Sometimes we come across films or TV shows that make us uneasy right from the start, but we can’t quite figure out why we keep watching them. They entertain us while challenging our views in equal measure. And that’s exactly what happens with Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie’s The Curse and Donald Glover’s Swarm, two TV series so absurd and thought-provoking that will draw you in despite the discomfort.
Here’s the thing: if you’re into dark, quirky shows like Atlanta, these two TV shows will be right up your alley. They both follow flawed yet driven characters navigating the entertainment world, and as they try to keep their social dysfunctions hidden, what we witness is the exact opposite. These aren’t feel-good stories – let’s make it clear – but the unique performances and remarkable writing make them must-watch shows that will captivate and challenge you at the same time.
A Treat for Entertainment Masochists
Nathan Fielder’s signature social awkwardness is on full display here. At the heart of the show, there’s a married couple dealing with a deep sense of emotional decay. They are Fielder’s Asher, a man driven by a massive need for validation, and Emma Stone’s Whitney, whose existence feels like a frantic search for meaning. They are two multidimensional characters defined by their profound insecurities, and they are so well-written that you’ll identify with them at some point in the story.
Likewise, Dominique Fishback adds dimension and humanity to an inscrutable character with a nuance that elevates Swarm, a television series about the allure of modern idol worship. Fishback’s character is a young woman in a desperate search for meaning through her encounter with her favorite R&B singer. Willing to go to increasingly violent lengths to meet her, she will find out that there is no meaning at all in her quest. So, you might find this extremely pessimistic, and yet this is also riveting, as we are in front of an antiheroine so deeply passionate about the wrong cause that you’ll root for her anyway.
Another common trait of both shows is their relentless, fast-paced storytelling style. The characters are disoriented, neurotic and in constant conflict with themselves. The Curse’s above-mentioned family tries to keep their cool while filming a controversial TV show about their own development company, but they keep questioning their morality as they are basically gentrifying a native community in New Mexico. The show deals with contemporary topics such as the artifice of cultural appropriation, white privilege, and capitalism.
This A24’s tv show came from a story Fielder shared with Safdie about one of his first L.A. experiences when he first moved from Canada. Apparently, a woman on the street asked him for money, and when he didn’t have any cash, she told him, “I curse you.” Her words stuck with him enough that he went to an ATM, pulled out twenty bucks, and went back to give it to her. Fielder said he doesn’t really believe in that stuff, but couldn’t shake it, and his show dives right into that feeling of lingering unease. Director Christopher Nolan described it as “an incredible show” and likened it to Twin Peaks, as “genuinely having no precedence” in television.
A Pungent Criticism to American Culture Industry
As we mentioned – without giving away any spoilers – both shows deliver a sharp critique of the entertainment industry and social media. In both narratives, entertainment feels like a fleeting concept that doesn’t quite fit in the show, in the way it should. Both shows share a similar vibe, diving into themes of obsession, unease, and how small events or encounters can spiral into intense psychological tension.
There’s always a feeling that something strange, surreal, or even sinister could happen at any moment, as the characters try to manage forces beyond their control. In this regard, both shows come across as dark cautionary tales about the human mind and the peculiar ways it can unravel. Especially today, where social media, celebrity culture, and the obsession with success dominate our lives to the point we might all understand what Safdie meant when he called it “a feeling of lingering unease”.
