Cleopatra in Space (2019–2021)
5/10
So Divorced from Historical Reality It's Almost an Unethical Mockery of "Egypt"
28 November 2021
The show itself is nothing special in terms of character and plot, though my kiddos were entertained by it, mostly for its action sequences, which are plentiful (though rarely resulting in death or serious injury, unless you count robots). My daughter had read the graphic novel series and noted numerous differences. She also found Cleopatra mostly annoying - impulsive, narcissistic, and uninterested in learning. In some ways like an exaggerated version of Korra, but far less appealing than, say, Adora, Kipo, or Allura. So not much to recommend the show or the protagonist, over all. And then there is the added issue of the inane exoticizing of "Egypt": beyond featuring pyramids, fake hieroglyphs, and Cleopatra herself, there is not even a remote attempt to accurately portray the ancient culture. Octavian, her mentor, was not Egyptian, and he was not an "Octopus." I could go on and on but the general effect is not to encourage interest in Egyptian history or culture but to present it as an exotic other which is merely a hollow shell of reality, and, more generally, to promote this treatment of different cultures.
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