Microsoft and Xbox’s Halo comes to the silver screen on Paramount+. Originally announced back in 2013 the TV adaptation of Halo went through several development changes and troubles. At one point the series was to air on Showtime following the demise of Xbox’s in-house TV division. The series would manage to beat it’s development hell status making a full release on Paramount+ for a first and second season order.

Halo is a 2022 web TV adaptation of the video game of the same name, it is produced by Amblin Television & 343 Industries and distributed by Paramount Global Distribution Group.

Editor’s Note: Near complete to complete spoilers for Halo episode one may be present within this review. Spoilers for the Halo source material may be present within this review.

Since it’s debut on the original Xbox gaming consoles and the then subsequent rise of video game to TV & film adaptations fans of the legendary series Halo have always wonder what a proper adaptation would look like. That wonder has officially been realized through a brand new live-action TV series on Paramount+. Ironically releasing just four months after Halo’s 20th anniversary the TV series follows an alternate universe based on the game where Master Chief upon coming into contact with an alien artifact begins questioning his present and past.

THE GOOD: Halo takes place in an alternate universe to the source known as the “Silver Timeline”. The year is 2552 and the deadly Covenant are on a warpath throughout the galaxy. They attack an Insurrectionist outpost on planet Madrigal but are met with interference from the Spartans, the legendary group of super soldiers from UNSC (United Nations Space Command). Master Chief who leads a band of Spartans known as “Silver Team” saves the lone survivor of the attack; a teenage insurrectionist girl named Kwan Ha Boo. Chief and Silver Team investigate Madrigal and find a Forerunner artifact which has an effect on the former who seemingly regains memories of his past. After conversing with Dr. Halsey, Chief begins to question everything about himself. 

Following the defeat of the invading Covenant, Kwan is set up to meet with UNSC officer Miranda Keyes who wants to use her for PR, but having a hatred for the UNSC Kwan threatens to lie accusing the UNSC of the attack instead. Angered by her threat and lack of cooperation Admiral Margaret Parangosky orders Chief to bring the girl to Reach where she will be executed to protect the UNSC’s image. Chief who took the artifact going against protocol in the process instead goes rogue and gains Kwan’s trust by removing his helmet. Parangosky makes the order to kill both Chief & Kwan shocking Halsey who moves to help ensure Chief’s survival with the aid of Silver Team. With his ship down, Chief and Kwan prepare to either be captured or the start fire fight. Chief once again touches the ship which causes a black out on Reach’s power supply allowing him & Kwan to escape with full control of his ship. 

First, I think Pablo Schreiber’s performance as Master Chief should be commended. While it admittedly doesn’t feel necessary for Chief to ever remove his helmet I get the idea of humanizing him by putting a face behind the super solider for a wider audience. At the very least Schreiber is great in the role and when he’s in the helmet he tries his damnedest to match original voice actor Steve Downes’ energy and tone. Yerin Ha’s performance as Kwan acting as a sort of polar opposite to Chief also oddly works in like a Jiminy Cricket kind of way. She tries to get him to look at the UNSC from her perspective and what she experienced with them growing up as he himself is experiencing his own changed views of the organization. Second, while I’m rather familiar with Halo I’m not nearly as big of a fan as a good portion watching. I’m only just getting around to playing Halo Infinite for review.

That being said, those who are very connected to the wider Halo universe may be a tad upset with someone of the changes. I will say that the first episode impresses with it’s connection & usage of the source. And I was genuinely & pleasantly surprised with the lack of holding back on the violence. Like there’s some insane deaths in this show, but I feel like it was a bit light probably due to budget. However, if the first episode is anything to go by fans of the game are in for a treat in regards to the action scenes in the series. Halo has never particularly been an incredibly violent game, but here it makes sense in a way that doesn’t come off as a cheap prop to give the show some pump. 

THE BAD: The CGI is bad outside of like the Spartan suits? You see that image above of the Covenant alien? That’s not a low-quality image that’s kind of what they actually look like in the show. Pacing at least in the first episode is rather slow. It took like fifteen minutes for the first bit of action to get going. Focusing on story and human characters is fine, but even with changes severe or otherwise Halo at it’s core is still an action war based series. 

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Paramount+’s go at Halo has a tone of potential, but I think it’ll be in consistent battle with that potential. The premiere does a good job of respecting the lore, but how long will that last before Hollywood influence ultimately takes effect? Pablo Schreiber, Yerin Ha, and a good portion of the cast are a reason to stick around, but if the first script is any indication then the series may be in trouble a bit from a writing perspective. Otaku Dome gives Halo episode one a 75 out of 100.