The wildly popular Bioware game series, Mass Effect, has gained a massive fan following that was re-awakened with the release of Mass Effect: Legendary, a long-awaited remastered version of the original trilogy. With the rumors of a TV show, based on it, in the works, many fans wonder whether a successful adaption of the game's world and the story is even possible.
Mass Effect is a sci-fi action RPG series that follows Commander Shepard and a diverse group of humans and aliens aboard the Normandy spaceship that face an ancient machine race, the Reapers, who threaten to destroy or enslave all races in the Milky Way galaxy. The trilogy's events are linked and escalating between the chapters, with the majority of choices made by the player having consequences and affecting the game's outcome. The choice-driven narrative, fleshed-out and relatable characters, heart-pumping action, clever gameplay, and the engaging overarching storyline made Mass Effect an iconic BioWare game and gained it a loyal following.
In 2010, BioWare announced that a movie, based on the series' first installment, was in the works, with Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. intending to co-produce and co-finance it. However, after multiple script re-writes due to the difficulty of condensing the game's vast world and story into 90-120 minutes' film and still doing it justice, the project was shelved and seemingly stuck in development hell. That is until the rumors have emerged about the Mass Effect's original trilogy being adapted into a TV series instead.
Henry Cavill, the lead actor of The Witcher and Man of Steel, has fueled the speculations with his Instagram post, showing him reading papers that contain Mass Effect-related words like "Cerberus," "Reaper," "Geth," and "Tali'Zorah" and a teasing message indicating a possibility of a secret project. Considering that the actor has previously expressed his willingness to star in such a show, and Amazon Prime Video is reportedly nearing a deal for a series, the rumors don't seem so far-fetched.
However, some fans and even a former BioWare lead writer have reservations about the feasibility of such a project and the dangers of it sacrificing many core elements that made the game series popular in the first place. At the same time, many are excited about the possibility of seeing their favorite characters and story on-screen. While it does seem unlikely that a movie or even a trilogy can accurately portray the game series' complex story and diverse relationships, a TV show might work, as demonstrated by another recent game-based series, Arcane: League of Legends. Here's why Mass Effect has a great potential for a TV adaptation and why it might face major challenges.
Challenge: Choice-Driven Narrative
The Mass Effect franchise is one of the rare cases of RPGs where the player's decisions truly impact the story, characters, and outcome. Some of the choices affect the lives of individuals, others influence the fates of colonies and planets, and some go as far as deciding whether or not an entire race gets to survive. What's more, the combination of the player's decisions directly impacts the game's ending, presenting several very different resolutions that affect the fate of the galaxy and its inhabitants.
In contrast, a TV show is bound to select one path that will inevitably reflect the choices of only one cohort of players and will potentially upset the rest. It will likely come down to how well-written, consistent, and engaging the story is and how well it fits the created world. If done right, the show can still win over reluctant game fans.
Potential: Expansive World and Lore
Mass Effect has a developed world, numerous planets, diverse races, and a complex political landscape that would make for a perfect TV adaptation. The amount of lore and history one can discover in a thorough playthrough can easily fill several books, presenting an ideal inspiration for the show's writers.
Many fans would be excited to revisit the majestic Citadel, sandy and worm-infested Tuchanka, graceful Thessia, shady Omega, and other familiar locations, as long as the show does a decent job at portraying them. The featured races are incredibly diverse, ranging from violent krogans to science-driven salarians to mono-gender and enchanting asari. On top of that, there are inter-racial relationships and conflicts, political machinations, and power struggles — the Mass Effect's world waits to share its story.
Challenge/Potential: Strong Protagonist
On the one hand, Shepard is a strong, relatable, all-around impressive protagonist, making an excellent series' lead if portrayed by the right actor. On the other hand, the RPG aspect of the game allows a player to alter Shepard's personality and background, as well as make choices that earn Paragon or Renegade points, turning Shepard into a noble hero or a vicious villain — all of which significantly impacts the story, character interactions, and even the game's ending.
A TV show will have to settle for a particular Shepard's personality type, history, and attitude, which will likely differ from many players' choices. Even the protagonist's gender might cause some division as it, too, is chosen by the player. However, if the selected portrayal is consistent and aligned with the rest of the story, it might yet satisfy the game fans.
Challenge/Potential: Distinct Squadmates
The Mass Effect franchise is famous for its diverse and fleshed-out companions, with larger-than-life personalities and memorable stories. Unlike many other action RPGs, Mass Effect's companions are there for more than just battle support and occasional chats but have meaningful personal quests that impact the characters themselves, Shepard, and the overall narrative. No two squad members are alike — a socially-awkward Asari archeologist, Liara, can't be more different from a fight-loving krogan mercenary, Wrex. The characters are already life-like and have great potential to be successfully adapted for the screen.
The challenge yet again comes from the RPG side of things. The player's choices affect the outcomes of the companions' quests and can even alter their personalities — like in the case of Garrus — so the show's creators will have to tread very lightly to do the beloved characters justice.
With its thrilling plotline, memorable side characters, relatable protagonist, and vast and colorful world, Mass Effect has immense potential as a TV show. As long as the writers keep the story consistent, utilize the source material without trying to cramp all side plots into one season, keep the same action-boiling pace, and accurately showcase the struggles that come from the consequences of the impossible choices, the series can be a success with both uninitiated viewers and hardcore game fans. Only time will tell whether or not the rumored show manages to meet these high expectations.
