TV Review: SURVIVE: Season 1, Episode 1: Welcome to Life House [Quibi]

Survive Welcome to Life House Review

Quibi‘s Survive: Season 1, Episode 1: Welcome to Life House, despite its eight-minute length, accomplishes a profusion of detail. Following this episode, it leaves the viewer wanting to know what happens next, which is due to the interesting storyline and the problem the protagonist Jane (Sophie Turner) faces. Moreover, the real-world issues of suicide, depression, and anxiety brought to life in the opening episode gives the plot even more meaning.

The opening scene of Jane’s nightmare immediately grabs the attention of the audience, which is something that is needed when it comes to these short episodes. With a short period of time, it is essential to convey as much action and detail as possible so the viewer is left with the feeling that something was accomplished after watching. The bright, flashing colors and fast movement of the scene make for an interesting and even confusing opening. The scene was short, but well executed and is a unique way to show that Jane is having trouble with the grief of a loved one.

One really interesting point is when Jane mentions that she doesn’t want to fill her roommate in on her plans because she would be an “accomplice”. Based on what we already know, we can infer she is referring to suicide, and she doesn’t want her to be involved. Roughly two minutes in, the audience already has somewhat of an idea on what the plot of the series will entail. These short episodes must get to the point, and that is a continued theme throughout the first installment of the series.

Jane narrating the show gives it a more personal feel and is one strong aspect that I noticed. Throughout the episode, it is clear the directors do a solid job at creating a sense of connection to the people at the life house. The brief scene showing the board of all the names who live at the house gives the watcher a sense that the problems these people face are real. After all, this series was produced to shed light on emotional health and to promote these issues the characters are battling. It is powerful to see these people and recognize the inner problems they possess and how hard they work to fight them. As a result, the overall meaning of this series is more than clear following the conclusion of this episode.

As the episode progresses, Jane’s thoughts are not only moving but essential to the plot. Hearing her explain what it’s like to think about suicide and reflect on the time she almost killed herself is powerful and deepens that connection with Jane. We soon realize that Jane has hit her breaking point, and immediately ask ourselves why. I think this was implemented perfectly, and it sets up the other episodes in the series. However, I thought the way Jane easily obtains the drugs from the pharmacy is slightly unrealistic, given the low security of the cabinet. But, again, with eight minutes the creators don’t have much to work with.

The final scene left me thinking, which is exactly how every TV episode should end- with the viewer partially confused, wondering what will happen next. Jane makes a point about her lying, and we don’t know if she is a good or bad liar. We don’t know exactly what she is lying about, whether that be her whereabouts after she is released or her upcoming plan. At the conclusion of the episode, I felt surprised. With the episode being so short, I was shocked by how much I was able to get out of it. I was able to learn more about real-world places like the life house and dive into a storyline that forces me to keep watching.

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