Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Calls’ On Apple TV+, A Star-Studded Sensory Experience Told Through Chilling Phone Conversations

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film and television industry have had to get particularly creative with some of their endeavors; John Krasinski warmed hearts with Some Good News from his desk at home, HBO hit things from a heist angle with Locked Down starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, and the aptly-named Social Distance dropped on Netflix not too long ago. The latest in the ever-changing pandemic genre is Calls, an Apple TV+ bite-sized series that features only the voices of some of your favorite performers. 

CALLS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: An ominous graphic tells us it’s December 30th. We’re in Los Angeles and New York.

The Gist: In the first installment, “The End”, Tim (Nicholas Braun of Succession fame) and Sara (Karen Gillan) have an awkward phone catch-up. They exchange pleasantries, but soon the real issue comes up – he’s moved to Los Angeles, and despite having said she would come join him in six months, she’s still in New York. Just as Tim is about to tell Sara something important, she says she sees something – or someone – in her backyard. She hangs up to investigate.

While waiting for his call back, Tim phones Camila (Lily Collins), who is frustrated to hear that he hasn’t dumped Sara yet. Tim has (predictably) moved on without his East Coast girlfriend. Meanwhile, Sara calls 911 and only gets more terrified by the minute as she fully begins to take in whatever the form is in her yard. And she’s not the only one experiencing something freaky; Tim and Camila soon face some chilling figures of their own, and things only get weirder – and more terrifying – from there.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? There’s the obvious comparison to the French series it’s based on, but overall, Calls feels incredibly unique. It’s difficult to put it in the same category as anything else in recent memory.

Our Take: I was extremely skeptical of how effective a series of phone calls played over abstract visuals would be. Would Calls feel like a handful of beloved actors… ahem… phoning it in… for some quick cash during COVID times? Would it get tiring just watching words on a screen? I’m pleased to say that all of my initial worries about Calls were totally erased within the first two minutes of the pilot. I mean, could you technically call it a narrative podcast with Matrix-y graphics? Sure. But I was so sucked in by the first episode that I didn’t even care that it’s not really TV. Calls may not be packaged like your traditional thriller, but it has all the thrills, chills, and distressing themes that genre lovers have become accustomed to.

With a voice cast including names like the aforementioned Braun and Gillan as well as Pedro Pascal, Mark Duplass, Rosario Dawson, Judy Greer, Nick Jonas, Riley Keough, Joey King, Stephen Lang, Aubrey Plaza, Danny Pudi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and many more, Calls sets itself up for success. Are some of the performances on the forgettable side? Sure. But there are enough memorable, mesmerizing voices here to make up for any of Calls‘s weak spots and then some. Each of the 9 episodes clock in somewhere between 14 to 20ish minutes, but boy, do they pack a lot into them. I love that there’s not initially some giant “it’s all connected!” moment, but rather a chance for us to take in all of these separate stories as they occur. I think it’s safe to assume that a lot of people will binge through all installments in one sitting (it’s a bit over 2.5 hours total), and that certainly feels like a solid (if unsettling way) to consume Calls. The idea as a whole may have some problems – I was a little puzzled by what the series was going for by the end of it all – but each episode sparks enough curiosity (and fear!) to keep viewers hooked.

I don’t know if it’s fair to call Calls groundbreaking – as I mentioned before, it could absolutely be written off as a glorified podcast – but it doesn’t really have to be. These are strange times, and strange times call for strange content. Calls offers escapism in the eeriest of forms, combining elements of mystery with gross body horror and mind-bending ideas about time. With the help of some stellar sound design and a delightfully disquieting score, Calls is able to pull you in with your ears alone. It’s a series best experienced with as little context as possible, one that definitely won’t be for everyone, but may very well surprise more than a few skeptics.

Sex and Skin: There’s a reference to an eerie “lovemaking” experience Tim has, but not much else.

Parting Shot: The words “I do.” flash over a white screen.

Sleeper Star: There isn’t really a star to look out for in this episode – the central trio of Braun, Gillan, and Collins deliver equally chilling voice performances – but I was personally delighted by hearing Braun’s voice. It’s been a minute since we’ve had some time with Cousin Greg.

Most Pilot-y Line: Maybe it’s due to the unique format, I can genuinely say there wasn’t a single pilot-y line in Calls‘ first installment.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Calls is wholly immersive and totally chilling, a unique storytelling experience able to send shivers down your spine without the help of on-camera actors.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Calls on Apple TV+