The more I reflect, the more I’m marveled at its success in being wickedly funny and dark, but also relatable and authentic–even in its “weirdness”– which was genuinely zany and not contrived given its outlandishness. (A feat in itself.)

I wanted to weigh in on a few things. @Greg, I tried responding to your comment about the ending but couldn’t, so, here’s to that ending: it’s real, and it’s cautiously optimistic. I like the suggestion that Annie and Owen are leaving the past behind them, heading out to explore the proverbial and unchartered “west” (Salt Lake). And it’s quite nicely packaged by the endearing bow that is the last scene with the dog and the hawk, one that I would ordinarily dismiss. Literally and figuratively, the hawk represents Owen and the dog is Annie. (As a kid, Owen rescues a hawk hoping to fix its wing and set it free; instead, the hawk eats his brother Jed’s hamster, and an enraged Jed retaliates by killing it, clearly a huge source of pain for Owen.) The hawk is manifested in other scenes as Owen’s ability to fly on his own. Ultimately,
it represents his triumph in moving beyond the pain caused by his family. Likewise, the dog is Ellie’s–Groucho–who Annie lost (presumably years prior) but continues to look for up until the start of the drug trial. Once a stagnant reminder of loss, Groucho is a symbol of connection to her sister, and Annie’s new ability to finally live her own life.

Oh! Did anyone else connect the term “The McMurphys” as a refernece to poor
Randle McMurphy, the brash anti-hero slated for an inexorable fate in “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest?”

Hey there Greg,
Recently I did a deep dive on the Haunting of Hill House – and in that conversation I said that I don’t think the creators added a deeper level, but I said I totally believe it was there. (Don’t want to say too much here so that I don’t spoil it here for you if you haven’t watched it.)

But with the show Maniac, though I always want a deeper level, I didn’t see it. But don’t get me wrong!!! The one major flaw here is that this deeper dive isn’t really there. And it would have been easy to add too. A minor glitch. A hiccup of some sort. But instead, they leaned on a happy ending with the two of them going on this trip together.

But if you wanted a thread to pull on in this direction, it’s already there. Remember that every fantasy, simulation, included starting over, a radical reenvisioning of their lives to start a new (which is a cry for forgiveness and a cry for renewal, but I digress) and that is what their trip together is. It’s just one more fantasy. They aren’t even romantically inclined. As far as we know. They are going on a buddy road trip? Eh? To a place a dead sister was going? Why? Makes zero sense when you think about it.

So yeah, there is a lot of room for us to believe they are still inside the simulation at the end of the day. And if I had my druthers, that would be the direction I would go with this show. Maybe I should add that as an option at the end. Hrmmm.

Thanks for the comment Greg.

Daggoonnn. Ok thanks Lisa. I’ll tweak that. Thanks, great catch.

Hey Marie,
Yes, you are correct… his core trauma happened well before the wedding (I thought it was an engagement party, or maybe they jumped?), and actually I believe it happened before the spy. But that is irrelevant to the story at hand. But yes, I totally glazed over the “fake” relationship that wigged him out. Olivia definitely threw me. Thanks for clarifying.

Taylor