Angela H.
- Mar 14, 2022
- 3 min read

Calls (2021) | Discussion, Recommendations & Spoilers | Television Shows

Calls (2021) is an American drama series based on a French series of the same name, originally created by Timothee Hochet. The American series was created, written and directed by Fede Alvarez. The series premiered on Apple+ on March 19, 2021. Calls (2021) is not a typical television show, rather it uses voice-acting combined with minimal visuals. Despite this, it is a very engaging, emotional and exciting show.

From the first episode of the series, we learn that a series of mysterious events are occurring across the planet, but the stories we are to hear are only in the United States of America.

In the first episode, we are introduced to Tim and Sara, a couple who are in a long distance relationship. We find out that Tim finds the relationship difficult to maintain and wants to break up with Sara. While he is finding the courage to tell Sara, Sara tells Tim that someone is trying to break into her apartment. Sara hangs up and calls the police, while Tim calls his manager, Camilla. We discover that Tim has been cheating on Sara with Camilla and Camilla is the reason for the break-up, not long-distance.

Meanwhile, Sara is on the phone with 911 and tells them someone is trying to get in her apartment and they don't look human. Sara is terrified and leaves her apartment, then calls Tim. As Tim and Sara speak, Sara discovers Tim has left his house as well. While they are outside talking, they panic as they find themselves starting to leave the ground, floating further and further away and heading towards space. They tell each other they love each other and the call ends.

The rest of the series follows other Americans as they experience mysterious and sometimes horrific events that relate to the phenomenon occurring on Earth.

If You Like This Television Show, You May Also Like:

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Resolution (2012)

The Endless (2017)

Primer (2004)

Coherence (2013)

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Discussion:

*Discussion contains spoilers

During the series, we find that a lot of the Americans in the United States are experiencing the some of the same events. Some people find themselves traveling in a different time than the people they are talking to, sometimes minutes apart, sometimes years apart. Some people find themselves confronted with someone who looks like them and is intent on harming them.

Others find themselves in more horrific circumstances; they find their bones breaking, their bodies burning and bleeding profusely, which always results in their deaths. Sometimes the calls happen while the people are dying and they are able to describe what is happening to them and other calls happen when witnesses describe the events as they witness their death.

We don't really find out what is going on until the last two episodes of the series, but if you are familiar with quantum mechanics, you will probably have more of an idea of what is happening early on.

It turns out a physicist in the 1970's built a device meant for time-travel that he believed didn't work and abandoned it. Unfortunately, it did work, just not the way he meant it to and it has created a catastrophe, namely one that will end the world if he doesn't destroy it. The physicist calls himself in 1978 and tells himself that yes, the machine does work, but it must be destroyed or it will result in the end of the world.

He destroys the machine and everything turns out okay, just in case you were worried.

I really enjoyed this series. Fede Alvarez is one of my favorite directors and I thought he did a great job with this series. Even without seeing actors, sets or complicated graphics, I was engaged and worried about what was going to happen with the characters in the series. Each episode was engaging and exciting. Even though I figured out what was happening early on, I still wanted to see how the series would turn out and loved hearing the different stories and experiences of the characters.

I liked how the series was sometimes exciting, sometimes funny and sometimes horrifying. I thought it was a great mix and made it interesting. I never thought the physics explanations were too complicated, so anyone can watch this series and not feel like it's too scientific or confusing.