Netflix has made true crime docuseries one of the hottest genres in entertainment in 2019. Perhaps, the streaming service can do that again with the underused gene-splicing, DNA-tampering documentary subgenre? Well, that’s what the streamer is trying to accomplish with its upcoming series “Unnatural Selection.”
As seen in the trailer for the series, “Unnatural Selection” follows a subculture of scientists that purchase lab equipment and watch a bunch of YouTube videos, hoping to discover ways to use DNA and gene-splicing technology to cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s. If this sounds a bit kooky and crazy, it very well might be, as the folks that are shown in the trailer appear to be doing all of these supposed innovations in the comfort of their apartments and garages, not in fancy, expensive government labs.
That being said, “Unnatural Selection” isn’t some silly series about some loner scientists. The innovations they’re working on are very much real and if they’re successful, will have incredible, life-altering repercussions.
“Unnatural Selection” arrives on Netflix on October 18.
Here’s the synopsis:
New developments in the science of gene-editing signal that society is on the verge of a technological breakthrough that could forever change the future of humans. From disease eradication to trait selection and biohacking, these groundbreaking experiments have inspired fierce debate over the moral, social and environmental implications. Over the course of this provocative four-part limited series, UNNATURAL SELECTION travels around the world to meet the scientists, hackers, critics, ethicists and beneficiaries of the technologies that defy evolution and have the potential to do incredible good and, possibly, irreparable harm. UNNATURAL SELECTION is produced by Radley Studios and Real Peak Productions.