Based on the French series of the same name by Timothée Hochet,Apple TV+‘sCallsis a sleeper series that debuted last March. Audiences listen in on phone calls, trying to understand the horror beneath them over the span of nine short episodes. Accompanying the audio are sound waves, moving based on the story and connections made. The series was created by Fede Álvarez, known for his work onDon’t BreatheandEvil Dead, and was ordered to series by Apple in 2018.
From a killer voice cast, including the likes of Pablo Pascal, Rosario Dawson, and even Nick Jonas, to aLostmeets found-footage vibe,Callsdefinitely isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen before. Could it be an audio-only experience? Yes. Should it be? No. The story the series tells is worth the time it takes to go through it, which isn’t even as long asStranger ThingsSeason 4 Volume 2.
Despite positive reviews, Apple TV+ hasn’t renewed the series for another season. DoesCallsneed one? Here’s why the show deserves another season.
Call’s Story
Callsis the perfect watch forscience-fiction fansor fans of thriller stories that hate the visuals that usually come with them. Following along as people and calls somehow move through dimensions, sometimes not knowing it’s happened and others outright trying to force it to happen, the series is a fun play on the current sci-fi options out there. Are the plots traditional when it comes to the genre? Sure. Time/dimensional travel, strange physics, and bizarre figures are common, but whatCallsdoes with them is not.
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The first season does have a definitive end point and a story that has come full circle. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t places to take it. What is the aftermath? Some characters discover what is happening because of chatter online, with other people describing things that have happened to them that they can’t explain. How does all that become explained away? Does it become a conspiracy theory online, with a Subreddit dedicated to finding out the answers? Do YouTubers pick it up, creating video essays diving into the files on the matter? There are ways the series could go while maintaining the medium that could continue the story that the first season started.
It could become an anthology series,likeAmerican Horror Story, and tell a different narrative with some of the same voice actors. There are still plenty of avenues to explore in the genre, or they could go into a slightly different one, embracing more of a thriller tone. Maybe another season goes deeper into the experiences people had with the intruders. Perhaps the fix doesn’t take, and phone calls continue to break dimensions. The options are limitless, so long as it doesn’t write them into a corner.
Call’s Format
The entire show is told through previously recorded phone calls. Rather than watching people on the phone, the visuals move along with the plot, ebbing and flowing depending on the dialogue the audience is listening to. Minimal text lets viewers know who the characters are and who the dialogue is between, giving the bare minimum you need to understand who everyone is as the audio plays.
AsDecidersays, it could be “written off as a glorified podcast,” but there’s something about the series that wouldn’t work without the minimal visual aspects involved. What often starts small continues to grow and shift as the narrative goes along. Rather than use things like lighting to display suspense, the shift in the visuals on screen, however small it is, adds to the story, building its momentum. Sometimes the visuals give the audience an idea of what’s to come while they wait on the end of a dead line, hoping the characters return.
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Callsis a breath of fresh air when it comes to other offerings. There isn’t any other series that follows this type of format, though it is reminiscent of the found-footage style horror films that have been popular since the turn of the century. Of course, instead of being videotapes, they’re audio tapes. The mostly-audio format works well with the show’s length, with episodes anywhere from twelve to twenty minutes. It wouldn’t work with a full-length film or even episodes designed for an hour-long time slot.
The Reception
Overall, the reception toCallswas positive. The season boasts a 95% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, withNPRcalling it “the most familiar, and the most unusual, piece of TV [they’ve] seen in a while,” andindieWIREdubbing the series “an especially effective slice of horror.” It isn’t without criticism, though.The Hollywood Reportercalls it “a narrative podcast” with a “squiggly screensaver,” arguing the visuals do nothing for the story being told.
Typically, with such positive reviews and being Certified Fresh, a second season is a shoo-in. While the lack of word from both Álvarez and Apple isn’t promising, it also isn’t the kiss of death either. The creator describes the show as an experiment, tellingSYFY, “We took all the risk we could take.” Perhaps Álvarez sees the experiment as having come to its natural conclusion and isn’t interested in continuing the series.
There’s still a chance the series could return. Until a confirmation either way appears, you can watch and see if Álvarez’s other project,Don’t Breathe, lands a third film.
