What is television? The definition becomes a bit hazy in the streaming era, when programming can span the length of a movie or “quick bites”, and can tell interconnected narratives in 18 different programs or single anthologized episodes without any semblance of plot. Newly announced Apple series Connections promises to confuse traditions even more.
Coming to Apple TV Plus later this month, each installment of the nine-episode thriller series “follows a dark and dramatic mystery that unfolds through a series of seemingly mediocre and disconnected phone calls that quickly become surreal as the characters face increasingly disturbing experiences, “according to a press release.
And that’s really it: based on the trailer above, Connections combines vocal performances with abstract visuals that enhance the conversation. This is new territory for director Fede Álvarez (Don’t breathe, evil Dead), which directs each episode.
Álvarez’s cast of big names suggests that Connections it is the ideal project for the pandemic era, when filming in person has become more challenging than ever. Actors appearing – er, calling – for the first season include Nicholas Braun (Succession), Clancy Brown (Carnivale), Lily Collins (Mank), Rosario Dawson (The Mandalorian), Mark Duplass (The Morning Show), Karen Gillan (Avengers: Endgame), Judy Greer (Halloween), Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell), Danny Huston (Children of men), Nick Jonas (Jumanji: Welcome to the jungle), Riley Keough (Mad Max: Fury Road), Joey King (The act), Stephen Lang (Avatar), Jaeden Martell (Knives Out), Paola Nuñez (Bad boys for life), Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Laura Harrier (Hollywood), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and recreation), Danny Pudi (Mythic Quest), Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog), Jennifer Tilly (Chucky bride) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Principle)
Connections is based on a French series CANAL Plus by Timothée Hochet, which in turn is based on a short film Hochet directed in 2016. For a taste of what Apple is preparing, you can watch the original concept below.
“I heard real calls to 911 on YouTube and I was terrified of the experience,” said Hochet in an interview at the time. “I wanted to show that, especially in the horror or suspense genre, it is possible to do something interesting and stressful without any images or visual aids.”
Apple confirms that each episode of Connections is 12 to 15 minutes, and while each is alone, connect in unique ways throughout the season. The series opens on March 19.