As a climate-anxious 21-year-old living in one of the top 19th cities to be underwater first (Vancouver) who calls the top 2nd city, Mumbai her home; I worry about everything from rising sea levels to acing her Sustainability Marketing course. To deal with my worries I also watch a lot of climate drama and dystopian sci-fi. One that I watched recently and lives in my head rent-free is Extrapolations.
With its focus on one of the most important concerns of our day, climate change, the new TV programme “Extrapolations” is creating a stir in the entertainment sector. The eight interconnected storylines of the series premiered on Apple TV+ in March 2023, address the personal, life-altering decisions that must be taken when the world is changing more quickly than the population.
But can a drama series actually make climate change a hot topic and make it popular? Without a doubt, the answer is yes. People can be engaged, informed, and motivated to act on serious issues through entertainment. The entertainment sector has long been at the forefront of educating the public about climate change, with documentaries like “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Chasing Ice” and TV shows like “Years of Living Dangerously” as examples. These films have raised awareness of climate change by utilizing gripping storytelling, relatable characters, and real-world examples.
The movie “Extrapolations” goes a step further by imagining a world where ignoring the effects of climate change has negative effects. The programme can educate viewers on the significance of acting by spotlighting the individual decisions that people must make in the face of a changing climate.
In the end, “Extrapolations” has the power to profoundly alter how people perceive climate change and the pressing need for action. In a manner that traditional news reporting and documentaries cannot, it has the ability to engage viewers. We can build a more sustainable future for the earth and for ourselves if we make climate change into a popular television show.
References:
IMDb.com. (n.d.). Extrapolations. IMDb. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13821126/mediaviewer/rm3432920065/?ref_=tt_ov_i
Victorian, B. (2023, March 23). The making of star-studded climate drama ‘extrapolations’: “I hope people are moved, entertained and perhaps a little bit scared”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/extrapolations-kit-harington-yara-shahidi-apple-climate-drama-1235352373/
Mangione, K. (2022, February 24). Ranking of which world cities will be underwater first puts Vancouver in the top 20. British Columbia. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://bc.ctvnews.ca/ranking-of-which-world-cities-will-be-underwater-first-puts-vancouver-in-the-top-20-1.5794552#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20mapping%2C%20much,the%20estimated%201.5%2Dmetre%20increase.
ShreekavyaMittal
April 11, 2023 — 10:11 am
Sounds like an interesting show to watch! What you said is so true! I am influenced so much by the entertainment I consume and it often helps me to upgrade my opinions/ actions. Media has always been a very influencing force to move large masses of people, and according to me, more highly in areas with low literacy rates because people are able to visualize situations. I hope that there will be more climate-focused media (like documentaries, shows, etc.)!
Emily
April 12, 2023 — 12:53 am
I am adding Extrapolations to my list! I think it is cool how stories can shape behavior when science isn’t enough. Humanizing climate change might make humans actually care about it (I am sure Meryl Streep helps too). I was looking up reviews and it seems like people either really like it or really hate it. Do you think Extrapolations was better than Don’t Look Up (the one with Leo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence)?