AMC’s newest series, Nautilus, mixes historical fiction with fantasy as it reimagines Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea through the eyes of Captain Nemo (Shazad Latif). The pilot introduces us to our protagonist as he flees imprisonment under British rule.

A ship from London sailing to Bombay, India, collides with something from under the sea. Its inhabitants soon find themselves capsized. We follow this horrific event through the eyes of a few characters. Miss Humility Lucas (Georgia Flood), a young engineer and scientist; her loyal hand Loti (Céline Menville), and an errand slave boy named Blaster (Kayden Price). They are led by Captain Youngblood (Jacob Collins-Levy), whose crew immediately mans the lifeboats. Soon, the shipwrecked travelers come face-to-face with whoever destroyed their ship.

The scene rewinds eight hours earlier to Kalpani, India. Here, we meet Nemo enslaved with other men and women by the East India Mercantile Company. Apart from being falsely imprisoned, they’re forced to assemble a vessel known as the Nautilus, a state-of-the-art submarine. Nemo himself helped construct the machine and plans to use it in his revolt. It’s now or never as he instructs his fellow conspirators, including a Frenchman named Gustave Benoit, into action. A battle ensues as they seize control of the vessel. Nemo imprisons the Company soldiers, including Director Crawley (Damien Garvey), who wants to regain control of the Nautilus before word of its existence reaches the EIMC Head Office in London.

We return to the present moment as the Nautilus intercepts Captain Youngblood’s ship. Instead of killing the Company troops, Nemo instructs an exchange; his prisoners for the women and children. Miss Lucas, Loti, and Blaster board the Nautilus as Youngblood makes room for Crawley and his men. The Nautilus and Nemo escape as Crawley and Youngblood patiently wade to the shores of Bombay. Once here, Crawley convinces  Youngblood to lead the pursuit to capture Nemo aboard a battleship called The Dreadnought.

Once in the Nautilus, we meet the diverse characters making up Nemo’s crew. In addition to Benoit, who joined Nemo’s rebellion after learning the Company’s intentions with the new machine, we meet Kai, Turan, Boniface Adamu, Ranbir Lodhari, Jagadish, Jiacomo, and Suyin. As they get their bearings, Benoit suggests they return to the shore to recoup supplies and make necessary repairs. But Nemo insists they continue full speed ahead to escape Company territory.

When asked if he has a plan, Nemo reveals his goal to travel to the Northern Sea and find the hidden Norse treasure. As the crew digests this revelation, the Nautilus begins to lose power, sinking into the unknown abyss below.

Reminiscent of series such as Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules, Nautilus is an entertaining romp of lighthearted humor, action, and decent performances. Its backdrop of historical fiction, specifically colonized rule in India, brings heightened suspense and gravitas to the story. The title, “Anahata,” which means “unhurt, unstruck, unbeaten” in Hindu Yogic traditions, describes Latif’s Nemo. Despite his life being unjustly stripped from him, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of freedom and vengeance against his enemies. Despite some pacing issues and an anticlimactic emotional scene, the pilot serves its purpose, introducing us to these familiar yet interesting characters and the fantastical journey that awaits.

Rating: 7.5