Apple TV's Circuit Breakers - Andrew Orenstein & Melody Fox discuss the power of science fiction (Exclusive)

Apple TV's Circuit Breakers is not your typical science fiction anthology series. Stories about the potential and perils of technology are brought to familiar settings.

Whether it's at school or home, Apple TV's Circuit Breakers focuses on the interplay between life and science. While the show is clearly aimed towards a younger demographic, everyone may relate to one or more of the stories the show delves into. SK Pop spoke to Creator Melody Fox and Executive Producer Andrew Orenstein about science fiction and much more.

In the interview, Fox spoke about the incredible power of science fiction as explored in Apple TV's Circuit Breakers.

"Science fiction stimulates the imagination. It helps you think outside of the box. And I think that people love to see things that are different. It's not what they see everyday in the office or in school. And to think of possibilities. The possibilities of what might come in the future."

Do watch the interview in its entirety below:

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Masterminds behind Apple TV's Circuit Breakers employed science fiction to tell relatable stories

Influenced by legendary science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, Orenstein and Fox want Circuit Breakers to both evoke and educate. Orenstein stated:

"Well, you know hopefully, cuz each episode is so different I hope it will foster an interest in science for children and also, some of our episodes that deal with real issues, like the environment, hopefully parents and kids will sit down and talk once the show is over about how active they can be in their own community and what they can do to make the world a little bit better."

While the broad generalization for the show may be science-fiction, the think-tank behind Apple TV's Circuit Breaker maintain that the story is about characters rather than technology. Fox added:

"Well, at the core, our show is about the characters. And we wanted to tell kid relatable stories that were going to be universal. But we used the science fiction and the technology as backdrops to just tell those stories in a little different way and maybe perhaps elevate the stories a little bit. But at the core it’s about characters."

Fox did not want Apple TV's Circuit Breakers to delve into science fiction topics that the audience would not relate to. She maintained:

"It’s about conflict and emotion and adventure and we didn’t want the technology and science to be so far ahead, we didn’t want to put it a hundred years in the future where there’s flying cars because that’s not going to be familiar to our audience."

She continued,

"We have ten year olds that are watching the show, they’re going to want to have some touchstones that are familiar like middle school."

Science fiction as a genre is more popular than ever in 2022. On Apple TV alone, shows like For All Mankind and Severance have received rave reviews. Orenstein spoke about the reason why science fiction has captured the imagination of so many across the world:

"I also think that maybe the reason now it’s becoming so popular is that our world is becoming so increasingly technology based. It’s just sort of…I think that we’re thinking about all these things and how much our lives have changed."

Equally intriguing and entertaining, Apple TV's Circuit Breakers is a treat for science fiction aficionados both young and old. Catch the premiere on November 11, 2022.