Maniac
By Sophia Fineza
Maniac is a beautiful show, both in its story and the scenery. The plot was touching, and it made both Ava and I cry like children the first time we watched it. The relationship of Annie and her sister Ellie, and the friendship between Annie and Owen were told through some of the best acting I’ve seen on TV. It was really interesting to see Stone and Hill, who are usually comedic actors, take on a more dramatic role and go outside of the characters they usually play. It was also great to see an Asian lead. Fujita was such an interesting character, and it was fun to see her character arc play out through the series. Overall, Maniac was incredible, and even though it probably won’t get another season, it’s amazing the way it is.
logline: Annie and Owen have problems. Drawn to a pharmaceutical trial that promises to solve these problems with no complications or side effects, they enter a world run by a supercomputer and a team of scientists. However, the “no complications or side effects” part of the trial is no longer guaranteed when the computer running the experiment threatens to destroy the program.
My favorite characters:
Emma Stone as Annie Landsberg - her character portrays the illness of addiction so well. throughout the series, she balances the hard exterior with the hurt person inside extremely well.
Sonoya Mizuno as Dr. Azumi Fujita - fujita honestly carried a lot of the show. her character is just so detailed, and i wish we got more of her and her story.
James Monroe Iglehart as Carl - the comedic relief of the show, carl was just so much fun through the show and i loved all the scenes he was in.
Julia Garner as Ellie Landsberg - ellie was such an interesting person to see. although she didn’t have much of a character arc, the way garner portrayed her was the perfect mix of innocent and damaged.
This show is rated TV-MA. Here’s why:
Sexual References/Nudity
Drug Use/Abuse
Violence
Language throughout
Smoking
Something I liked: The overall aesthetic of the show was very interesting, and something I’ve never really seen explored before.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 1