"In the latest show from "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan, the crime genre gives way to a bewildering mix of science fiction and noir. Soaked in obvious inspirations from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" to less obvious expressions of James Ward Byrkit's "Coherence," Gilligan's new Apple TV+ series begins with Best-Selling author Carol Sturka ( Rhea Seehorn) reading the latest novel of her best-selling book series to a crowd of fans."
"Somewhere else in the world, a scientist is bitten by a rat. As she begins disinfecting her hands, her body seizes violently, and a childlike yet uncanny smile takes over her face. When Carol and her partner Helen ( Miriam Shor) stop at a bar for a drink on their way home from Carol's book tour, the bodies of the other patrons seize up in the same way...except for Carol's."
"But instead of a typical zombie virus or plague, Gilligan offers us a refreshingly different type of outbreak: a virus that makes everyone on earth happy. The problem is that Carol may be the unhappiest person in the world. Beyond her dissatisfaction with the world-renowned book series she's created, there's a deep-rooted discontent that lies within her, eyes squinting with suspicion and jabs falling out of her mouth before she can even think of stopping them."
A new Apple TV+ series blends science fiction and noir around bestselling author Carol Sturka, who secretly despises her own work. A scientist is bitten by a rat and suddenly displays a childlike, uncanny smile, triggering widespread synchronized seizures and a global blackout. Patrons at a bar freeze with identical expressions while Carol remains unaffected. The outbreak does not create violence or decay; instead the pathogen induces pervasive happiness across the planet. Carol's persistent unhappiness and sharp, suspicious demeanor set her apart from the euphoric populace. The narrative examines enforced joy, personal authenticity, and the social consequences of universal emotional change. Carol is later visited by Zosia.
Read at Roger Ebert
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