Plot Synopsis

Created and written by Charlie Covell, KAOS is an eight-episode dramedy that's a twist on Greek Mythology set in the modern world, focusing on a dysfunctional family (of gods) -- cruel fathers, wayward sons, discontented wives, and warring brothers -- that takes a fresh look at power structures and the idea of the one percent. Zeus has long enjoyed his status as King of The Gods. That is until he wakes up one morning and discovers a wrinkle on his forehead. Neurosis sets in, setting him off on a dangerous, paranoid path. Zeus becomes convinced his fall is coming -- and starts to see signs of it everywhere. Zeus' once reliable brother, Hades, God of the Underworld, is secretly losing his grip on his dark dominion. There is a backlog of dead waiting to be processed and they are growing restless. Hera, Queen of the Gods, exercises dominion on Earth -- and over Zeus -- in her own unique way. But her power and freedom become threatened by Zeus' growing paranoia, and she is forced to act, while Zeus' rebellious son, Dionysus, is out of control and on course for a cosmic collision with his father. On Earth people are aching for change, however Poseidon, God of Sea, Storms and Earthquakes (and Horses) is more concerned with the size of his super-yacht and where the next party is at. The well-being of mere mortals is of little interest to him. Unfortunately for the Gods some of those mortals are beginning to realize this. These mortals -- Riddy, Orpheus, Caneus, and Ari -- come from different walks of life and are all cosmically connected in the battle against Zeus. Each one has a very different role to play, any one of them may be destined to bring down the Gods. All eight episodes of KAOS dropped on Thursday, August 29, 2024 on Netflix. About the characters:

Zeus is King of the gods: all-powerful yet desperately insecure. A megalomaniac in leisure wear, Zeus's paranoia is ignited one day when he finds a new wrinkle on his forehead. He becomes convinced that it is evidence of an ancient prophecy coming to pass: that he and the family of gods are going to fall from power. As he attempts to shore up his regime, Zeus makes dangerous enemies all over the place, fails to listen to those who are actually trying to help him and takes actions which threaten the survival of humanity itself.

Hera is queen of the gods, and married to Zeus (who also happens to be her brother). Life is pretty good for Hera when we meet her, but it becomes increasingly strained by her husband's increasing paranoia and obsession with his prophecy. As Zeus becomes more deranged in his actions, Hera is placed in real jeopardy. For she has an explosive secret that could threaten her very existence if Zeus were to discover it. Perhaps the best thing for Hera would be to strike out on her own.

Dionysus is Zeus's favorite son. His mother was mortal, and Hera turned her into a bee, Zeus made Dionysus a full god -- the keeper of Pleasure, Madness and Wild Frenzy. Up until this point all has been good but, recently, Dionysus has found himself a little... bored. He wants more: more power, and more respect from his family. He's fed up of being treated like a child. A moment of casual cruelty from Zeus pushes Dionysus into actions which are aimed to annoy his father, but end up threatening to rupture the entire world.

Hades is the god of death and Zeus' middle brother. He works harder than anyone else -- no breaks when you're looking after the Underworld -- and he's the only member of the family to take Zeus' prophecy seriously. His attempts at helping, however, backfire spectacularly.

Persephone is the queen of the Underworld and wife of Hades. She's spent much of her life dispelling rumors -- propagated through millennia of classical, Renaissance and modern art -- that she was captured by him and made a child bride. Persephone adores Hades and married him willingly. It's his family she can't stand.

Poseidon is god of the sea and Zeus' younger brother. Enjoying his chill life on a yacht near Krete, Poseidon is more of a relaxed pleasure-seeker than a harbinger of doom -- Speedos not spears. But Zeus' paranoia changes that, threatening the fabric of the family and putting both Poseidon and someone he loves in danger.

Prometheus is Zeus' oldest friend. He's also the person Zeus keeps chained to a cliff, and whose liver is pecked out every day by an eagle, as punishment for stealing fire from the gods and sharing it with humanity. According to Covell, the rivalry between Zeus and Prometheus is "the spine of the show" -- a personification of the conflict between the elites and the masses, between divine power and free will. Limited by physical manacles, there's little Prometheus can do to help in the plot against his jailor, but he's part of an ancient, much greater plan to take down Zeus and the gods. He's just praying that it finally works.

Riddy has no idea of her cosmic significance -- she barely feels significant in her own life. She's the wife of Orpheus, a world-famous musician, so her luxurious life seems enviable from the outside, but Riddy is deeply unhappy and she knows she needs to make a change. And as fate would have it, a chance encounter one morning at a supermarket offers just that. In most retellings of Greek mythology, "Riddy" is known as Eurydice.

Married to Riddy, Orpheus is a rock star. He's got a big heart, and an ego to match. When his life is ripped out from underneath him, Orpheus has a choice: to accept the cards he has been dealt, or attempt to defy death itself.

Caeneus has been dead for ten years, living an unchanging and unremarkable life in the Underworld until the day he's unexpectedly promoted and meets a stranger who will change the course of his existence.

Minos is the president of Krete and father of Ari. A man with supreme ambition and a ruthless core, there seems to be nothing he won't sacrifice to achieve power and please the gods. He really loves his daughter, but a long-buried secret threatens to be Minos' undoing.

Ari is President Minos' daughter and heir to his throne in Krete. She adores her father but has no relationship with her mother, who holds Ari responsible for the accidental death of her twin brother, Glaucus, when they both were children. Ari is consumed by guilt and grief, living a sheltered life in the palace. However, unforeseen events take Ari on a journey of vengeance.

Cassandra is a Trojan seeking refuge in Krete, who is subject to a terrible curse: She tells the truth, but no one believes a word she says. Will Riddy be the first person to listen to her?

Medusa has been dead for a long time. It feels like forever (the Underworld can do that to a person). She's in charge of Riverbank Management at the Lethe, and something of an adversary to Riddy and Caeneus when first we meet her. But is Medusa just a snake-haired bureaucrat, or is she part of something more sinister?

Lachy is one of the three Fates: a timeless, immortal being. The Fates write the prophecies given to all humans at birth, and they exist beyond Zeus' control. That is why he cannot abide them. Unbeknownst to Zeus, the Fates have actually been anticipating his fall for some time now. And have done quite a bit to help it along.