Servant: Season 1 – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)

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While “Servant” sometimes feels like a mini-series that went on too long, with each major reveal, it renews interest and keeps you wanting more.

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Network	Apple+
Creator(s)	Tony Basgallop
Aired	11/28/2019 – 1/17/2020
Genre(s)	Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Noted Cast
Leanne	Nell Tiger Free
Dorothy	Lauren Ambrose
Jericho	Mason & Julius Belford
Sean	Toby Kebbell
Julian	Rupert Grint

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Season Plot Synopsis

When we meet Leanne, she seems like a simple girl from a flyover town in Wisconsin, new to the city life. Mind you, not New York but Philly. But, there is more to her than there appears. However, her employer, Dorothy, who needs Leanne to take care of her son, Jericho, doesn’t see that. She just sees the person Leanne conveys herself as.

But, as Dorothy’s husband, Sean, and her brother, Julian, poke, prod, and dive into Leanne’s past, they come up with questions Dorothy can’t answer or ignore. All the while hiding Dorothy’s secret, which is just as hard to fathom or swallow.

Review

Highlights

Its Mystery Element

The first half of the season makes every time you realize this isn’t a movie so frustrating. For as Leanne reveals she is more than meets the eye, or as Julian and Sean discover her past, you see Free play you just as Leanne plays the characters. Then, when you add in the element of Jericho, a doll who becomes flesh, it really gets you intrigued.

Especially, in the latter half of the season, when Leanne’s uncle and aunt show up and make you further wonder what is up with Leanne? What is she hiding? Never mind, what led to her picking this specific family, and after she learns the truth about Jericho, is Dorothy safe?

On The Fence

After A Certain Point, You Begin To Want Answers And Get Few, If Any

There will come a point, at least halfway through the season, you are going to grow tired of not getting answers. Be it to what happened to Jericho, or what’s up with Leanne, and you might be tempted to tap out if you have other things to watch and do. Luckily, just as you think it might be time to possibly write this off, at about episode 8, the show comes roaring back episode 9 and ends things in such a way to make you crave a second season.

The Supernatural Element

For most of the season, the show makes you raise an eyebrow to what’s happening, and you’re forced to write it off as Shyamalan makes sure, even if he didn’t write the show, it fits his brand. This often adds more questions than answers, however, and being that nothing is explained with Leanne, Jericho, and how many events happen, you’re left in the cold. Which, again, with how the show ends its first season, it makes you crave a follow-up and answers all the more.

Overall

Review Summary: One and Done

Rating: Positive (Watch This)

Patience is a virtue, and “Servant” reminds you that, when it comes to anything with M. Night Shyamalan’s name on it, even if he wrote it, you have to wait until the end. That’s when things will begin to add up, that is when you’ll finally get answers but, there will always be just enough left over for you to ponder about.

Hence the positive label. “Servant” reminds you of why the week by week format still exists for to gobble this up in one weekend, it would lessen its impact. However, taking it in week by week? It gave you time to think, time to want answers, and made getting some, though sadly not all, the treat it is supposed to be. Rather than just another episode to consume, as the binge format enables.

Season 2 of Servant

Has Another Season Been Confirmed: Yes

What We’d Like To See From The Next Season?

1. Learning more about how Leanne is some kind of Holy woman
2. Getting to know the cult Aunt May and Uncle George run
3. The possibility of more people discovering Jericho’s death
4. A further breakdown of the night Julian discovered Jericho died

How To Watch