This article contains spoilers.
Tomorrow and I (Anakhot, 2024) Episode 1 “Black Sheep” Recap:
The first episode opens in ISA (Thai Space Agency), where Dr. Noon is successful in enabling cardiomyocytes to form a heart in an anti-gravity environment. This mechanism can now be used to make 3D printing of hearts and other organs possible. Excited about the breakthrough, Dr. Noon calls her husband, Nont, and shares the good news. Soon, Dr. Noon will return to Earth. On the day of return, a fire breaks out in the air supply unit, killing every astronaut, including Dr. Noon. This news devastates Nont, who struggles to cope with his wife’s death. The funeral is held for 100 days as per Buddhist traditions.
After that, Nont spent time looking at videos of Dr. Noon. In a flashback, we see Dr. Noon and Nont meeting during an exhibit. While the rest of Nont’s classmates presented a futuristic life on the Moon, Nont represented life on the Moon from an emotional point of view. As the first few inhabitants on the Moon feel lonely, Nont has made a cozy house for the person to live in. This thought process impresses Dr. Noon. In one of the clips, Nont watches, we know that their pet dog Harvey passed away, so they clone the dog along with its memories. This clip gives Nont an idea, and he heads to the cloning center to meet Vee (Dr. Noon’s friend and clone specialist) and asks her to clone Dr. Noon.
Will Dr. Noon’s family permit Nont to clone Dr. Noon?
Since cloning human beings is illegal, Vee is against the idea. Nont tries to convince Vee to reconsider. After careful consideration, Vee agrees to clone Dr. Noon. Before they proceed with the process, Vee asks Nont to get permission from Dr. Noon’s family, as Vee requires Dr. Noon’s brain to retrieve all the memories. Later, Nont heads to Dr. Noon’s house, where the family is against letting Nont clone Dr. Noon. Annoyed, Nont leaves and heads to the hospital where Dr. Noon’s body is stored.
However, Dr. Noon’s father warns the people at the hospital about the situation, so they kick him out of the hospital. Since Nont is stubborn, Dr. Noon’s father decides to cremate the body the next day. By then, Nont creates a panic situation in the hospital by activating an emergency alarm and steals Dr. Noon’s brain. When Dr. Noon’s father arrives at the hospital, he is shocked to see the brain missing.
In the cloning center, Vee tells Nont that they only have one shot at this, as a dead person’s brain is fragile. While retrieving data, there is a warning, and this occurs when there are two contradicting ideas within a person. So Vee asks Nont to go back home as Vee can handle the rest. At night, Vee calls Nont to the cloning center because there is an anomaly. After hearing what Vee has to say, Nont is frustrated.
What is Dr. Noon’s secret?
Vee gives Nont a chance to choose whether he wants to continue the cloning process or stop it. By then, cops arrive and arrest Nont, and Nont is given a three-year prison sentence effective immediately. Three years later, when Nont comes out of prison, someone waits for Nont and introduces themselves as Nont. In a flashback, we learn that growing up, Dr. Noon was looking up sex reassignment surgery.
Furthermore, Dr. Noon also tells her parents about how she feels, but all they want is for their daughter to be a ‘normal’ girl. So Dr. Noon compromises and agrees to marry Nont as well. The reason Dr. Noon married Nont is because Nont didn’t have any expectations from Dr. Noon and used to let Dr. Noon be herself.
However, Nont feels deceived, so Vee gives Nont time to think things over. When Nont realizes cops are chasing him, Nont tells Vee to clone Dr. Noon but change her gender to a man. Outside the prison gates, a cloned Dr. Noon hugs Nont. However, Dr. Noon is now a man. Now cloned, Dr. Noon asks Nont if he can use Nont’s name, and Nont gives his permission.
Furthermore, Dr. Nont works with ISA, and Dr. Nont has told them the truth about the Cloning. ISA has agreed to let Dr. Nont work with them on the condition that Dr. Nont will be part of the crew that will colonize the Moon. In three months, Dr. Nont will be leaving for the Moon. Five years later, Dr. Nont has been successful in printing many organs other than the heart. While Dr. Nont is on the Moon, Nont watches the interview on Earth with Vee. Sadly, Nont thinks there is no place for Black Sheep on Earth.
Tomorrow and I (Anakhot, 2024) Episode 2 “Paradistopia” Recap:
The second episode opens with Jessica Heartihill in a self-driving car arriving at Gamalore city. Then we learn about Jessica Heartihill. In an interview, Jessica is asked about Paradise X (Jessica’s company). The company makes sex robots to satisfy the needs of people. However, Jessica needs funding to continue with the business, so Jessica approaches the Right Wing Corporation, who think the idea goes against the morals of the people of the country. So Jessica looks to Mr. Chairman to back her up. The reason Jessica does this is that she has let the Chairman use one of the sex robots and gifted the Chairman one sex robot, hoping for support. Sadly, the Chairman does not stand with Jessica.
In another show, Jessica says Paradise X gives other sex workers work as trainers for these sex robots. Furthermore, Jessica points out that the politicians and others don’t even acknowledge that there is sex work in the country. The reason Paradise X sex robots are unique is that a lot of research has gone into it to understand people’s preferences, including sex positions. In Paradise X, one of the former sex workers trains a sex robot, and Jessica’s boyfriend, Witt Hustler, tests the sex robot. There is an opportunity for Jessica to make her voice heard as the makers of Damn Hot Topic have invited Jessica to debate with Gemina.
Will Jessica secure a business license for Paradise X?
During the debate, Gemina constantly points out that having sex robots goes against the morals of their society. So Jessica shows them videos of different sorts of people using Paradise X sex products and benefitting from them. However, Jessica is stumped when Gemina asks how the company is going to prevent people from becoming violent. To divert people’s attention, Jessica reminds Gemina that her husband uses all the models produced by Paradise X. The situation gets out of control as the debate becomes a contest of personal attacks.
Meanwhile, Witt tests one of the sex robots and starts to slap the robot. Soon, Jessica goes to open Paradise X arena, but the people are against it. Outside the building, Jessica tries to reason with the protesters, but they start throwing things at Jessica. That night, Jessica has a nightmare about her dreams getting crushed. Now, Jessica takes matters into her own hands and visits potential investors for help.
However, Jessica runs into a problem when she approaches a man who can help her get a business license. As usual, Jessica tries to bribe the man with a sex robot, but he says he prefers real women and unzips his pants. After that, the man asks Jessica to crawl over to him. Since Jessica is desperate, she obliges with a heavy heart. After this ordeal, Jessica hopes the business license is issued, but Paradise X does not receive the permit. Even Witt is nowhere to be seen.
Will people accept Paradise X?
In a flashback, we see a young Jessica studying when her mother brings home a client. It turns out Jessica and Witt were neighbors and had known each other since childhood. A while later, Witt attends a show and says that the Paradise X robots that have been sent to the rich and powerful have cameras in them. This sends all these people into a panicked state, and they reach out to Jessica. Now Jessica is able to get investors because of this mess. Furthermore, Jessica and Witt planned all of this. That night, as Jessica and Witt make love, Witt slaps Jessica while having sex. Immediately, Witt realizes it is because of sleeping with the sex robot. In a flashback, we also learn that Jessica’s mother’s clients would often ask to sleep with Jessica as well.
It is the launch of the arena, and Jessica announces that people can customize their robots as per their sexual preference. This will help the customers be true to who they are. Amongst everyone’s preferences, one man tries to set the age for the robot to be younger than 18 years. Two months after the launch, activists petition to investigate Jessica. The arena is closed, and Jessica is fined and serves three years in prison. Once Jessica is out of prison, she initiates another start-up. This time, the start-up sticks to the morals of the society. The new start-up is called Maid X. It consists of robots that are maids that take care of all household chores.
Tomorrow and I (Anakhot, 2024) Episode 3 “Buddha Data” Recap:
The third episode opens in a futuristic world with drones flying around, futuristic cars on the road, and most things run by robots. A monk named Anek walks with his iBuddy robot, dejected as nobody gives alms to the monks anymore. As Anek walks on the streets, he bumps into teenagers who provide food to the needy. In return, a device gives them merit points for helping the needy. Unfortunately, providing food to a monk will not have any merit, so the teenagers don’t help monk Anek. This new device in the market called the ULTRA, transforms how Buddhism is practiced in the country. It has been a year since the launch of the device. A news report takes the viewers to the day of the inaugural.
Why are monks and temples in distress?
The CEO and mastermind behind ULTRA Neo developed this device to represent Dhamma in its purest form. The merits earned can be used to buy goods online or in stores. Among the teenagers is a girl named Uei who wants to help Anek, but her friends stop her because that won’t get them merits. So Anek tries to teach the boy what the Buddhist teachings say, but ULTRA disproves what Anek believes in. Because of ULTRA, nobody visits the temples or buys consecrated items, which hurts the situation of the temple and monks. That night, Anek visits the store in the market to buy some batteries for IBuddy, but the lady does not give a discount. So Atom (Anek’s former colleague) helps Anek out.
Furthermore, Atom asks Anek to write the code for a new product that Atom has launched. As they converse, Atom brings out a ULTRA given to him by a customer. However, Atom does not like to use ULTRA, so Anek asks for the device to test it out. At the temple, Anek uses ULTRA and gives feedback about the merit system, which misleads people. Immediately, Anek is awarded merit points for providing feedback. The next day, Anek is out on the streets when Uei approaches him and gives him food. At that time, Uei’s friend asks Uei to join him to donate to an orphanage, but Uei refuses to go. So the boy troubles Uei, and Uei throws her ULTRA into the water. When the boy physically hurts Uei, IBuddy comes to the girl’s rescue.
What is Neo and Anek’s story?
Later, Atom fixes IBuddy and says IBuddy remembered most of what Anek said. Immediately, Anek uses ULTRA to make a complaint and is asked to come to ULTRA HQ. As soon as Anek and Atom enter the house, they are met by a couple who beg Anek to show them a way to heaven. To do that, the couple offers their house and car as a donation to the temple. However, Anek notices something is off.
Out comes Neo, who tells Anek his life story. Many years ago, this couple donated everything they had to the temple to be in a better place in the afterlife. This led to the couple having a lot of debt. To escape the debt, the couple decided to kill themselves and burn the house. Fortunately or unfortunately, the couple’s son survived. That son is none other than Neo. Because of this tragedy, Neo believes anything that a person does should either be rewarded or punished in this lifetime. With this thought, ULTRA is created.
Now, Neo offers Anek and Atom a job to work with Neo and complete ULTRA. If there is Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, then ULTRA will be complete. Hearing this, Anek leaves the headquarters. At the temple, Anek tells Atom the reason Anek became a monk. Like anyone else, Anek worked as a software engineer/coder and overworked himself.
One day, Anek got a call that his mother has leukemia. On her deathbed, Anek’s mother asked Anek to get ordained as Anek’s mother had always had dreams about Buddha’s tooth in her belly when she was pregnant with Anek. The belief is that Anek will help Buddhism during a crisis. During that time, Anek made a vague promise to his mother and continued to work. When Anek’s project was pulled off, Anek decided to kill himself.
What technology does Anek create?
The only reason Anek stopped himself is because he saw an Abbot watching him. While testing ULTRA and using IBuddy, Anek began coding something that was going to change Buddhism. Taking Atom’s help, Anek launches IBuddha, which is similar to ULTRA but has Buddhist teachings from different Abbots and monks from the country.
Like ULTRA, there is a merit system, but this works as people work on their Buddhist practice. As they gain merit points, they can redeem them to get free app service for the next month. The technology works by using the Abbot’s brain waves. Immediately, people start using IBuddha more than ULTRA. Furthermore, the ULTRA merit system has begun to cause a lot of problems. Now, Anek is satisfied as he fulfills his mother’s wishes.
Unfortunately, IBuddha faces a similar issue to ULTRA as the Abbot is seen sexually harassing a young girl trying to use the app. When Atom and Anek confront the Abbot, it turns out this happened a long time ago, before the Abbot was a monk. The reason something like this happened is because the Abbot’s brain waves were used without filtering the memories. Now, the Abbot faces the angry mob asking for forgiveness. The IBuddha sales have dropped, but ULTRA continues, but not as it used to. Soon, Anek bids farewell to IBuddy gives up his role as a monk, and walks out of the temple. Outside, Anek sees a kid using ULTRA. In the end, Anek wears his cap and walks out into the streets.
Tomorrow and I (Anakhot, 2024) Episode 4 “Octopus Girl” Recap:
The fourth episode opens with a new report about incessant rain across the world for over two years. The scientists have not figured out the reason for this phenomenon. The cities have risen higher than the sea level, and everything below acts as a drainage tunnel. Somewhere in Bangkok, Kalapangha, aka Pang, recites an essay about the effects of global warming. After school, Pang and her best friend Mook walk home. The whole neighborhood of Neo Khlong Toei loves Pang and Mook. Neo Khlong Toei is one of those neighborhoods that are still close to the underground as the community there cannot afford high-rise buildings.
An announcement is made about a new viral outbreak. The outbreak is of a new variant of dengue virus caused by mosquitoes. As this announcement is ongoing, a mosquito bites Mook. After a while, Mook visits Pang’s house, and the whole family dances to K-Pop music. While the kids are hanging out, Pang overhears her mother saying she lost her job as a garbage collector because robots took over. There is a broadcast by IUN telling the world that they have created a vaccine that can help humans withstand any temperature. However, the vaccine has side effects as the people who have used it develop tentacles from the chin. Now, the Thai government is unwilling to bring the vaccines over. The citizens are divided on the subject.
Why did Pang become a viral sensation?
The government wants to build domes to save people from the downpour. Even though Pang is a child, she is concerned about global warming and is sad that she is unable to do much to help the situation. As they talk, a singing competition is announced, so Mook takes Pang to the competition as Pang is a terrific singer. As soon as Pang starts singing, the judges are moved by Pang’s angelic voice. The judges ask Pang what she would do if she won the prize money. Pang says she wants to buy a house for her parents. Furthermore, Pang wants to buy vaccinations for her entire community. The sad thing for Pang is that soon, her area will be underwater.
Back home, the whole neighborhood watches Pang perform on TV. A man informs the group that Pang has gone viral on the internet. Because of Pang’s words, people pressure the government to help the needy. The next day at school, a teacher announces that the Prime Minister will be visiting their school, and Pang is to welcome him. The reason the Prime Minister is coming is to give Alternanthera. Later that day, Mook tells Pang that he has become famous and that people want to build a statue of Pang. So Pang says if that is true, then there needs to be a Mook statue as well. Now he notices that Mook’s rashes are getting worse.
Will the vaccination help people?
That night, Mook sleeps in Pang’s house. In the middle of the night, Pang’s family wakes up to see the roof falling over and the neighborhood drowning. The whole neighborhood is evacuated. In the shelter, the Prime Minister has staged an entire scene to prove he cares about the common man, and Mook takes part in this gimmick. As the Prime Minister hugs Mook, he notices skin rashes on her and puss oozing out of it. Immediately, the Prime Minister pushes Mook away and realizes that the media is watching. In the process of getting pushed, Mook takes the Prime Minister’s mask, revealing that he has taken the vaccine. The public protests against the government officials and the current government is dissolved immediately.
Later, there is a statue of Mook and Pang near their school. Furthermore, Mook and Pang get awards for their help in these dire situations. After a while, everyone has taken the vaccine and has the side effects of tentacles. However, the vaccine has helped people from falling sick and dying. The government has helped the Neo Khlong Toei community by making proper structures of roads and buildings. The world celebrates, thinking the fight is over and living with rain is the new normal. Suddenly, there is sunlight after so many years. The whole world gets out to soak in the sunshine. The joy is short-lived as the sun burns down people and the world as a whole. Pang asks, “Why did people do so much damage to the world?”
Tomorrow and I (Anakhot, 2024) Review:
Sci-fi as a genre has given us countless stories across films, shows, and literature, but lately, the hot topic has been AI taking over. Amid the constant buzz surrounding AI, Director Paween Purijitpanya and the show’s writers have crafted something truly meaningful. Each of the series’s four episodes tells a distinct story, exploring the profound impact of technology on our lives and relationships. The fourth story, in particular, brings attention to the urgent issues of nature and climate change. While each story captivates with its powerful messages, the series also reminds us that while technology can make life easier, it also comes with its share of drawbacks. One common criticism, however, is the pacing, as some episodes could have benefited from a tighter structure.
In the first story, Black Sheep, the CGI, and VFX are used effectively, but the back-and-forth timeline structure feels unnecessary, interrupting the viewer’s engagement. A more linear narrative focusing on Nont and Noon would have been more impactful. This episode explores cloning and gender dysphoria, offering a poignant narrative that highlights how technology has advanced while society still struggles with equality and acceptance.
The second story, Paradistopia, is a visual triumph. From the costumes and sets to the graphics, everything is top-notch. The unique concept centers around the creation of sex robots with an emotional twist, delving into Jessica’s childhood and the reasons she started her company. This episode brings conflict and resolution, with stellar performances from the entire cast, particularly Violette Wautier, whose compelling portrayal adds depth and complexity to the story.
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One aspect of the series that didn’t quite resonate with me was the sepia and black-and-white effect used in certain scenes. Since the story isn’t based on actual events, it felt unnecessary and somewhat distracting. The narrative centers around a moral debate, particularly the complex issue of accepting sex work within an Asian country, and explores how the government handles this sensitive situation.
The third story, Buddha Data, is a fascinating exploration of the intersection between religion and technology. It’s intriguing to see how monks embrace technological advancements, yet the story leaves us questioning whether it’s wise to give technology so much power. The parallel stories of Neo and Anek offer insight into their motivations and actions, adding depth to the narrative. The production effectively balances the futuristic setting with the themes of religion, giving each the space to shine.
Octopus Girl, the final story, tackles the issue of global warming from the perspective of children, highlighting the challenges the next generation may face if we don’t act now. While the over-the-top acting and musical numbers may seem exaggerated, the story’s message is striking and unsettling. It paints a grim picture of the world’s future due to global warming, and the situation feels eerily close to reality. The young cast delivers strong performances, and the story also touches on the outbreak of disease, revealing how the rich seize vaccines before the general population. The ending, in particular, leaves you reflecting on the uncertain future ahead.
