Maniac (TV Mini Series) Windmills (2018) User Reviews

A bus ride to salt lake city

[ha77y73ad97 · 8/10 · 25 September 2018]

What does A mean?

Seems to be a reoccurring detail in this episode, A for the drugs in the first time lapse segment and then again at the bus station.

Showing to other side of the 2 main characters this focuses on Emma stones trying to get through her addiction before the 2 meet in the testing facility at the end of the first episode. In the end both characters are in dark places and looking for a way of through this testing.

The build up to this destructive story line after losing her mum, then a fight with her sister which is causing this self doubt and then leading to the drug addiction of what they were starting to test throughout this episode helps to give another counter to Jonah hills character.

Only half of the episode is focused around her backstory before moving the rest of the series on at a quick pace through the tests where the obvious lies were coming through. Also seeing something from another angle is always awesome to find out a characters motivations from the first episode.

Many questions still remain from the doctors, to the GRTA and then also the ABC?

And holy s**t the first stage of the trail what an ending, explains some of the details I previously stated!

As this is possibly set in the near future but with the old school tech popping up throughout the series are great details.

A Much Better, Emotion-Filled Episode!

[gab-14712 · 9/10 · 21 January 2021]

"Windmills" drastically improves from Maniac's first episode. It still is a bit long and clunky but has some interesting characters. No offense to Jonah Hill, but Emma Stone's Annie character has a better story because she has an emotional, more traumatic background. Although both characters are antisocial, I would rather see Annie's outbursts rather than Owen's depression. There are some absolutely bonkers and funny moments such as things like Annie's friend playing chess with a robotic koala, and Fujita reading William Blake poems to the drug study's machine named GRTA. Cary Fukanaga has a keen mind and does a good job turning weirdness into something that is relatable.

In this episode, this story runs parallel to Owen's adventure in the premiere. Annie steals money from her father to visit her sister in Salt Lake City and she is very keen on taking this mysterious drug. She blackmails this poor lady to get her into the drug study that both she and Owen are in. As the study begins, Drug A is a drug that has its users recall traumatic memories. Told in flashback, we see how Annie and her sister Ellie (played wonderfully by one of the best young actresses today, Julia Garner) get into a fight that almost ends their relationship. As they try to make up while driving, a truck slams into the car.

Overall, this is a great episode. It is funny, but also has some highly emotional moments. Once the study began, I became very curious about what will happen next. The machine, GRTA is giving me some 2001: A Space Odyssey vibes. I am also curious to see how the drugs will affect the minds of Owen and Annie and their relationship with one another. Also, Julia Garner has the best elf voice. Maybe a fantasy film/series is in line for her? I continue to love the production design. And that video with Justin Theroux's character narrates? He seems like an interesting character. Will we meet him soon?

My Grade: A-