Apple TV+'s Amazing Stories Season 1 TV Show Review

Spielberg may not have written the latest batch but at least he made sure they weren't dark, bleak, and resoundingly cynical

by Casimir Harlow

This Spielberg-produced revival of the Spielberg-written 80s series affords a warmer and more hopeful alternative to the likes of Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone.

Cynical and bleak, shows like this actually tend to be at their most memorable during the occasional moments of hope - Black Mirror's San Junipero stands out - so it seems almost alien to have a series which instead focusses on fantastical sci-fi twinged tales of the unexpected which aren't steeped in cautionary reflections of modern society taken to the extreme, and trust Spielberg and Apple TV+ (with an excellent track record) to pull it off.

Amazing Stories starts off strong enough with a premiere focussing on a man out of time, who jumps into the past to get involved with a woman who feels like she was born in the wrong time herself, unable to extricate herself from a pre-determined future to a husband she doesn't love, and ignoring her true dream: to sing. It follows this up with a compelling second chapter, seeing a tragic accident separating two best friends and running partners, who somehow find that their running brings them back together. 

Apple TV+'s Amazing Stories Season 1

Anthology shows are slowly coming back to the fore (not just Black Mirror and 'Zone, but also things like Netflix's Love, Death and Robots), but - as stated - Apple TV+ refreshingly doesn't feel the need to go dark, instead finding untapped potential in the likes of their surprisingly good Little America, and here repurposing Twilight Zone-esque mystery only without post-20th Century cynicism. These are still largely adult tales, of heartache, prejudice, and death in the modern age, but instilled with hope, warmth and positivity. It's kind-of like a grittier Quantum Leap, at least so far, with both of the first two episodes focussing on compelling tales of unfinished business that lost souls have to undertake.

Production values are superb - as you would only expect from the platform that gave us the excellent For All Mankind, the compelling The Morning Show, and the fierce See, and those were just its flagship vehicles. Also maintaining a strong cast, even without Spielberg on board as writer his production association clearly carries some weight, with Amazing Stories attracting the likes of Victoria Pedretti (superb in both Netflix productions, The Haunting of Hill House and You) and American Assassin's Dylan O'Brien in the pilot episode, whilst future chapters draw in Edward Burns, Lost's Josh Holloway, American Honey's Sasha Rose, Enterprise's Linda Park, and the late Robert Forster (recently great in El Camino), in his last screen role.

Subtle in its seamless effects (less is clearly more in this case - a clever approach), and strong in plotting (comparing to The Twilight Zone, where the episodes could have done with being considerably shorter, Amazing Stories maintains focus for its chapters), whilst well-scripted and well-acted, it's another strong effort from Apple TV+.

Scores

Verdict

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8

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