D.A.R.Y.L.

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, D.A.R.Y.L. Is available in the US on Hoopla right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Barret Oliver's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight on Hoopla and see for yourself.

D.A.R.Y.L. Is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry D.A.R.Y.L. Through its more ambitious moments. Daryl is a normal 10-year-old boy in many ways. However, unbeknown to his foster parents and friends, Daryl is actually a government-created robot with superhuman reflexes and mental abilities. Even his name has a hidden meaning -- it's actually an acronym for Data Analyzing Robot Youth Life-form. Barret Oliver and Mary Beth Hurt lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. It was released in 1985. D.A.R.Y.L. Resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give D.A.R.Y.L. A chance. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Watch for Barret Oliver in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.

D.A.R.Y.L. was released in 1985, directed by Simon Wincer. The full 100-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.