SyFy are joining forces with Relativity Television – who delivered us the cautionary cyber show Catfish – to create an unscripted reality series surrounding the world of cyber-crime. The network’s aim is to “take viewers deep inside the shadowy and dangerous world of high-tech hackers for the very first time,” in a show they’re decided to call… Hackers. Sorry folks, it’s not a small-screen reboot of the so-bad-it’s-good 1995 flick.
Approaching a series of notorious hacking scandals on a week-by-week basis, the show will explore the law enforcement angle while leaping into the head-space of those responsible. The last part is presumably for some edgy emotional verisimilitude. The notion of watching a criminal hunched over a keyboard punching away at a fiendish plan might not seem like the most dynamic concept for a new reality property. However, SyFy are confident that their approach will pander to public curiosity of the specifics behind an actual hack:
Hackers will reveal the secrets behind the most infamous cyber-crimes ever committed, using sophisticated, never-before-seen digital graphics to create an experiential “hacking” scene that exposes what actually happens when a computer network is broken into – including what goes on inside the mind of the hacker.
In light of the industry’s most-talked about event of recent months – the Sony hacking – the show might be arriving at a most opportune time. Along with the imminent release of Michael Mann’s Blackhat, Hackers has the potential to entice viewers by harnessing private and public fears of techno-safety to boost ratings. As with most reality endeavours, it all depends on its execution and how those specific cases will present onscreen.
We’ll keep you posted on whether or not Hackers is granted a full series order, and when you’ll be able to catch it.
