Maniac
The mind can be solved.
Created by Cary Joji Fukunaga, Patrick Somerville
On Netflix
A surreal, darkly comic miniseries that uses psychedelic drug trials and mental illness as a vehicle for exploring the interior lives of two damaged people, blending high strangeness with genuine emotional intimacy.
Two strangers are drawn to a mysterious pharmaceutical trial that will, they're assured, with no complications or side-effects whatsoever, solve all of their problems, permanently. Things do not go as planned.
Clusters
Where to watch
- StreamNetflix
Questions people ask
Is Maniac one of a kind? Yes, very. More singular than 95% of series.
Is Maniac sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of series.
Is Maniac scary? Yes. More frightening than 89% of series.
Does Maniac leave you hopeful? Barely. Less hopeful than 88% of series.
Is Maniac easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 75% of series.
Is Maniac violent? Not especially. Less violent than 61% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Opposite of HBOFinding
- The Shows That Know They EndFinding
- Whose Show Is It?Finding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Maniac, and what each one shares →
Like Maniac
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Maniac
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Maniac, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Maniac, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Maniac, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
