You’ve likely seen the promos for M. Night Shyamalan’s new Apple TV+ series “Servant,” and likely have little idea what it’s about beyond being a creepy story with a creepy doll that’s treated like a real baby. And while that’s pretty much par for the course when it comes to a Shyamalan project, we wanted to give you a better idea of what to expect if you plan on binge-watching the thriller’s first three episodes when they drop on Thanksgiving this Thursday.
So TheWrap went straight to the source and asked “Servant” creator Tony Basgallop and Shyamalan, who executive produces and directed episodes of the show, to tell us where they got the idea for this story about Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose) and Sean Turner (Toby Kebbell), a Philadelphia couple who are in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for mysterious nanny Leanne (Nell Tiger Free) to enter their home.
The answer? Their own fears about parenting combined with “urban nightmares.”
“Originally, the idea came from having children myself and someone placing that precious newborn right into your hands and the first thought for me was, ‘How can I drop this? How can I break this? Am I right for this? Am I ready to be a parent and all the changes that it’s going to bring into my life?’ So I was very interested to write about parenthood,” Basgallop told us. “But, being the sort of person that I am, I search for the dark side of things and I want to tell the story about parenthood gone wrong, in a sense. And a family who is seemingly perfect to the outside world, but once you get past the facade you realize that everything is broken.”
Basgallop broke it down like this: “This is a story of a young woman who comes into a family to work from them and gently sets about fixing them. But to the family’s eyes, they’re not sure if she’s fixing them or exploiting them. So there’s a great conflict here: You’ve invited someone into your home, you don’t know if they’re there to destroy you or save you.”
The “Glass” filmmaker says what drew him to the project were “a couple urban nightmares” in the series “that we’re dovetailing and talking about.”
“One is the fear that something will happen to your child, that you as parents can’t protect your children,” he said. “And then, the second one is that you bring someone into your home, into a very intimate environment and they’re not what they claim to be. And those kind of dovetail on each other as the story unfolds.”
Shyamalan and Basgallop tell TheWrap they have a multi-season arc planned for “Servant,” which has already been renewed for Season 2 ahead of its series debut this week.
“One of the things I worried about in regards to doing long-form storytelling on television was the whole idea that, ‘Hey let’s just keep telling the story until we tell that story or people stop paying attention to us or we get canceled,'” Shyamalan said. “Unless you’re doing episodic television, and that’s completely appropriate, when you’re doing a serialized thing, I think you need to know where you’re going. And we have a plan for where we’re going.”
While the first three episodes of “Servant” Season 1 will drop all at once, the remaining seven episodes of the Apple TV+ psychological thriller’s first season will roll out on a weekly basis. While this has been the case for other Apple shows that debuted with the streaming service’s launch earlier this month, like “Morning Show” and “See,” the comedy “Dickinson” got a full dump from the start.
Shyamalan explained that he “strongly” prefers doing it week-to-week for “Servant” for a few reasons.
“One is just the nature of doing the mystery and doing a thriller, I want you to be wondering for a week and talking about it with other people that have seen it. That’s important, that’s part of it,” he said. “And the next week you get more information and more mystery. That’s part of the fun of building a community.”
He added: “And what I love about movies is that we get to do it with 500 people in a theater, but this could be a much larger community that’s experiencing it together. And I want to activate that rather than kind of rush through it. And we’re really taking our time with how we’re telling these stories and the cinema involved in each one of them. And I want that to linger with you and become a part of you. I don’t want it to be a Dorito bag, where you eat it as fast as you can and get to the conclusion as fast as you can. I want you to live with it. So it was really important to me that we drop one each week.”
“Servant” premieres Thanksgiving Day on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+: Here Are All the Original Shows in the Works for Apple's Streaming Service (Photos)
Apple TV+ finally launches on Friday with four original series, some kids' programming and a little non-fiction content. But Apple's forthcoming streaming service, which is the tech giant's attempt to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, will begin to roll out even more programs in the coming months from star players like M. Night Shyamalan and Octavia Spencer. TheWrap has rounded up all the shows that have been set for the streaming service so far, or are currently in development, so you know what you'll get if you subscribe for $4.99/month. We've also noted which series will be available with the Nov. 1 launch.
“The Morning Show” Taking an inside look at the dark side of morning TV, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston executive produce and star in the drama series. Witherspoon comes to this off her hit HBO drama “Big Little Lies” and Aniston returns to TV in a major role for the first time since her hit sitcom “Friends” went off the air. Steve Carell will also star on the series from Kerry Ehrin. (Available at launch)
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“Dickinson” This coming-of-age comedy series will star Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, exploring the constraints of society, gender, and family that she experienced as a budding writer. The show is written by Alena Smith and directed by David Gordon Green. (Available at launch)
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“Ghostwriter" A reinvention of the beloved original series, follows four kids who are brought together by a mysterious ghost in a neighborhood bookstore, and must team up to release fictional characters from works of literature. (Available at launch)
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“See” Francis Lawrence, best-known for directing "Red Sparrow" and the final three "Hunger Games" films, will direct and produce this drama written by Steven Knight and starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard. The sci-fi series is set in a future where humans are born blind. (Available at launch)
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“For All Mankind” "Outlander" and "Battlestar Galactica" showrunner Ronald D. Moore created and will write and produce the science fiction drama, premised on the idea that the Space Race of the Cold War never ended. He co-created the series with “Fargo” executive producers Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi. (Available at launch)
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“Helpsters” The first series set up as part of Sesame Workshop’s partnership with Apple, the show stars Cody and a team of vibrant monsters who love to help solve problems. It all starts with a plan. (Available at launch)
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"Snoopy in Space" A new original from Peanuts Worldwide and DHX Media, takes viewers on a journey with Snoopy as he follows his dreams to become an astronaut. Together, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts crew take command of the International Space Station and explore the moon and beyond. (Available at launch)
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Oprah Winfrey docuseries As part of Oprah's multi-year content deal with Apple, she revealed she's working on a documentary called "Toxic Labor" and a multi-part untitled series about mental health. She is also bringing back her book club as a show, "Oprah's Book Club." ("Oprah's Book Club" will be available at launch)
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“Servant” "Sixth Sense" and "Glass" director M. Night Shyamalan will executive produce this psychological thriller, with Tony Basgallop writing. Lauren Ambrose and Rupert Grint star as a young couple who hire a nanny (Nell Tiger Free) to care for their newborn. (Premiering Nov. 28)
Apple TV+
“Truth Be Told” Based on Kathleen Barber’s novel of the same name, the series centers on investigative reporter Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) as she follows an old murder case through her podcast, and will explore America's obsession with true-crime podcasts. Aaron Paul, Lizzy Caplan, Elizabeth Perkins and Mekhi Phifer also star, with Reese Witherspoon executive producing. Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kristen Campo from Chernin Entertainment are also set to serve as executive producers. (Premiering Dec. 6)
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“Amazing Stories” Steven Spielberg will executive produce the revival of “Amazing Stories,” the science fiction and horror anthology he co-created for NBC that ran for two seasons in the 1980s. After some behind-the-scenes shakeups, including the departure of original showrunner Bryan Fuller, "Once Upon a Time" creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz signed on to run the reboot.
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“Calls” The new, short-form English adaptation of creator Timothée Hochet’s French series will take on an innovative form of storytelling, utilizing real-life audio sources and minimal visuals.
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“Defending Jacob” Described as a gripping, character-driven thriller based on the 2012 novel by William Landay, “Defending Jacob” stars Chris Evans, with “Planet of the Apes” screenwriter Mark Bomback to serve as showrunner.
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“Home Before Dark” The mystery series follows a girl who moves from Brooklyn to a small lakeside town, and subsequently uncovers a cold case that residents attempted to bury. The project was inspired by the real-life story of Hilde Lysiak, a young investigative reporter who exposed a murder in her hometown of Selinsgrove, PA, garnering national and international attention. Brooklynn Prince and Jim Sturgess will star.
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"My Glory Was I Had Such Friends" Jennifer Garner is set to star in the J.J. Abrams-produced series based on Amy Silverstein's 2017 memoir about an extraordinary group of women who supported Silverstein as she waited for a second life-saving heart transplant.
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“Pachinko” An eight-episode adaptation of the 2017 bestseller by Min Jin Lee, Apple’s “epic in scope” adaptation of “Pachinko” will be set in Korea, Japan and America. “The Terror” alum Soo Hugh will serve as showrunner.
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“Foundation” Based on Isaac Asimov’s novel series of the same name, this series stars Jared Harris and Lee Pace and tracks the future history of the human race during and after the decline and fall of a galaxy-spanning empire. David S. Goyer serves as showrunner.
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“Central Park” Josh Gad and Loren Bouchard are set to produce this animated musical series about a family of caretakers who live and work in -- and end up saving -- Central Park. The voice cast includes Gad, “Frozen” star Kristen Bell, and “Hamilton's” Daveed Diggs and Leslie Odom Jr.
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“Home” The 10-episode docuseries centers on innovative homes around the world as well as the people who built them. Matt Tyrnauer directs and serves as one of the executive producers.
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“Little America” This show tells the stories of immigrants in America, drawing from true stories featured in Epic Magazine. The show will be written and executive produced by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the husband-and-wife team behind the hit romantic comedy “The Big Sick,” which hit theaters in the summer of 2017 to critical and commercial success.
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“Little Voice” The dramedy featuring original music from Sara Bareilles focuses on finding your authentic voice in your early 20s and is inspired by the diverse musicality of New York. It is produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
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“Mythic Quest” Co-created by “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” duo Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day will star McElhenney as the head of a video game development studio. F. Murray Abraham, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby and Danny Pudi also star.
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"Shantaram" An international drama series based on Gregory David Robert's novel, "Shantaram" stars Charlie Hunnam as Lin, a man who has escaped an Australian prison and carves out a new life in Bombay. The series is written and executive produced by Eric Warren Singer.
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Untitled Brie Larson project Based on the memoir by Amaryllis Fox titled “Life Undercover,” the untitled series will star Brie Larson as a young woman recruited to join the CIA. “Animal Kingdom” writer and executive producer Megan Martin is in talks to write and executive produce the series from Medias Res.
Photographed for TheWrap by Patrick Fraser
Untitled Curtis Sittenfeld project Inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld's short story collection "You Think It, I’ll Say It.” Colleen McGuinness serves as showrunner, while Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter serve as executive producers. "Saturday Night Live" alum Kristen Wiig was originally attached to star but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
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Untitled Damien Chazelle project Damien Chazelle, who became the youngest person ever to nab the Academy Award for Best Director when he won for “La La Land," will write, direct, and produce a one-hour drama for Apple, alongside executive producers Jordan Horowitz and Frank Berger.
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"Time Bandits" Taika Waititi is developing an adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s 1981 film, “Time Bandits” for Apple. Waititi will co-write and direct the pilot for the potential series, which is being co-produced by Anonymous Content, Paramount Television and MRC. He also will serve as executive producer alongside Gilliam and producer Dan Halsted.
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"Mr. Corman" Joseph Gordon-Levitt is set to write, direct, executive produce and star on “Mr. Corman,” a dramedy series in development at Apple TV+. The show, which hails from A24 and Gordon-Levitt’s HitRECord banner, follows the life of a public schoolteacher (Gordon-Levitt) in California’s San Fernando Valley.
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"Mosquito Coast" Justin Theroux will star in this series based on the 1981 novel by his uncle, novelist Paul Theroux. The show, which has been ordered to series, follows an idealist who uproots his family to Latin America. “Luther” creator Neil Cross will co-write the first episode with Tom Bissell and serve as showrunner on the series.
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"Swagger" “Black Panther” and “Us” star Winston Duke leads this basketball drama from NBA superstar Kevin Durant. Duke will star as Ike, a youth basketball coach and former star player. The series went into production this month.
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"Lisey's Story" Clive Owen and Julianne Moore will star in this limited series from Stephen King and J.J. Abrams. Based on King's best-selling 2006 novel, the deeply personal thriller follows Lisey (Moore) two years after the death of her husband. A series of events causes her to begin facing amazing realities about her husband that she had repressed and forgotten.
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"Masters of Air" This limited World War II drama series comes from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and will be the first series produced in-house by Apple. The show is based the book of the same name by Donald L. Miller and follows the true, deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. It is the third series in Spielberg and Hank’s “WWII saga,” following “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” both of which aired on HBO.
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"Ted Lasso" Jason Sudeikis is bringing back his clueless football coach character Ted Lasso for a new series at Apple TV+. “Ted Lasso” — named for the character Sudeikis first originated on NBC during the networks Premier League coverage — stars the “Saturday Night Live” alum as an idealistic all-American football coach hired to manage an English football club, despite having no soccer coaching experience at all. In addition to starring, Sudeikis will serve writer and executive producer on the comedy, which has been given a series order.
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"El Gato Negro" adaptation Robert Rodriguez and Diego Boneta are adapting Mexican comic book “El Gato Negro” into a TV series for Apple. The MGM Television-produced project, which is in the early stages of development at the forthcoming streaming service, would be directed and executive produced by Rodriguez and star Boneta, who would also executive produce. “Supergirl” writer Eric Carrasco is writing the script, with Joel Novoa set as a co-producer for the potential series.
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Tech giant’s attempt to compete in SVOD space launched Friday
Apple TV+ finally launches on Friday with four original series, some kids' programming and a little non-fiction content. But Apple's forthcoming streaming service, which is the tech giant's attempt to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, will begin to roll out even more programs in the coming months from star players like M. Night Shyamalan and Octavia Spencer. TheWrap has rounded up all the shows that have been set for the streaming service so far, or are currently in development, so you know what you'll get if you subscribe for $4.99/month. We've also noted which series will be available with the Nov. 1 launch.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+
