With the upcoming Servant, M. Night Shyamalan is conscripted into the ranks of filmmakers turning to streaming services like Apple TV+ to bring their next projects to life. For anyone who tuned in to the 71st Annual Primetime Emmy awards or watched NFL football week 3, it was quite evident that Apple TV+ is coming, and it has a handful of slick new shows ready for launch. And while it might not have the glitter of pre-existing IP attached to its pending launch, the new streaming service does have stars like Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Momoa, Joel Kinnaman, Hailee Steinfeld, and Steve Carell to help kick off a new era of streaming television.
While the initial lineup of shows ready at launch looks to appeal to a variety of tastes, the tech giant plans to keep the content spigot on full blast in the months to come. One of its more interesting and secretive projects comes from twist-loving filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, as he brings his brand of horror and suspense to TV for the creepy domestic drama Servant.
Though some details have emerged about the basic premise, audiences are more or less in the dark with regard to what, exactly, is going on with the series created by writer Tony Basgallop. While the promise of a series whose exact plot is being kept under wraps is intriguing for some, those left cold by the idea of yet another mystery box TV show may be persuaded to tune in for the cast which includes Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), and Toby Kebbell (War For the Planet of the Apes). And if that doesn’t garner much interest, perhaps these vague but nevertheless unsettling teasers will do the trick. Check out a pair of Servant teasers below:
As the streaming wars heat up, it will be interesting to see what wins out among those ready to contend with Neflix, Amazon, and Hulu. While Disney+, HBO Max, and the recently named Peacock (have fun with that) are all aiming to mix new programs with reliable streaming favorites like Friends, The Office, and The Big Bang Theory, Apple is forging ahead with completely new shows, though it could be argued that Oprah’s Book Club, Snoopy in Space, and Ghostwriter are pre-existing concepts in one way or another.
Whether audiences are interested in brand new ideas or the continuing adventures of their favorite super and space-faring heroes might come down to how much money people are willing to spend. So far, Apple has everyone beat with its low price point, so perhaps more people will be streaming the likes of Servant than previously thought.
Apple TV+ launches on Friday, November 1, 2019.