Maniac

Wow. It is difficult to do justice to this genre bending, absurd sci-fi/comedy/thriller/drama in a review. So much happens in multiple character arcs that each episode is like opening a new Christmas present. Unlike most Hollywood/Netflix efforts, no short cut is taken for dramatic effect. Every character, even when partially developed, are welcome respites from dreary reality.

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone reprise so many roles, that it is difficult to keep them straight sometimes. Best to just roll with the punches and enjoy each little adventure on their own. 80's nostalgia is sprinkled throughout an alternate universe, with homages to Japanese cinema, the Muppets, and 2001.

Binged it in three nights, and will re-watch it again next week. I can comfortably say this rests in the pantheon of classics like Shawshank and Napoleon Dynamite.

In Maniac, we are presented with another version of reality to our own - one in which the concepts of the future born of 1980's science fiction became the reality of the present. And this offbeat setting is the stage upon which we are told a story about relationships - about their hardships, their heartbreaks, their inevitable sorrows, but, ultimately, also the strength they lend us, and the importance of these human connections as we all do our best to make our way through the uniquely strange experience of life. Maniac is a story about friendship, about family - about the connections we have to one another. It's a story about love. And one that we all should hear.

I'm in the camp that considers this a criminally underrated series. I don't know how this one slipped by me, as I've seen most of the internet at this point but I never heard a thing about it when it was released.

My wife, on the other hand, found this show very dull and uninteresting until the last few episodes. I was hooked from the very beginning.

The universe that's been imagined here is pretty quirky. Imagine if the allies lost the war and there was never a splurge in technological growth aimed for the consumer market. Computers are still using green screens and dot matrix printers, although advances in programming are still ahead of where we are today.

Owen (Jonah Hill) is a schizophrenic who's been abused and taken advantage of by his family. He tries to keep his distance from his family but lacks the stability to support himself without their help.

Annie (Emma Stone, who puts in an incredible performance) is dealing with her own childhood trauma, where she had to play the emotional role of mother to her little sister, but remains and emotionally stunted adult. After more trauma in her adult life, she no longer knows how to be a functional human being.

Justin Theroux as Dr. James K Mantleray takes a smaller part, mostly appearing in the second half of the series, but creates a character so off kilter that every line he delivers is hysterical.

Sally Field as Dr. Mantleray's estranged mother (and as the artificial intelligence GRTA which serves as the operating system for these dream like experiences) delivers a lot of heart and more hilarity.

This is mostly a drama. There's a good amount of comedy. There are sci-fi elements. But at the end this is a story about people moving on and learning to leave their pain behind. For those who get emotionally invested in stories like these, the last few episodes hit pretty hard. The writing through some of the "confrontational" scenes is pretty spectacular.

The entire cast delivers but Emma Stone really takes it to another level in this series. The sets feel cohesive and keep you immersed in this alternative universe. I enjoyed the soundtrack so much that I've started listening to it on my downtime.

I'll remember this one for a long time. I plan to watch it again. Highly recommended.

This show is great in many ways and unique.

The cinematography is amazing and visually amusing.

The acting was great, not from the main characters only, but most of the cast did a great job. The characters needed good actors to be presented well, and thats what they delivered brilliantly.

The problem with this show that at first it felt ambiguous which then you wont feel the need to finish the show. It might feel difficult to finish it but it worth it.

Originally watched first released just wasn't reviewing much then and now absolutely loving Maniac again. I'm blown away this wasn't nominated it's a damn shame it wasn't! Crystal smooth writing that I crave so much that it makes me feel at peace and the ambient music throughout is a tranquil delight. Jonah Hill is electrifying especially since this came out a little while after his weight loss transformation! Brilliant story about a sophisticated program that tests a group of people in which stays intriguing and captivating!