Sometimes, things are only crystal clear when you regard them with the benefit of hindsight. For me, Jeff Goldblum’s role in the new Netflix drama Kaos — which puts the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology in a modern context — is one such example of this.
He’s not the first actor that would have come to mind if you’d ask me who would be perfect to portray a modern Zeus, depicted in Kaos as the petulant, petty, and murderous king of the gods. Nevertheless, Goldblum’s performance in the show, which hits Netflix on Aug. 29, might actually end up being my favorite of his career thus far. It’s over the top, completely unserious, and the kind of character that would be perfect on Prime Video’s The Boys — if, that is, The Boys was about deities rather than superheroes.
On that note, Kaos doesn’t feature any old men in the sky wearing togas and hurling lightning bolts at Earth. The characters here include a dysfunctional, Succession-like family of 1-percenters who are, in fact, gods, led by a creepy Goldblum-as-Zeus. To complement his god powers, he dresses like a retired mobster living in Florida and laughs deliriously at his TV while watching scenes of devastation and commenting about how much he loves fire. At some point, you almost expect Goldblum’s Zeus to sneer as he opines: “Kaos, ah, finds a way.”
That’s the kind of show this is — it’s basically the dictionary definition of the word “extra,” and it’s also probably the only new Netflix title I’ll be watching over the coming week.
As is often the case with Netflix, the upcoming week is filled with basically a lot of random titles, mixed with what seems to me like a single winner. There are several new international releases that will sink like a stone domestically, documentaries with subjects of limited interest, and all of it overshadowed (again, in my humble opinion) by the much more mainstream Kaos.
For a more comprehensive look at Netflix’s new release slate next week, including every title that’s being added on each day, our monthly Netflix guide is the perfect resource to consult. For now, though, here’s a little more about Kaos:
“In the intriguing world of Kaos,” the streamer explains, “it’s the pantheon of gods versus humans with Zeus at the top of the mythological food chain as the cruel and stylish ruler of the gods, a position he has enjoyed for some time. Then one day he discovers the unthinkable: A wrinkle on his forehead. Paranoia builds, leading the supreme deity down a dangerous and unstable path. All-powerful Zeus is convinced his fall is nigh and sees omens of doom everywhere.”
And he’s actually right to be worried, because Zeus’ one-time friend and now prisoner, Prometheus (played by Stephen Dillane), is hatching a plot to bring him down. It involves three humans who, as it turns out, are completely unaware of their cosmic significance and likewise have no idea about the part they’ve been tapped to play in order to save the world.
The show comes from The End of the F***ing World creator Charlie Covell, which is to say: Make some time next week to add a little bit of Kaos to your life. This one is going to be a trip.
