Review: Netflix’s KAOS Is a Funny, Surprising Take on Greek Mythology

This week, Netflix made the mistake of cancelling its unique Greek mythology comedy series KAOS after just one season. But this show, led by Jeff Goldblum’s inspired take on Zeus, deserved a longer run—and not just because everything Goldblum touches turns to gold (that particular myth isn’t part of the show). Here’s why you should be watching this fresh take on old gods.

It is unabashedly ambitious.

With three plot lines, too many mythological references to count, and a climax that takes the entire first season to build, KAOS may seem like a risky undertaking. But it pays off. Viewers with any reference point at all for mythology, even a casual interest, will find they can keep up with the fast pace of this show. Writer Charlie Covell (The End of the F***ing World) spans genres and styles across these eight episodes, but the distinct tone given to each setting—Wes Anderson-esque Olympus (replete with tracksuits and retro headband-sporting ball boys), the monochromatic Underworld, and contemporary Earth(ish)—keeps us grounded and curious.

Jeff Goldblum (right) plays an increasingly paranoid Zeus in KAOS. Image by Justin Downing/Netflix.
The myth-inspired humor is on point.

“Why didn’t I turn to stone?!” one of the unsaturated soul-women asks Medusa, whose snakes have come loose from her headwrap in a memorable scene in the Underworld. The gorgon’s deadpan reply: “…’cause you’re fucking dead.” At another point, in response to vandalism of an altar to the Gods, Zeus whines, “They put poop all over our statue.” His brother Poseidon does a spit-take. There are more nuanced jokes, too, which fans of mythology will find hidden like Easter eggs throughout. One I enjoyed was a throwaway line during a scene on the River Styx, in which a captain notes that the man who went overboard was taken by Scylla, with no further explanation to the other passenger. If you know, you know (it’s not good).

Debi Mazar as Medusa in KAOS. Image courtesy of Netflix.
It has real (human) heart.

Counter to the humorous, soap-opera dramas of the Gods, the mortal dilemmas in KAOS are incredibly relatable. Aurora Perrineau goes deep with her portrayal of Riddy (Eurydice) and her falling-out-of-love story with Killian Scott (Orpheus), and writer Covell takes this traditional myth in a very different direction than expected. When Eurydice eventually begs Orpheus to look back at her as they return to Earth from the Underworld, it isn’t the iconic trapped-by-Hades scene you might expect. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you suddenly have “dust in your eye.”

The religious zealots and political violence are all too relevant.

Set in a version of present-day Crete in which people who worship the Greek Gods are even more pious than Evangelicals, KAOS doesn’t shy away from pointing a finger at the dangers of blind faith. Several mortals question the theocracy in which they live, causing a cascading series of events that just might overthrow the godly order. But King Minos' iron-fisted rule over his people is questioned just as much as Zeus’ immortal power, and the violence both are willing to commit to maintain their status has eerie echoes in our current time. Minus the whole sentenced-to-death-by-Minotaur thing. Shout-out to Leila Farzad for her incredibly nuanced and heartfelt portrayal of Ari (Ariadne), who doesn't need a Theseus to bring justice to the man who created this Minotaur. It's another unique spin on the myth you think you already know. That is the gift of KAOS.

KAOS is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Elizabeth Niarchos Neukirch

Elizabeth Niarchos Neukirch is a Greek American writer and PR consultant for Chicago arts and nonprofit organizations. Her fiction, essays and criticism have appeared in publications including Mississippi Review, Take ONE Magazine, The Sunlight Press and The Daily Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter/X at @EJNeukirch and learn more at elizabethniarchosneukirch.com. Photo by Diane Alexander White.