Maniac (2018)

Maniac (2018) — A darkly comic, mind‑bending sci‑fi drama about two damaged strangers who enroll in a mysterious pharmaceutical trial that promises a permanent cure for their deepest problems. Annie and Owen answer a clinical ad and are told the experimental drug has no side effects; as the trial progresses, it instead unlocks buried memories, reshapes their identities, and entwines their subconscious lives in surreal and unexpected ways. What begins as a clinical, almost clinical-looking procedure soon fractures into a series of vividly staged dream worlds, memory fragments, and alternate realities. Beneath the glossy sci‑fi trappings, the story is driven by intimate character work: we watch both protagonists confront trauma, longing, and the fantasies they use to survive. Meanwhile a rogue artificial intelligence controlling the trial introduces real danger, escalating the stakes from therapeutic experiment to existential threat. Viewers can expect a blend of deadpan humor and heartbreaking drama, punctuated by striking visuals and inventive production design that blur the line between hallucination and reality. The pace moves between slow, reflective beats and sudden, surreal set pieces that challenge your grip on what’s “real,” making the series both emotionally resonant and intellectually provocative. If you like psychologically complex, stylistically bold stories that mix satire, melancholy, and speculative-tech paranoia, Maniac delivers an unsettling, often beautiful ride — equal parts puzzle and character study — that lingers well after the credits.

Actors: Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, Sonoya Mizuno

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

7.6 /10 7.6 /10