Servant on Apple TV+ Season 1 is a Cracked Window with Tentacles Spreading to Where?
One of the most difficult aspects of writing about an unfinished work of art is the inability to discuss the whole. This is obvious but is overlooked in many reviews on YouTube and articles written about a particular story. I’m walking into Servant with only the trailer as an introduction, although it’s ridiculously difficult to avoid spoilers. This review won’t have any spoilers and I’ll write as vague as possible while also telling you if the first season is worth the time.
From the opening episode this feels like M. Knight Shyamalan’s world, but he isn’t the writer of the series. Tony Basgallop takes on the writing duties in a story that is unpredictable in every aspect of the storytelling. Every cliche to be expected in a series utilizing postpartum as the problem is avoided. There are moments when the characters all are given endearing qualities creating a confusing sympathy for every character. The premise of the narrative is one used before. A mother (Dorothy Turner) is dealing with the loss of her child. How the viewer arrives to the place where the story of what happened is told, winds through a forest of flagellation, group trauma, and transference. The sympathy gained for the Turner family shifts as new characters arrive and tension is created in an awkward interaction at a dinner. In the latter episodes I wasn’t sure who I should be afraid of or who I should pity.
The show is broken into smaller bites with each episode between 30-40 minutes in length. It’s perfect for binge watching three episodes in a sitting. Rupert Grint steals the show as the brother of Dorothy. His character is a long way from his days in Hogwarts and while seeing him on screen immediately captures your attention, he is more than capable of pulling you away from Ron Weasley. The first season ends as confusing at is it begins, but there isn’t any question about wanting to learn more as nothing is really clarified and nothing at all is as it seems. Just when you think a character is one thing, they become something different. It’s definitely worth watching and I’m ready to dive into season 2.
