I really love a good drama series—something filled with intensity, flecked with humor, and asking the deeper questions about life and humanity. I also love a good ensemble cast—a la "Lost" or "Firefly"—where you fall in love with each character and their story, and Netflix's new original series "Sense8" delivers on all these accounts

Created, written, and executive produced by Andy and Lana Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski, "Sense8" revolves around the lives of eight people spread across the globe, from Chicago to London to Seoul and more. Each of these people, known as "sensates," suddenly develops the ability to telepathically share experiences and emotions. They might abruptly find themselves in another part of the world, faced with the native sensate, or other times in the physical place of another sensate when a situation calls for it. It sounds trippy and confusing but that's because it is. Think of it as mental teleportation in a way. Weird but it is also deeply fascinating, a creative and nuanced installment in sci-fi, and some of the show's best moments are when the sensates bond face-to-face.

Another one of the show's best selling points is its diversity and exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality that similar shows often gloss over. "Sense8" does a solid job in terms of representation. eight main characters, four white, four non-white; four relationships, two straight, two LGBTQ+, with one of each being interracial. So let's take a look at the main characters, their individual stories, and how it all fits together into them trying to figure out what the hell is going on with them.

Disclaimer: This show can get extremely graphic sometimes in terms of sexuality, violence, and language, so it can be a bit tough or awkward to watch at times—some people may want to be a bit more wary of certain content.

Will Gorski

A Chicago cop with a strong sense of duty, Will fulfills the hero archetype, going the distance to help the other sensates out of trouble despite him not completely understanding what's happening to them. Though there are mentions of issues with his dad, Will's story mostly revolves around discerning who and what the sensates are.

Riley Blue

An Icelandic DJ living in London, Riley's story revolves around her fear of her mysterious and traumatic past, the events of which caused her to view herself as nothing more than bad luck. When she gets entangled with a mysterious and wealthy drug dealer, she is forced to flee for her life, taking comfort in the presence of the other sensates.

Kala Dandekar

A devout Indian Hindu, Kala finds herself pressured into marrying a man she does not love. What makes it especially sticky is that her betrothed is a pretty nice guy. Kala is also a brilliant pharmaceutical scientist, and uses her skills to assist her fellow sensates. Kind and wise, Kala brings a fresh and pure perspective to the show.

Wolfgang Bognanow

A German locksmith and thief, Wolfgang is one of the resident badasses of "Sense8." When he and his best friend Felix manage to get their hands on rare diamonds, Wolfgang's family turns against him and things get really messy when the death of his late father is brought into question. Clad in a leather jacket and a near-permanent frown, stoic yet silently strong and resilient, Wolfgang is one of those not so bad bad-boys you can't help but love.

Capheus "Van Damme"

A poor Kenyan bus driver with a strong sense of justice and optimism, Capheus wants nothing more than to earn enough money to obtain proper medicine for his sick mother. When a powerful and violent business man enlists Capheus for dangerous missions in return for such medicine, this sweet and determined character channels the strength of his idol, Jean Claude Van Damme, as well as that of the other sensates.

Sun Bak

A stoic Korean businesswoman, Sun is also an absolute bad-ass kickboxer, whose skills gets the other sensates out of trouble innumerable times. When her brother makes a foolish decision within their father's company, Sun is faced with an impossible decision that could ruin her life: take the fall, save her father's company, and fulfill her mother's dying wish, or watch her emotionally abusive family finally face the consequences of their actions.

Lito Rodriguez

A closeted Mexican actor, Lito's story revolves around complications that result when a friend's violent ex-lover threatens to out Lito and his boyfriend, Hernando, potentially ruining Lito's career. Hernando and Lito's relationship is probably one of my favorites on the show, because the love they have for each other is just so adorable and pure and passionate. When it comes down to it, Lito must decide whether it is Hernando or his career which is the love of his life.

Nomi Marks

A transgender San Francisco hacktivist, Nomi's story is most deeply rooted in her status as a sensate. When a mysterious medical organization claims there is something deeply wrong with her brain, Nomi, with the help of her girlfriend Amanita (Freema Agyeman aka Martha for you Whovians out there) must flee for her life. Nomi and Amanita make an amazing team; both are brilliant and fiercely determined to find out what the hell is going on while keeping Nomi and the other sensates alive. Probably my favorite part about these two is how they stick together through it all, how Amanita believes Nomi when she claims to be hallucinating other people and places. Amanita and Nomi will do anything and everything for each other, and their determination is a force to be reckoned with.

All in all, the story of "Sense8" is fascinating and makes the viewer really think. One of the greatest lines of the show reads "I am also a We," and while Nomi was powerfully speaking about the unity of the LGBTQ+ community in this regard, I think it can be applied to many groups of people. That you are your own person, with your own personal story and struggles, and yet simultaneously, you are part of something much bigger than yourself. Though each sensate has their own path, they all tie together into something much grander, something that in the end, they must face together.

With the 12-episode first season available for streaming on Nettflix, "Sense8" is rapidly growing in popularity. Though it has not been officially renewed yet, the creators have claimed they have an epic five-year plan for fans to look forward too.