply asking the government to enact regulations is a ship that has sailed, in my opinion. It is time to take control back as individuals and, unfortunately or not, some of the choices are: give it back to the government, or hand it over to guys with dogs on farms, so to speak. But some action should be taken.
More drama and less science
karthickthankyou4 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I learnt very less in these 4 part documentary. Yes, It features Jennifer Doudna. But majority of time, It follows some people who are doing something about CRISPR in their basements.
Especially, That allegedly ex-NASA guy (who injects himself with genes in front of audience) looked so insecure throughout the 4 hours. Having a really weak argument of "Everybody should do gene-editing science", the documentary tries very hard to make him and his the argument look legit. Except they are not.
Yes, we get it. If everybody can create nuclear weapon in their garage lab, someone is going to misuse that! The documentary emphasises this through those amateurs again and again.
The wikipedia page of CRISPR tells more than this documentary. I regret watching it.
And, The documentary clearly exaggerates the conversations and talks by mix-matching the laughs and claps. That threw me off.
Especially, That allegedly ex-NASA guy (who injects himself with genes in front of audience) looked so insecure throughout the 4 hours. Having a really weak argument of "Everybody should do gene-editing science", the documentary tries very hard to make him and his the argument look legit. Except they are not.
Yes, we get it. If everybody can create nuclear weapon in their garage lab, someone is going to misuse that! The documentary emphasises this through those amateurs again and again.
The wikipedia page of CRISPR tells more than this documentary. I regret watching it.
And, The documentary clearly exaggerates the conversations and talks by mix-matching the laughs and claps. That threw me off.
Great Stuff!
duelee-743-5279826 October 2019
My sister is a very prominent doctor. Her husband is a biology professor so I asked them to watch this. Also their daughter who is a genus like us. And tell me what they think about it. I have mixed feelings. Steven Hawking predicted that the the biggest threat to our plant is overpopulation. So should we cure everyone so everyone can live and run out of resources like food and water?
Very informative, good job
yawningdog-gmw9 December 2019
Spend more time watching documentaries, educate yourself, and become a more useful member of society, and the planet...but remember to take everything with a pinch of salt and read between the lines.
This is a great documentary, beautifully shot at times; I learnt a great deal. Really thought provoking. Well done to Netflix for distributing this.
There is one problem with making the perfectly formed human being...it still has to integrate with society, find a job, survive, and take on all the issues that make life so hard. Oh well!
This is a great documentary, beautifully shot at times; I learnt a great deal. Really thought provoking. Well done to Netflix for distributing this.
There is one problem with making the perfectly formed human being...it still has to integrate with society, find a job, survive, and take on all the issues that make life so hard. Oh well!
Mixed feelings
duelee-743-5279824 October 2019
Although I think they are doing is great on one aspect, it could lead to the end of the world on another. I believe there is already a cure for cancer out there that people aren't getting. If you end all disease and death, then you will bring on the greatest threat to human life. Overpopulation. The end of human life as we know it.
Highly controversial topic and I really enjoyed it (RS101)
sithstalker-7578925 November 2019
It doesn't matter which side of the fence you sit on, this programme is sure to elicit a response from all who watch it.
I personally really enjoyed this documentary. I found it fascinating and terrifying all at once. I like programmes that challenge me and make me think but thats just me.
I would definitely say that this really is not a programme for children, I would say if you're a highly devout or a religious individual with strong beliefs then probably not the show for you and I would finally say that if you're a big animal lover some of the viewing is highly disturbing.
Me myself I am an animal lover, but I also have a very open mind and am a very curious person so for me I couldn't take my eyes off this show and binged all 4 episodes back to back.
This show has left me with so many questions and thoughts the moral and ethical quandaries going on in my mind right now are staggering. Science fiction fans are gonna love this show.
I think the best line to sum up this riveting yet terrifying series is just because we can do something should we?
This show really is the story of Pandoras box come to life and leaves me with one final question for myself and anyone else who I think is interested by this show.
If you we're given a box not knowing what was inside and didn't have direct access to the key but you knew where it was kept, would your own curiosity overcome you? or would you be strong enough to resist that urge to take a peak?
This review has been brought to you by reviewstalker101 and as always sit back, relax and enjoy.
I would definitely say that this really is not a programme for children, I would say if you're a highly devout or a religious individual with strong beliefs then probably not the show for you and I would finally say that if you're a big animal lover some of the viewing is highly disturbing.
Me myself I am an animal lover, but I also have a very open mind and am a very curious person so for me I couldn't take my eyes off this show and binged all 4 episodes back to back.
This show has left me with so many questions and thoughts the moral and ethical quandaries going on in my mind right now are staggering. Science fiction fans are gonna love this show.
I think the best line to sum up this riveting yet terrifying series is just because we can do something should we?
This show really is the story of Pandoras box come to life and leaves me with one final question for myself and anyone else who I think is interested by this show.
If you we're given a box not knowing what was inside and didn't have direct access to the key but you knew where it was kept, would your own curiosity overcome you? or would you be strong enough to resist that urge to take a peak?
This review has been brought to you by reviewstalker101 and as always sit back, relax and enjoy.
This is ROUGH!!!!
jbjorg26 October 2019
I dont know where to begin! So this "poor guy", as he calls himself, has the right or even audacity to start comparing himself to Scientists and " big corporations." Oh anyone can do this, really? You are taking dogs, that are life, and altering them? For what? To make them better for us? Seriously???? So what do you do with the dogs that arent good enough??? How the hell is this guy doing whatever he wants to defenseless animals??? HELLO!!! ANIMAL CONTROL??? Have you ever heard of; Mother Nature??? She decides what happens, not humans. The only thing that is going to happen is the animals, weather, bugs, water, wind, is going to fight back!! Do people not understand what Humans are doing to our Earth! We are going to pay for it and we already are!!! The weather is changing!!! So many more natural disasters than ever before. And now we have to deal with uneducated people that decide, oh hey I'm bored, why not try and mess with genetics and DNA!! People go to school for many years to understand the; what they are doing, how they are doing it, and what effect it is going to have. Please, there has to be something to stop changing the natural order of life. We were put here to live, learn, love, and then pass on, that is life!!! Someone commented on Overpopulation, I agree completely with that, but what about this stuff getting into the wrong hands??? Oh too late!!! Bad people what to enhance their muscles??? Their brain power??? To heal themselves if they are hurt??? There are so many bad things that could happen from this, please think!!!
This is " The History of The PC " but it's WAY BIGGER.
IndridC0ld8 December 2019
I came of age during the PC revolution. I remember the incredible excitement of those early days when a PC was something you built. This is what the NEXT revolution looks like. It would not surprise me if practical immortality is developed by some group of smart guys with a CRISPR 2.0 tool. AND THAT WILL BE A GOOD THING. The more democratized a technology becomes, the more talented people who will want to play with it. This series convinced me that humanity will indeed escape the bonds of random evolution and step off into its own destiny. Indeed, AI may actually teach us ways to use this technology in ways we might not immediately think of. I have told my grandkids that they likely will never die. I believe this even more after viewing this series.
Animal Cruelty
chrischapallaz28 October 2019
Marfan Syndrome
melanie_suina3 November 2019
This documentary is highly recommended..
rs_tfl190031 May 2020
This documentary is very important and very fascinating. it's definitely going to blow your mind!! It shows the promising future of CRISPR gene-editing... The idea of being able to modify someone's genome for good is so terrifying.
Fascinating Discussion That Needs Further Info
helenahandbasket-9373423 April 2021
There's so much denial in people like Josiah, Kevin, David and a few others who only see the views of the opposition through their own particular lens, but the facts are, there's a REASON things get peer-reviewed, require double blind studies, loads of trials, and even more research- it's because just blindly jumping in can have devastating effects. Not only to the subject tested, but to those in direct contact and even those in secondary or even further contact.
Sure, eliminating mosquitoes seems like a fabulous idea- but eliminating one particular impact could wind up destroying the ecosystem they live within. Why not develop malaria vaccines?
One thing I wished they'd touched on further was, the pharmaceutical industry, and their continued ravaging of those who are most in need. When do we finally demand governments squash them and their manipulative practices; price gouging, market manipulation, IPOs that shouldn't be a publicly traded commodity, etc.? They'll never do it without our demands, because those in power benefit far too greatly from the kickbacks and bonuses. We cannot expect those in power to work for us when we fail to hold them accountable.
Overall a good series, but I'd like to see more from the opposition that (rightly) requires checks and balances to ensure the best possible outcome no matter which way science leads us.
One thing to keep in mind- just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD.
Sure, eliminating mosquitoes seems like a fabulous idea- but eliminating one particular impact could wind up destroying the ecosystem they live within. Why not develop malaria vaccines?
One thing I wished they'd touched on further was, the pharmaceutical industry, and their continued ravaging of those who are most in need. When do we finally demand governments squash them and their manipulative practices; price gouging, market manipulation, IPOs that shouldn't be a publicly traded commodity, etc.? They'll never do it without our demands, because those in power benefit far too greatly from the kickbacks and bonuses. We cannot expect those in power to work for us when we fail to hold them accountable.
Overall a good series, but I'd like to see more from the opposition that (rightly) requires checks and balances to ensure the best possible outcome no matter which way science leads us.
One thing to keep in mind- just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD.
This documentary is not about that thing, so stop it
mickailf12 April 2023
Just for the conspiracy theorists out there, this documentary is not about the injection that uses a gene therapy platform, even if the genetically edited mice are referred to as "vaccinated". Don't make a conspiratorial connection in your mind that doesn't exist. This is purely about editing genes, with its risks and possible benefits!
Yes, there was a Bio Safety Virus Factory laboratory in Wuhan that was also sponsored by american DARPA, just as the scientists in this documentary are sponsored by american DARPA, but that is NOT proof that there is any connection there, so do not jump to conclusions.
Just watch this and enjoy, let your mind wander - but not there!
Yes, there was a Bio Safety Virus Factory laboratory in Wuhan that was also sponsored by american DARPA, just as the scientists in this documentary are sponsored by american DARPA, but that is NOT proof that there is any connection there, so do not jump to conclusions.
Just watch this and enjoy, let your mind wander - but not there!
Not really something that should be promoted
fil996-175-5524517 November 2019
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
