AceShowbiz - The adult animated series Pantheon stands out among its peers as a show that makes viewers question their own mortality, their morality, and what they will accept as technology develops. Will there be a point where we think it's gone too far? Starring Katie Chang, Paul Dano, Aaron Eckhart, and Daniel Dae Kim and consisting of only two seasons, the sci-fi series delves into a psychological drama, conspiracy thriller, and romance all wrapped into one complex, beautiful story. Based on Ken Liu’s short stories and created by Craig Silverstein, Kim voices the protagonist’s father.

While most know Kim for his acting roles in Lost, Hawaii Five-0, and the recently-cancelled Butterfly, he’s also done voice acting in The Legend of Korra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and, most recently, in KPop Demon Hunters. But his most impressive voice work was definitely as the kind, complex, and adored father of Chang’s Maddie and husband of Rosemarie DeWitt's Ellen. What makes Pantheon so unique is its ability to balance action, drama, and philosophy, making it a must-watch for fans of the sci-fi genre.

The series starts with the viewers following Maddie Kim (Chang), a bullied teen who is still recovering from the grief of losing her father two years prior. Out of nowhere, she gets a mysterious message online. She soon discovers that the mysterious person is her deceased father — sort of. She finds that before his death, her father agreed to upload his mind. Her mother was told it had failed. Pantheon is trying to showcase the point of technological singularity, where technology surpasses human control and unpredictably changes human civilization forever.

The series shows how this secretive technology starts as a seed at the beginning of its run, but before we know it, it’s a forest that no tech company can control. Beyond this being a technological revelation, Maddie and her mother have to come to terms with the fact that their beloved person has, in a way, returned to life. While there are bumps in the road, they can’t believe they have a second chance at life with him, even if it is through a screen and in a virtual world. Kim excellently portrays a father who discovers that his reality has completely changed.

He has missed two years of his daughter’s life; she’s grown and evolved, and he’s missed it all. Moreover, his daughter and wife have had the chance to mourn him and now have to readjust their entire lives to his return to existence. Beyond the Kim family and the companies developing this technology, we also follow Caspian (Dano), who seems like a typical teenager obsessed with his computer and dealing with a rough situation at home with his mother. The show's exploration of complex themes and its well-developed characters make it a compelling watch, and it's a shame that it was cancelled far too soon.