When I learned that J. Michael Straczynski, creator and writer of the brilliant Babylon 5, would be writing a new science fiction series, I was very excited. And to make things even more exciting, he was joining forces with the Wachowskis – who, despite the not-good-at-all Jupiter Ascending, are still pioneers of science fiction.

Sense8, however, is different from anything they have ever done. In fact, it’s different from everything that ever has been done on television – at least as far as I can tell, and I do watch way too many TV shows. It’s not exactly science fiction. It has some fantasy elements, but it’s also not exactly fantasy. It is just so entirely human.

Sense8 is about eight humans all around the world who suddenly sense a connection to each other. It takes them a while to realize the extend of this connection, but eventually they realize that they can not only talk to each other in their minds, but they can also help each other by sharing their skills.

Sense8 is a show about emotion and empathy. Watching this was the most emotional TV experience I have had in a very long time. It’s like falling in love, having your heart broken and falling in love allover again, all at the same time. It’s almost as if you become a sensate yourself when watching this show, feeling everything these characters feel. That’s also why this idea works so well; the audience can empathize with every character, which is just what good storytelling is all about.

In addition to its emotional beauty, Sense8 is also a feast for the eyes. Unlike most TV shows these days, it is not shot in one Canadian city dressed as eight cities all around the world. It is actually shot in those cities and places, on location: San Francisco, Chicago, Iceland, London, Berlin, Nairobi, Mumbai and Seoul. This adds an entirely unknown level of authenticity to the show. All characters are shown in their native environment, in all their beauty. This makes watching Sense8 like traveling around the world without even leaving your sofa.

People have criticized the show for being slow and vague, but I can’t comprehend such criticism. The show is nothing but suspenseful and the topic of the show becomes obvious by the end of the season.1 Personally, I just can’t seem to find the words to describe the incredible awesomeness, stunning beauty and dazzling emotion of this show. It is definitely the most unusual show I have seen in a long time, and a true feast for every sense.