Apple TV+’s Series ‘The Changeling’ Goes From Dreamy to Nightmarish But Doesn’t Stick The Landing

Is there anything in life as deeply terrifying as parenthood? So many things could go wrong, every action holds the potential of long term consequences, seemingly innocuous activities can truly be life or death. This is the foundation of Apple TV+’s new series ‘The Changeling.’ Based on the acclaimed best-selling book of the same name by Victor LaValle (no, horror fans, this has nothing to do with the 1980 George C. Scott vehicle of the same name), the series is an urban play on the pre-industrial European changeling folklore. Described as “a fairytale for grown ups” ‘The Changeling’ is a perilous odyssey that takes the viewer from a forbidden lake in Brazil to the unknown mystical corners of New York City. As presaged by a voice-over: “The new fears are the old fears and the old fears are ancient.”

The series begins as we cut between watching hopelessly romantic rare book appraiser, Apollo (LaKeith Stanfield; ‘Atlanta’ ‘Sorry To Bother You’), meet and relentlessly pursue Queens librarian Emma (Clark Backo, ‘Letterkenny’) while simultaneously recounting the courtship of his own parents. Emma declines his multitude of dinner invites as she prepares to leave for Brazil where she ignores the warnings of locals and visits a forbidden lake followed by accepting an ill advised gift from a woman she meets there, who we can only assume is a witch. All the best fairytales start this way. On her return to New York Emma seeks out Apollo. They embark on their own happily ever after and the fulfillment of Apollo’s dream of being the best father, the kind of father he never had, as his own left mysteriously when Apollo was young. One keepsake Apollo does have from his father is a book that begins with the ominous line which will repeat throughout the series: A baby is a dream made real but dreams are fairies’ favorite meal.

The overall feel of the series is very unsettling. Although the technology used throughout indicates that we are in modern times, the fashion, the decor, and the overall vibe give the viewer the feeling of not knowing exactly when, in history, anything is happening. Take away the smart phones and it could easily be the 70s, or even at times the 40s. The dreaminess of this effect becomes nightmarish as new parents, Apollo and Emma, struggle with sleep deprivation and postpartum anxieties that leave us wondering what is really happening and what is the result of a mind, mostly Emma’s, becoming completely unhinged. Emma struggles with trying to convince Apollo that their baby is not as he should be and that she isn’t going crazy.

The difficulty women have with being believed when they are in physical pain or emotional distress is one of the central themes of the show. When Emma asserts that something isn’t right with the baby she is dismissed as unwell by both Apollo and her doctor. When Emma finds a group that does believe her it appears as though she has been radicalized rather than just finding acceptance.

With Apollo’s journey we see the effects of generational trauma as he is deeply damaged by not only the departure of his father, but also the harrowing childhood experiences that shaped his mother. As he focuses on fatherhood it appears he is trying desperately to set things right and gain control over an uncontrollable world…of course whatever forces are at work don’t let that happen.

While ‘The Changeling’ starts strong it ends up losing the thread around the second half of the season when more characters are introduced and more layers are put into the story. It seems almost determined to give us all of the background information without much intention of moving the story forward. The acting is as solid as you would expect from such a capable cast and the visuals are stunning but most of my time was spent trying to determine which details were important to keep in mind and what would probably not matter in the end. By the last episode I was desperately awaiting answers to some key questions posed early in the series and what I got was the closing credits. I understand leaving a season on a cliffhanger to bring people back for the next round, but ultimately it felt like this entire season only existed to set up for season 2, so all I can do is hope that actually happens, or, I guess, read the book.

‘The Changeling’ comes to Apple TV+ Friday, September 8, 2023 with the first three episodes, followed by one episode weekly, every Friday through October 13.

Apple TV+’s Series ‘The Changeling’ Goes From Dreamy to Nightmarish But Doesn’t Stick The Landing

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