The emergence of AI and deepfake technology has sparked much debate and controversy all over the world. While some see it as a positive for its creative potential, others are concerned about the implications for privacy and misinformation. The BBC series The Capture, currently streaming on Peacock, explores the latter, delving into the extremely unsettling world of surveillance and deepfake technology and the ramifications it can have if used nefariously. What may seem like science fiction is frighteningly plausible, given the advancement in deep fakes in the last few years.
From writer and director Ben Chanan (The Missing), The Capture is a two-season conspiracy thriller centered around Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger), a tenacious detective who recently moved from Counterterrorism to homicide. In Season 1, she's assigned a seemingly open-and-shut kidnapping case, but what she uncovers goes much deeper. Her investigation sends her down a dark and twisted path, forcing her to question her own reality and her part in the conspiracy.
What Is 'The Capture' About?
In Season 1 of The Capture, Rachel finds herself in the middle of a case involving a former soldier, Shaun Emery (Callum Turner). He was just acquitted of war crimes but is now accused of kidnapping his barrister, Hannah Roberts (Laura Haddock). His face is captured on CCTV, but Shaun has no memory of the incident and claims he is innocent. Eventually, Rachel begins to believe him and what they uncover is a deep web of conspiracies surrounding the use of modern technology to manipulate video and audio, known as "Corrections."
This conspiracy gets even more sinister in Season 2, when it's revealed that deepfakes are being used against British politician Isaac Turner, (Paapa Essiedu). The way his image and words are being manipulated not only impacts him personally, but also has significant geopolitical ramifications. Alongside DI Carey, who is now working as a double agent, the two uncover the true motives of who is behind the deepfakes and why they're using them to ruin his life and career.
Great Performances and Rich Characters Bring This Conspiracy Thriller to Life Close
Proving that The Capture is more than just a flashy techno-thriller, the performances by its cast and their rich and complex characters are what make the show worth watching. Grainger shines as Rachel Carey, who balances her ambition and her sharp intellect as she dives deeper into her investigation and has to grapple with her own part in it. Callum Turner acts as a great adversary turned ally in Season 1 as he plays Emery with a real layered humanity. When he discovers the deep betrayals of what actually happened, it devastates him and leads him down a dangerous path of desperation.
Equally impressive is Essiedu's portrayal of a politician who is hiding his own secret and trying not to fall apart at the seams in the show's second season. In one of his best roles to date, Ron Perlman plays Frank Napier, a seedy U.S. intelligence officer who is pulling the strings behind the scenes of British politics. Perlman has a knack for playing characters that are morally gray, making him the perfect "bad guy" in The Capture. Rounding out the cast is the always wonderful Indira Varma who, in Season 2, plays a famous BBC news host and an integral part in uncovering the bigger conspiracy.
Related Holliday Grainger Talks 'The Capture' Season 2 and 'C.B. Strike: Troubled Blood'
She also talks about the differences between Rachel Carey and Robin Ellacott, as characters
Posts 'The Capture' Discusses the Morality of Surveillance and Justice
The Capture raises a lot of ethical questions about technology and how it's used to capture known criminals, as well as manipulate the truth to get some form of justice. While CCTV is becoming more pervasive, especially in cities like London, it can be effective for solving crimes. But, The Capture poses the question of how far law enforcement should go to prove that a crime has been committed. This series does a great job at exploring the psychology behind CCTV and how it plays a role in our society, rather than focusing on the technical aspects.
The Capture also presents the horrifying reality that what you are seeing, even if it's live, can be manipulated. In one of the most horrifying scenes of the series, it is shown how, in real time, someone on a live news show can have their image and words completely altered and aired to the masses. While that may seem like a sci-fi concept, it's hard to ignore that the existence of deepfakes and facial recognition software can make something like that very possible. The idea of doctoring footage to create "truth reenacted", as one character puts it, is especially chilling.
While Chanan's writing is not at all preachy, it is definitely educational and compelling. The Capture is unfortunately alarmingly relevant as it discusses how the weaponization of AI and surveillance can have a real world impact. Along with its solid cast and layered storytelling, The Capture has been praised by audiences and critics alike as a thought-provoking and highly entertaining watch for any fan of the genre.
Seasons 1 and 2 of The Capture are available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
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The Capture TV-MA CrimeMysteryThriller Release Date September 4, 2019 Cast Holliday Grainger , Ben Miles , Lia Williams , Cavan Clerkin , Ginny Holder , Ron Perlman , Nigel Lindsay , Peter Singh Seasons 2
WATCH ON PEACOCK