The Mosquito Coast

Allie Fox is a brilliant but driven inventor who decides that the United States is no longer safe for his family, so he pulls up stakes and heads south toward Mexico in search of a place to live on his own terms. He drags his skeptical wife Margot and their children into a precarious, high-risk escape, where survival depends on Allie's gadgets and stubborn plans. As the family dodges authorities and local dangers, tensions rise between idealism and practicality, loyalty and doubt. The series balances action and moral friction, keeping the family's breakdowns and moments of tenderness in view while avoiding easy answers about Allie's choices.

Released in 2021, the show was created by Neil Cross with source material from Paul Theroux, and it stars Justin Theroux as Allie Fox alongside Melissa George, Logan Polish, Gabriel Bateman, and Ian Hart.

The series prompted discussion about survivalist thinking and antiestablishment beliefs, and Justin Theroux's intense lead turn became a frequent talking point online. Certain scenes and the show's aesthetic sparked commentary about modern anxieties over government power and personal freedom.

Critics and audiences were mixed to positive, reflected in a 6.723/10 average from 276 votes, with praise aimed at performances and atmosphere and criticism aimed at pacing and tone. Major themes include family loyalty under strain, the costs of single-minded conviction, and how charisma can mask dangerous ideas.

It wasn't a major awards darling, though it did attract attention for its production design and central performances. The show's strength for many viewers came from its uncomfortable moral questions and the way it kept tension between family intimacy and external threat.