Swarm: All Episodes
March 19, 2023 8:59 PM - Season 1 (Full Season) - Subscribe
An obsessed, Houston-based fan goes to increasingly violent lengths for her favourite R&B singer.
On Amazon Prime, for folks wondering. Is it really just 7 half-hour episodes released all at once? I like that part. Next time I do a month of Amazon I'll take a look.
The reviews I've seen make it look interesting, but are mixed. For me, the decision to watch or not has to include the context of the multiple accusations from Black women of misogynoir in "Atlanta" and Glover's bizarre self-interview where he dodged his own question about whether he's scared of Black women, his deliberately obnoxious stunt-casting of the deeply misogynist Kevin Samuels in a key role in S3 E9 of Atlanta, and the lack of women in the Atlanta writer's room.
That's a lot of prelude to a new show from him that aims to sharply satirize black women stans. At least the writer's room is better this time; Janine Nabers is co-creator, multiple women are listed as writers throughout the season, and Malia Obama, of all people, has a writing credit for episode 5.
Mixed review from The Verge: Amazon’s Swarm is so close to being brilliant
At times, you can see how Swarm is tapping into a number of interesting ideas and attempting to weave them into a critical text meant to be read closely. But the show’s so committed to lampooning one real-world idol and her legion of stans that Swarm ends up feeling fixated on punching down rather than actually saying something insightful about how people can end up finding community in the most toxic digital spaces.
Slate is also mostly unimpressed - Stans Are the Perfect Topic for A TV Show. Swarm Misses the Mark - but does mention that the 6th episode is "a truly genius half hour of television that’s in the form of a meta-documentary about the Black female detective who is attempting to solve Dre’s case."
Daily Beast reviewer liked it: ‘Swarm’ Transcends the BeyHive Parody to Become Something Brilliant
Throughout the show’s seven episodes, I kept wondering whether I was more impressed by Swarm’s ruthless depiction of stan culture and the novelty of a Black, female antihero than by the actual story at its core. Thankfully, as the series progresses, it reveals itself to be much more than a stylized parody centered around what many might consider obvious internet bait. Instead, it’s a provocative and surprisingly humanistic portrait of the people who get left behind.
posted by mediareport at 10:14 AM on March 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
The reviews I've seen make it look interesting, but are mixed. For me, the decision to watch or not has to include the context of the multiple accusations from Black women of misogynoir in "Atlanta" and Glover's bizarre self-interview where he dodged his own question about whether he's scared of Black women, his deliberately obnoxious stunt-casting of the deeply misogynist Kevin Samuels in a key role in S3 E9 of Atlanta, and the lack of women in the Atlanta writer's room.
That's a lot of prelude to a new show from him that aims to sharply satirize black women stans. At least the writer's room is better this time; Janine Nabers is co-creator, multiple women are listed as writers throughout the season, and Malia Obama, of all people, has a writing credit for episode 5.
Mixed review from The Verge: Amazon’s Swarm is so close to being brilliant
At times, you can see how Swarm is tapping into a number of interesting ideas and attempting to weave them into a critical text meant to be read closely. But the show’s so committed to lampooning one real-world idol and her legion of stans that Swarm ends up feeling fixated on punching down rather than actually saying something insightful about how people can end up finding community in the most toxic digital spaces.
Slate is also mostly unimpressed - Stans Are the Perfect Topic for A TV Show. Swarm Misses the Mark - but does mention that the 6th episode is "a truly genius half hour of television that’s in the form of a meta-documentary about the Black female detective who is attempting to solve Dre’s case."
Daily Beast reviewer liked it: ‘Swarm’ Transcends the BeyHive Parody to Become Something Brilliant
Throughout the show’s seven episodes, I kept wondering whether I was more impressed by Swarm’s ruthless depiction of stan culture and the novelty of a Black, female antihero than by the actual story at its core. Thankfully, as the series progresses, it reveals itself to be much more than a stylized parody centered around what many might consider obvious internet bait. Instead, it’s a provocative and surprisingly humanistic portrait of the people who get left behind.
posted by mediareport at 10:14 AM on March 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
I liked it! Quite violent in places but I liked it overall, Dominique Fishback was phenomenal and all the guest stars were brilliant.
‘We Can Be Serial Killers Too’ Swarm co-creator Janine Nabers cuts through the buzz to explain the series’ elusive protagonist and bittersweet ending. [Vulture / Archive]
In Swarm, Dominique Fishback plays a serial-killing superfan who really just wants one thing: to be loved. [Vulture Interview / Archive]
Swarm Series-Premiere Recap: Killer Bey [Ep1&2 / Archive]
Swarm Recap: Forbidden Fruit [Ep3&4 / Archive]
Swarm Recap: The Making of a Murderer [Ep5&6 / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 3:01 AM on March 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
‘We Can Be Serial Killers Too’ Swarm co-creator Janine Nabers cuts through the buzz to explain the series’ elusive protagonist and bittersweet ending. [Vulture / Archive]
In Swarm, Dominique Fishback plays a serial-killing superfan who really just wants one thing: to be loved. [Vulture Interview / Archive]
Swarm Series-Premiere Recap: Killer Bey [Ep1&2 / Archive]
Swarm Recap: Forbidden Fruit [Ep3&4 / Archive]
Swarm Recap: The Making of a Murderer [Ep5&6 / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 3:01 AM on March 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
Swarm Finale Recap: Everything Is Love [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 4:14 AM on March 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 4:14 AM on March 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
Dominique Fishback Takes Keke Palmer Inside the World of Swarm [Interview Magazine]
posted by ellieBOA at 2:08 AM on March 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 2:08 AM on March 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I can’t stop reading about this show, and this is a really good discussion!
The Noise Around Swarm Is Deafening [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 11:59 AM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Noise Around Swarm Is Deafening [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 11:59 AM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
Last one I promise but this is an interview with Donald Glover!
Donald Glover Hoped Swarm Would Make You Uncomfortable [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 8:07 AM on March 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Donald Glover Hoped Swarm Would Make You Uncomfortable [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 8:07 AM on March 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by dianeF at 9:01 PM on March 19, 2023