Today Apple TV+ launches the new psychological thriller Servant, from director M. Night Shyamalan and writer Tony Basgallop. The series follows couple Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose, Six Feet Under) and Sean Turner (Toby Kebbell, Dead Man’s Shoes), who are in mourning over the recent loss of their infant son, Jericho. The two have taken different approaches towards dealing with their grief, and this has caused a bit of a rift in their marriage. Dorothy appears to be in denial, pretending that nothing has happened, treating a doll made to look like the child they lost as though it were actually their son. Sean just wants his wife to snap out of it, and is annoyed that he must pretend to love and care for this doll. It’s been almost nine months, but the couple hasn’t even told anyone about their loss—the only people who know the truth are Dorothy’s father, and her younger brother Julian (Rupert Grint, Harry Potter). The couple lives in a large, expensive townhouse in Philadelphia. Sean works out of the home as a consulting chef, developing recipes for high-end restaurants. Meanwhile, Dorothy works as a field reporter for a local TV news station, and so she needs help taking care of “baby” Jericho. Enter the couple’s new live-in nanny, Leanne (Nell Tiger Free, Too Old to Die Young), a quiet, reserved eighteen-year-old from Wisconsin, who doesn’t seem phased at all by the couple’s unusual situation.
While Dorothy is eager to please the new house-guest, Sean doesn’t feel the same way. He’s confused as to why Leanne insists on treating “Jericho” like a real baby even when Dorothy is not around to see. He senses something is off about this young woman, and when odd, creepy things start happening around the house, his suspicions intensify. I really enjoyed what I’ve seen of the series so far. M. Night Shyamalan projects usually involve strange, unexpected twists and turns, and this show certainly has many of those. As the episodes progress, things get increasingly mysterious and creepy. Shyamalan has a very unusual way of framing the scenes, which adds to the uneasiness and tension of what’s happening. Much of the series takes place inside this house, which can be at times beautiful, but also a bit claustrophobic (though in a good way that helps set the tone). The series does a great job of ending each episode in a way that makes you eager to check out the next one. While this series could easily be binged, I like that it will be released weekly, as it is certainly a show that is going to promote water cooler talk. This is easily my favorite of the Apple Originals thus far.
Today Apple has released the first three 30-minute episodes, and new episodes will continue to roll out weekly, every Friday, starting next week. Due to the holiday, new episodes of Apple’s other three weekly originals (The Morning Show, See, and For All Mankind) will also drop today, instead of their usual Friday release.
Tonight, I’ll also be watching/recording Merry Happy Whatever, Holiday Rush, and Almost Family.
For additional suggestions on what to check out tonight, including the series premiere of Santa’s Baking Blizzard, check out the If We Controlled Your Remote… 11/28/19 post at TVisMyPacifier.com.
