Apple TV’s newest supernatural drama, The Changeling, is based on Victor LaValle’s best-selling fantasy novel of the same name. The series was adapted for the small screen by Kelly Marcel, with the first three episodes premiering on the 8th of September.
Where can you watch The Changeling in the UAE?
The Changeling is now streaming on Apple TV Plus in the UAE. There is no free trial currently available for Apple TV in the UAE, but if you buy an Apple device such as an Apple TV or an iPhone, you also get free access to the platform for a limited time.
The Changeling review
THE GOOD
✅ LaKeith Stanfield
✅ Adina Porter
✅ Intriguing
THE BAD
❌ Convoluted
❌ Confusing timelines
❌ Tries to add too many themes from the book
The show, narrated by LaVelle himself, starts with two love stories told in parallel. In modern-day New York City, rare book dealer Apollo (LaKeith Stanfield) tries his best to convince librarian Emmy (Clark Backo) to go on a date with him. Decades earlier, Apollo’s dad, Brian (Jared Abrahamson), spent over a year convincing Lillian (played as a young woman by Alexis Louder, while in the present-day, she’s portrayed by Adina Porter).
- Top 5 new movies and TV shows to watch this week
- New AppleTV series and movies in UAE for September 2023
While Brian and Lillian married and had Apollo, their happiness abruptly ends when the man mysteriously vanishes. Growing up without a father affected Apollo deeply, and even as an adult, he’s plagued by terrifying nightmares about Brian.
After Emmy finally agrees to go on a date with Apollo, she reveals that she’s been planning a trip to Brazil but hopes they can resume their romance on her return. When she eventually comes back, Emmy and Apollo get married, and she falls pregnant and gives birth in the middle of a train carriage.
Apollo and Emmy seem to have it all; they’re in love, and they have a beautiful baby to raise. Then it all goes wrong. Slowly, Emmy starts showing signs of post-partum depression. She receives strange photos of her child and becomes convinced that her baby is not even real. As much as Apollo tries to support his wife, nothing prepares him for the horror that follows.
Emmy does something horrific, then disappears without a trace. To find his wife, Apollo must travel through an alternate supernatural version of New York he didn’t know existed.
Convoluted narrative, outstanding performances
The Changeling’s narrative is all over the place, and it can get confusing. As the series keeps jumping the timeline without an explanation, it gets tough to follow. Every character is surrounded by mystery and traumatic life-defining experiences. The show tries too hard to touch on the many themes LaValle explores in his novel, and it just doesn’t translate to the screen as well as it should.
Each episode feels like an overextended dream sequence, reminiscent of a David Lynch movie. But at the same time, as the show tries to be too many things at once, all those big themes get touched on superficially.
What makes this show worth watching are the cast performances. Stanfield is brilliant as the confused Apollo trying to do what’s right by his wife while not understanding what she’s going through. Backo is very convincing at conveying her character’s slow descent into supposed madness. The two have great chemistry, which shines through in every scene they share.
While most of the series centres on Apollo and Emmy’s story, Adina Porter steals the show despite her all too brief screen time.
Overall, The Changeling is an intriguing, albeit confusing show. While the performances are top-notch, it’s hard to keep track of the continuity, and it’s even harder to understand what this series is trying to say.
What are the other critics saying about The Changeling?
Movies and Munching praised the fantasy series, especially Stanfiel’s performance.
SPOILER WARNING: Movie Files enjoyed the show and the mystery surrounding the characters.
