Calls (TV series)

Calls
Promotional poster
GenreMystery thriller
Created byFede Álvarez
Based onCalls
by Timothée Hochet
Directed byFede Álvarez
Starring
ComposerThe Haxan Cloak
Country of origin
  • United States
  • France
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9
Production
Executive producers
  • Fede Álvarez
  • Anna Marsh
  • Françoise Guyonnet
  • Shana Eddy-Grouf
  • Raphaël Benoliel
  • Timothée Hochet
  • Alexei Tylevich
ProducerAaron Greenberg
Running time13–20 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

Calls is a mystery thriller analog animated miniseries created by Fede Álvarez. The show is based on a French television series of the same name created by Timothée Hochet. The series is a co-production between Apple TV+ and French network Canal+, the latter being the production company behind the original French version. It premiered on Apple TV+ on March 19, 2021.[1] It received acclaim from critics and audiences. The series won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Motion Design.[2]

Premise

Told through a series of interconnected phone conversations, these conversations chronicle the mysterious story of a group of strangers whose lives are thrown into disarray in the lead-up to an apocalyptic event.

Calls allows "audiences to experience short stories through real-life audio sources and minimal visuals."[3]

Cast

Production

On June 21, 2018, it was reported that Apple had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The series, an English-language adaptation of original French series Calls, was created by original series creator Timothée Hochet. The show is a co-production between Apple TV+ and French network Canal+. Alongside Apple's series order announcement, it was confirmed that Apple had acquired the rights to the existing season of the original French series.[3][5][6]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The End"Fede ÁlvarezTeleplay by : Fede Álvarez
Based on a story by : Timothée Hochet		March 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

A couple, Sara in New York, Tim in L.A. have a phone call. Their long distance relationship is not working and Tim has met someone else, Camila, and is trying to break up with Sara. Camila's baby goes missing suddenly, and she leaves the call. Sara then sees that someone is trying to break into the house. A horrified Sara calls 911 because the intruder does not look human, has incredibly long arms, and is huge. Sara is found mutilated by a deputy but abandons her, and leaves only Sara and Tim to say their final words, as earthquakes appear, people disappear, and everyone starts floating. Tim confesses that he cheated on Sara, and they say that they love each other, as the "sky opens up" and they are swallowed presumably. (NOTE: The calls take place on December 30th)

Cast: Nicholas Braun, Lily Collins, Karen Gillan, Nika Futterman
2"The Beginning"Fede ÁlvarezFede ÁlvarezMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

A man named Mark finds out his wife, Rose is having an kid without his knowledge. Stressed, he leaves his house and begins to drive, where Rose tells him to come back several times, but Mark refuses. Later, he gets a call from his friend that he has been gone for days, and then he receives a call from Rose saying that he's been gone for 6 months. Not believing what is happening, Mark calls his mom, where he finds out that he's been gone for 12 years, and his mom is now very sick. Finally, Mark receives a call from a 20-year old, where he finds it out that it is his son, who cries and tells him that he wants to meet for a beer. Mark realizes that it's only the calls that are strange, as in his point of view, his reality is still normal, and he goes back home for Rose. (The calls for him take place on Feb 9th near Phoenix, Arizona.)

Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Riley Keough, Ben Schwartz, Jennifer Tilly, Kyle McCarley
3"Pedro Across the Street"Fede ÁlvarezNick CuseMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

A phone call from a neighbor changes the lives of Patrick and his wife Alexis, as they get caught up in a robbery, affair and betrayal. But who can really be trusted? (The phone calls take place on March 2nd in Pasadena.)

Cast: Mark Duplass, Judy Greer, Pedro Pascal
4"It's All In Your Head"Fede ÁlvarezAidan Fitzgerald & Noah GardnerMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

A divorcing couple, and the wife's sister, call back and forth. Each sister demands the attention of someone else, until ultimately painful truths are revealed. (The calls take place on March 29th, San Francisco.)

Cast: Rosario Dawson, Laura Harrier, Gilbert Owuor
5"Me, Myself & Darlene"Fede ÁlvarezRodo Sayagues & Fede ÁlvarezMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

A call to 911 to confess a murder, gets crossed with a call from the recent past. Can the killer change the timeline and his own fate? (The calls take place on June 5th, Huntsville.)

Cast: Paul Walter Hauser, Edi Patterson, Paola Nuñez
6"The Universe Did It"Fede ÁlvarezAidan Fitzgerald, Noah Gardner & Fede ÁlvarezMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

A strange phone call alters a young girl's destiny, but not as much as she thinks. (The calls begin on September 14th, Indian Wells.)

Cast: Nick Jonas, Danny Huston, Shane Paul McGhie, Tessa De Nicola, Tiana Camacho
7"Mom"Fede ÁlvarezAidan Fitzgerald, Noah Gardner & Fede ÁlvarezMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

Two grieving siblings have heard about mysterious phone calls that can cross time, and want to try and reach their mother in the past. But they didn't pay attention to how those Internet stories warned about the dangers of changing the past. (The calls take place on November 9th, between Ribbonwood and San Diego)

Cast: Joey King, Jaeden Martell, Jenica Bergere
8"Is There a Scientist on the Plane?"Fede ÁlvarezAidan Fitzgerald, Noah Gardner & Fede ÁlvarezMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

The passengers on Flight 908 are horrified by a news report that their plane was struck by lightning and crashed near Phoenix. (The calls take place December 30th over US Airspace.)

Cast: Johnny Sneed, Aubrey Plaza, Clancy Brown, Cynthy Wu, Quinn Minichino, Mitch Eakins
9"Leap Year Girl"Fede ÁlvarezFede ÁlvarezMarch 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)

After the fate of Flight 908, a pair of physicists are trying desperately to figure out how and why phone calls are crossing the dimensional barrier. And it may involve an abandoned project from 1978. (The calls take place on December 30th, Azusa, Ithaca.)

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Stephen Lang, Danny Pudi, Clancy Brown, Keri Tombazian, Jocelyn Ayanna, Brandon Papo

Reception

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 95% of 20 reviews are positive for the series, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The critics consensus states, "Recalling the immersive serials of radio's heyday, Calls weaves a spooky mystery with terrific vocal performances and unsettling ambience — letting the visual storytelling play out in viewers' horrified imaginations."[7]

References

  1. ^ White, Peter (March 3, 2021). "Nick Jonas, Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson & Lily Collins To Voice Apple TV+ Auditory Mystery Drama 'Calls'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2021-03-03. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "Alexei Tylevich". Television Academy. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  3. ^ a b Petski, Nellie Andreeva,Denise (June 21, 2018). "Apple Orders Short-Form Series 'Calls' From Canal+ As First Int'l Co-Production". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Calls as Cast & Crew". Apple TV+ Press. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  5. ^ Sandberg, Bryn Elise (June 21, 2018). "Apple Orders International Series 'Calls' Based on French Format". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  6. ^ Holloway, Daniel (June 21, 2018). "Apple Orders 'Calls' English-Language Series Adaptation". Variety. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "Calls: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2021-03-20. Retrieved December 25, 2021.