
THE LAZARUS PROJECT
A propulsive thriller from a friend of EJ, Joe Barton, The Lazarus Project follows George (Paapa Essiedu) who finds himself trapped in a time loop and discovers a secret organisation that works to prevent global catastrophe by resetting time.
It’s modern, it’s now. Even set against the vast landscape of a science fiction tale, the trials and tribulations of the show’s characters feel current and ostensibly real. The show grounds itself in the very real stress of world-ending anxiety that we, the Information Generation, are exposed to daily. The onslaught of news, opinion, amongst everything else, can make every day feel like the end of the world and that anxiety is what The Lazarus Project takes hold of and runs absolutely wild with. With bullwhip wit, the show breathes a unique life into a genre that is bogged down with hero celebration and asks of itself, ‘How would a real person react to having to save the world?’
And the answer is they’d do it in a complicated, messy, evocative and humorous way.

What has fast become the signature flair of Barton’s writing is a vibrant, thudding heart in each and every character. No matter how small the role, they coarse with a brightness that can only be crafted by a writer with a deep appreciation for humanity and all its humility. He allows his characters to be awkward and cringe-worthy when necessary — never overdone — and celebrates the small interactions that relationships are built on. The end result is a perfectly succinct, character-driven story that never asks for your empathy, but you find yourself powerless to give it.
All episodes of The Lazarus Project are available on Sky Max and NowTV
Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeBarton_
Word By: Beth Bennett (@itsbethb)
Images courtesy of: Sky