Neverland

Raised on the streets of turn-of-the century London, orphaned Peter and his pals survive by their fearless wits as cunning young pickpockets. Now, they've been rounded up by their mentor Jimmy Hook to snatch a priceless—some believe, magical—treasure which transports them to Neverland.

Neverland (2011) is an American two-part fantasy adventure miniseries broadcast on Syfy, a grimy reimagining of the Peter Pan legend. Charlie Rowe plays Peter, an orphaned street kid and cunning pickpocket in turn-of-the-century London who survives on his fearless wits alongside his close-knit band of young thieves. Their mentor, Jimmy Hook, played by Rhys Ifans, recruits the crew for a dangerous job: snatching a priceless treasure, some believe to be magical. The theft delivers them into Neverland, a rough and unpredictable otherworld where pirates, rival factions and strange powers test their loyalty and nerve. Anna Friel appears as Captain Elizabeth Bonny, while Charles Dance and Bob Hoskins add weight to the supporting cast. The engine of the story is survival: the kids must outwit those who would use them while trying to hold on to one another. The tone is gritty and adventurous, with a melancholy edge beneath the swashbuckling action. Because it runs only two episodes of roughly eighty-five minutes each, it moves briskly and stays focused on its central heist and its journey. Fans of Hook and Once Upon a Time will find resonance in its blend of familiar myth and darker, character-driven fantasy.

Reviewers find this darker, grittier reimagining of the Peter Pan legend intriguing but uneven, with strong lead and supporting performances.

• Once Upon a Timeshared fantasy adventure reimagining of a classic children's story with darker tones and pirate action
• Hookshared retelling of Peter Pan with grittier, adult-leaning take on the characters
• Dickensianshared young outsiders in a rough historical London world with fantasy elements

Release Date

2011-12-04

Episode runtime

85 min

Rating

6.3 / 10 (216)

What is Neverland about?

Orphaned London pickpockets are drawn by their mentor into a stolen magical treasure that transports them to a dangerous Neverland.

What is Neverland like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Neverland as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Neverland violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Neverland as moderate.

What did critics think of Neverland?

Reviewers find this darker, grittier reimagining of the Peter Pan legend intriguing but uneven, with strong lead and supporting performances.

Which shows are like Neverland?

Shows with a similar feel include Once Upon a Time, Hook, and Dickensian.

How long is Neverland?

Neverland: 1 season, 2 episodes.

Is Neverland still running?

No, Neverland has ended.