SERIES PREMIERE: Emma Stone and Jonah Hill star in this new Netflix series, which is based – very, very loosely – on a Norwegian comedy series about an institutionalized man with difficulties separating reality from fantasy. This new version is such a new approach that it’s largely a drama, about two people (played by Stone and Hill) who volunteer for a futuristic pharma study that probes their memories and dreams. Sally Field is wildly entertaining in a supporting role, and this 10-part series allows all the actors to play several roles in their respective fantasy worlds. This new
Maniac, in terms of dramas about disturbed patients with little grasp on reality, isn’t as mind-blowing or innovative as FX’s
Legion – or, long before that, Dennis Potter’s classic British miniseries,
The Singing Detective. But it’s captivating, and and commendably unpredictable.
For a full review on TVWW, see Ed Bark's Uncle Barky's Bytes. For my full review on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, visit the Fresh Air website.