'Maniac' by Cary Joji Fukunaga Review: An incredibly creative show with a wholesome meaning

I had been loosely following the production of Cary Joji Fukunaga's 'Maniac'. It was a concept that seemed unique, and its cast was certainly enough to catch the eye.

Though, I had absolutely no idea when it was to be released until, well, it was released on Netflix -- I did what has become the norm, and I binged the series over the span of one night and one morning.

I must admit, the show pleasantly surprised me. I found its world-building incredibly thorough, with enough subtle pieces to add to the puzzle of the world Cary Joji Fukunaga was hoping to create. Whether it's artificial intelligence, or cute little robots that are created to roam and clean the streets, or strange VR-like words built inside little machines, there's something to pull you in.

This is something the show does very, very well. Given the main focus of the show isn't these little elements, in fact, many of them are only used as methods of improving exposition, small things that add up but we don't really see much more of, nor are they really explained. The great thing here is that it's really on the viewer to use their imagination to find the answers.

Maniac's narrative follows, specifically, two mentally broken people. Two victims of their own imaginations; and they're seeking help from the latest technology and drug trials, although one finds themselves at the hands of scientists as a result of exploiting the research for drugs -- Owen Milgrim (Jonah Hill) and Annie Landsberg (Emma Stone) are two very different people, but a clear lesson is to be made.

Drugs, research, and scientists are not the answer, they're no cure. They're a method of coping, but not a solution. The true solution, at least for the two characters, is a mutual finding of solace in each other. They're both broken individuals with different mental disorders, but what they both truly need is a shoulder to cry on; a person they can talk to, that truly understands them and makes them feel comfortable. It's an important message that many of the other characters even discover, as the narrative progresses.

Each episode plays out like an anthology series, with each episode being a dream set in a different location with the characters being different people but somehow, inside this virtual world observed by an artificial intelligence, the two characters seem to keep finding each other, and their dreams connecting. It keeps the show fresh, interesting, and often enough allows a fair amount of humour to flow through the narrative. It isn't supposed to be taken completely serious, despite its obvious message.

This is a show that can't easily be summed up in one review, it's a show that could be dissected piece by piece, episode by episode, and it deserves it. The ways in which Maniac is crafted is incredibly creative, with a beautiful colour palette and outstanding performances by the cast. It remains stylish, with a nice amount of fancy camerawork throughout that's worth keeping an eye on.