Why “Fortitude” is a TV Series of our Time

If you don’t know about the British TV series “Fortitude”, I suggest you try watching it. And don’t be surprised if before you know it, you’ve become addicted to this Arctic-themed noir.
And for good reason. It combines all the ingredients of the genre. It is moody and dark, full of characters with mysterious pasts. And all set in the most exotic location and that most of us will never get to in our lifetime.
But Fortitude has underlying themes that are so relevant to the times we live in and this is why I think this is the TV series of our age. There are no spoilers so ready on.
Man vs Nature: Man, in the pursuit of knowledge, has all but colonized Fortitude. There is a large international contigent of scientists studying life or the absence therefore, in this Arctic town. In the bigger context, man has, for hundreds of years, reshaped nature in the pursuit of prosperity, and we now feel the effects of such intervention to a point where our very existence as a species and a planet is threatened by climate change.
Science vs Legend: Events in Fortitude over the two seasons can be explained by science but are also rooted in the beliefs of the Sami people. Season 2 in particular focuses on the tension between the two, yet it also became clear that for man to understand the seemingly uncontrollable events, it is important to understand the legend.
Life Ethics: Is losing one life justified if it saves several others? This is the perennial question that plagues pharmaceutical research. Is a human experiment worth the future rewards? Where does humanity end and science begin?
The Culture of Fear: When threatened, human beings develop a culture of fear that undermines civility and rule of law. It’s every man for himself. Is this a natural phenomenon or temporary insanity that can be overlooked and forgotten when things to return to “normal”?
The ending of Season 2 leaves us hanging and wondering what happens next. This gives me hope that the producers are leaving the room open for a third season. I look forward to what themes are in store if a third season does happen.
