Should you ever get tired of your umpteenth watch of “Stranger Things” or still feel a little dissatisfied with how “Squid Game” has gone, there’s a forgotten fever dream of a show on Netflix that you might’ve missed. Sure, there’s a big list of the best Netflix TV shows in 2025, but this hidden gem made its arrival all the way back in 2018. It comes from one of the creative minds behind “True Detective” and stars an Oscar-winning actress and an Oscar-nominated star who have a history dating back to 2007. Based on a Norwegian TV series from 2015, “Maniac” was adapted into an English-language series by Cary Joji Fukunaga. The talented director was known for helming the critically acclaimed first season of “True Detective” and Daniel Craig’s final James Bond film, “No Time To Die” (which, along with the rest of the 007 movies, is now available on Prime Video).
The film reunited “Superbad” stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, who reprised their roles as Owen Milgrim and Annie Landsberg, respectively, two strangers who enlist in a pharmaceutical trial. The experimentation sends both parties on an otherworldly journey that sees them on what medical professionals would probably deem “bonkers head trips.” From here, a wild array of incredible visuals floods the show, playing a massive part in its critical acclaim, thanks to another show that has A-listers making the rare trip to the small screen.
Maniac was a critical hit that’s been easily forgotten
Earning 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Maniac” earned its praise not just for its incredible visuals and trippy storyline, but also for the top-level double-act leading the way. The Guardian said, “With grimy futuristic production design a la Blade Runner and Alien, Maniac actually has something profound to say about the alienation of people today.” Vulture also praised the show for being “wild, audacious, addictive, and teeters so precariously between reality and fantasy that the audience will immediately question what’s real and what isn’t.” For a director who had thrown in mind-bending bits in “True Detective,” here he was going full force in a show that had hosted wild sequences that were great to watch.
Vanity Fair commended the director, saying, “Fukunaga deftly balances the surreal with the tangible, wrangling a kind of controlled chaos out of Somerville’s hectic imaginations.” “Maniac” makes for a great limited series to get through on a quick watch. It’s also a rare occasion for stars on the level of Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, who appeared on Paramount+’s “The Curse,” to spend some time in a story that stretches well beyond what we’re used to seeing them in. Supported by the likes of Gabriel Byrne and Sally Field, this is another rare occasion to see some of Hollywood’s best in a story that has a lot more breathing time to be told. It’s also wonderfully bonkers and absolutely deserves to get watched.
