The first time I saw the trailer for Maniac on Netflix, I was immediately enthralled. Maybe because of Jonah Hill, the Lite version. Maybe because of his juxtaposition with co-star Emma Stone, who definitely has no shortage of acting roles this decade. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because I’m a sci-fi nerd who saw an intriguing sci-fi series and thought, “Damn. That could be good.”
All jokes aside, Maniac seems not to take itself seriously, but is seriously interesting. The dark comedic atmosphere is thick and I couldn’t help but chuckle at Dr. Muramoto and his various one liners. I found Emma’s character to be pushy and morally deficient, which makes for many humorous moments, especially since Jonah Hill is so timid and paranoid.
What I think is even more interesting is how this seems to be set in the future, but the TV monitors are the huge hulks we had from the 80’s and 90’s. I would assert that it’s not the future, but an alternate reality, where some of the advancements we have made have been replaced by others, including talking gas stations and weird, arm-held TV Skype sessions. Also, how does a computer cry and create and actual tear?
Dark and zany and hilarious at times, I’m only 3 episodes in and I can’t wait to see more. Sally Field shows up and it gets even more interesting from there.
Check out the 10 episode, limited series when you get a chance!