While the action genre will forever be populated by stories of parents racing to save their kids from danger, the reverse has generally only been explored in the world of horror. Blumhouse’s Other Mommy just became one of the infamous ventures into parent-related horror, with the Jessica Chastain-led film being panned for its lackluster story, unintentional hilarity, and lack of genuine scares, a far cry from Josh Malerman’s well-received source novel.
Now, Nick Paley is looking to get this very specific subgenre back on track with Phony on Hulu, and the results are already staggering. From the Marcel the Shell with Shoes On co-writer comes Hulu’s twisty new series centered on Sonny Cooke, a high schooler living a quiet life in the Pacific Northwest with his mother, Ellen, who finds everything changes after a car accident, which puts him in a coma for a week. Upon waking, Sonny is horrified by the sight of Ellen, believing her to be replaced by an impostor, leading him down a dark rabbit hole to prove it.
Led by Sam Nivola and Connie Britton, the first four episodes of Phony immediately set a very unique tone upon itself that proves immediately absorbing before it even gets into the real core of its mystery. Giving us time to get to know and enjoy Sonny, Ellen, and those in their social circles, the rug pull of a potential impostor becomes a wonderful counterbalance for the more familiar coming-of-age elements of the show.
Phony Finds A Moving Parallel Between Its Central Mystery & Discussion Of Parental Relationships
From the opening moments of Phony, narrated by Sonny, we’re given a nice window into both the lives of our protagonist and his mom, as well as the general dynamics of their small town. Despite being the son of his school’s principal, Sonny appears to be generally well-liked by his peers, who are a mixed bunch of quirky, artistic students and the troublemakers atypical of a small town with little else to do.
More notable is the fact that, with him and his mom having such a close relationship, Phony makes it very clear why Sonny would be the ultimate person to recognize that Ellen may not be who she says she is. From subtle behavioral changes, namely smoking and not making signature gestures to signal their love for one another, to more overt things like being more embracing of those she previously dismissed, the stakes steadily rise as to whether or not she can be trusted.
…Paley finds a far more engrossing way to have an undercurrent theme to Phony‘s two main plots than Other Mommy and many other horror films of its ilk.
One of the most impressive elements in Phony‘s first four episodes is the visual difference between Ellen and her supposed impostor. The show’s team, who started with prosthetics before leaning more on frame-by-frame visual effects changes, so subtly yet noticeably shift the look of Britton’s character that it creates a welcome layer of uncanny valley to the character that only heightens the questions surrounding her change.
However, on top of the general mystery of what’s happened to her, Paley finds a far more engrossing way to have an undercurrent theme to Phony‘s two main plots than Other Mommy and many other horror films of its ilk. In spreading out its story across eight episodes, the creator and his writing team better utilize Sonny’s growing paranoia and distance from his mother as a subtle means of exploring their dependent relationship and his need to find his own identity beyond Ellen.
Phony Does Drag A Touch Around The Midway Point
Disney/David Astorga
Disney/David Astorga
Disney/David Astorga
Disney/David Astorga
With only four episodes provided, there are admittedly a number of blind spots for Phony, namely how well the show closes out its central storylines, but one unfortunate downside to the show is that it starts to meander a bit around the halfway mark. Each episode provides a variety of glimpses at a mystery character potentially connected to Ellen’s impostor, and the tease of a dead body of sorts, which becomes more and more prominent as the show goes on.
However, by the time we reach Phony episode 4, “Vibes Are Rancid,” it does feel like the show doesn’t quite know what speed to move at. The majority of the episode is spent on Sonny and his girlfriend, Mahaela Park’s Chloe, having very different experiences on a single night while together, all with the promise of answering one major question tied to Ellen. And yet, by its end, it feels like very little momentum was gained in either the characters’ individual arcs, nor the overall mystery, that the episode proves unnecessary filler.
Even just before episode 4, there were times in which it felt like Phony was racing through certain elements in an effort to keep its focus on Sonny. Quarrels with friends and people from his past are so swiftly swept under the rug they may as well not even have happened, while hints of relationships between other characters also feel thinly connected in the first few episodes that, barring any further development in the back half of the season, feel like they need much more investment in the writing.
Nivola Continues To Excel While Britton Completely Flips Her Iconic Image
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Though having acted for a little over a decade now, the past few years have seen Sam Nivola really start to explode in popularity with his acting, starring in everything from The White Lotus season 3 to the throwback teen comedy Driver’s Ed, and Phony proves yet another showing of his growing talents. The young star delivers a very compelling portrayal as Sonny’s life continues to crumble around him, but more importantly, he also excels with Paley’s awkward sense of humor, frequently creating laughs amid the mysteries.
Even still, it’s hard to deny just how much Britton steals the show in Phony. The five-time Emmy nominee is no stranger to morally complex characters, but so often lands in roles that make use of her natural sense of warmth and care that Ellen feels like a delightful shedding of the skin for her.
…we’re also left genuinely pondering if this is the real mother who doesn’t know how to process her son’s alienation and weakening mental state.
From the moment Sonny wakes up and sees his mother, Paley, who also directed the first two episodes, and Britton find brilliant ways to layer in a sense of foreboding for Ellen’s presence, with every glance and remark feeling like a double-edged sword testing both Sonny and the impostor’s trust. However, as we get moments of the supposed impostor by herself, we’re also left genuinely pondering if this is the real mother who doesn’t know how to process her son’s alienation and weakening mental state.
Overall, while the first four episodes of Phony may not be a perfectly crafted start to the season, it’s certainly one of the more inviting for a mystery season I’ve seen in a long time. Paley’s writing is equally funny, light, and engaging; combined with its unpredictable central mystery and a solid cast of performers, this reviewer will eagerly be tuning in each week to see how the season ultimately comes to a close.
New episodes of Phony air Tuesdays on Hulu.
Phony – Season 1
- The central mystery of Ellen’s potential impostor is very well-crafted.
- The subtle imagery changes for Ellen is uncanny and creepy.
- Nivola is delightful in his frantic-yet-tender performance.
- The show’s mix of comedy and mystery is generally a winning formula.
- The middle episode of the show feels unnecessary.
- Some beats feel rushed or skimmed over.
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