‘Curiosity: Battlefield Cell’ review: Viral warfare

When you consider that Discovery has chosen to give its series of specials the “Curiosity” moniker, it really should not as much of a surprise that many of the episodes are … well, curious choices compared to others. With this in mind, the latest special Sunday in “Battlefield Cell” is likely to be the most polarizing in the series yet.

For those looking for a concise description of the hour, it follows the story of what happens when a virus faces off with a human on a cellular level. The entire hour is shown to us via digital illustrations of what happens inside of our bodies, and it almost feels at times like an episode of “Star Trek” with all of the vivid visual effects. This is really one special that you have to watch on a high-definition TV; it is quite frankly beautiful, and a complete rush of color and texture.

On the flip side, this special lacks something that has made so many of the past specials, whether it be “Plane Crash,” “I Was Mummified,” or “Brainwashed,” so worth talking about after the fact: the human perspective. Whereas seeing someone hypnotize a man to simulate killing someone is controversial, this special was more informative and told through a viewpoint that was more scientific. Therefore, it’s not entirely buzzworthy, and unless you are someone with a vested interest in microbiology or disease control, it may not hold your attention as well as some of the others as your brain starts to get used to the visuals over the course of the hour.

So while this may not be the “Curiosity” special that we will be remembering months down the road, it is still captivating television for those curious as to just complex the human body truly is. While we go about living our daily lives, there are millions of tiny cells within us fighting to keep us healthy and safe.

Did you enjoy this special, or did you wish for something a bit more discussion-worthy at the end of it? Be sure to share some more of your thoughts below!