? A dark fantasy that explores love, grief, and family. An adaptation of Victor LaValle’s novel by the same name, the eight-episode Apple TV+ series The Changeling begins as an unsettling modern fairytale and spirals into increasing mystery with its intriguing, dream-like narrative and stunning visuals.

The plot: Apollo Kagwa (LaKeith Stanfield) is a new father, whose life takes a turn when his wife, Emma (Clark Backo), becomes convinced that their newborn baby isn’t really theirs. Apollo dismisses the paranoia as postpartum depression, but when Emma disappears he finds himself caught in a supernatural mystery that causes him to question everything as he tries to find her.

The visuals pull the viewer into the story. As Apollo’s search takes him through hidden corners of New York City, we see dimly lit alleyways and eerie underground tunnels leading to enchanted islands and mystical waters — creating an unearthly version of reality.

The series drags a bit. The series’ main weakness is the dreamlike sequences that seem to linger for too long. Unlike the quick pace of the novel, this stretches out the story — making it somewhat less engaging. In addition, the series is not afraid of muddying the waters with additional storylines — leaving the watcher to parse through and keep track of threads that, by the end of season one, have yet to be brought together.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the series on Apple TV+ or catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:28).

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