After the triple-whammy ofThe Happening(2008),The Last Airbender(2010) andAfter Earth(2013),M. Night Shyamalan, the horror-with-a-twist master behindThe Sixth Sense(1999) andSigns(2002), took a step back from directing features. After picking up some producer credits and directing an episode ofWayward Pines, Shyamalan had a quiet — but very good — return to the big screen withThe Visit(2015),a movie that’s as hilarious as it is terrifying. Although not the most talked-about film in the director’s oeuvre,The Visitwas undeniably creepy and unburdened by complicated story beats. It even featured a pretty alarming (in a good way) twist.
From there, most moviegoers are probably familiar with Shyamalan’s feature projects. There was the controversial but mostly well-reviewedSplit(2016), starring James McAvoy (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu), followed by Shyamalan’s stab at an Avengers-like team-up of super-powered characters from his previous films in the form of 2019’sGlass. And then there was last year’sOld(2021). A mostly disappointing film, sure, but there’s no denying:moviegoers were actually excitedfor this Shyamalan film, in a way that was reminiscent of hisThe Village(2004) era.
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Shyamalan’s latest theatrical release,Knock at the Cabin(2023), releases in February. Starring big names like Jonathan Groff (The Matrix Resurrections), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Old), Dave Bautista (Glass Onion), and Rupert Grint (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities), the film warrants attention, and, once again, the anticipation feels high. Regaining an audience’s trust after some flops is a real challenge, especially in a genre that relies so much on originality and surprises. But outside these features, Shyamalan proved that he’s a horror virtuoso with a criminally under-discussed, though very acclaimed, Apple TV Plus series:Servant.
What Is Servant on Apple TV Plus?
While the psychological horror series was created by Tony Basgallop (What Remains),M. Night Shyamalanserves as showrunner and executive producer. Across all four of its seasons,Servanthas remained first-rate television. In fact, it’s the rare show that almost gets better as it goes on, and that’s impressive, considering the first season really knocked it out of the park — and offered an obscure-yet-satisfyingRosemary’s Baby(1968) style ending that could’ve capped off a one-season miniseries.
Servant(2019–23) centers on local TV news reporter Dorothy Turner, played bySix Feet Under’s Lauren Ambrose, and her gourmet chef husband, Sean (Toby Kebbell). Although seemingly picture-perfect on the outside, the wealthy Philadelphia couple have experienced a life-altering trauma: the death of their thirteen-week-old son, Jericho. Dorothy, unable to accept her son’s death, experiences a psychotic break. Dorothy’s doctor recommends transitory object therapy. That is, the couple is given an incredibly lifelike doll to help themwork through their grief. However, Dorothy truly believes the doll is her son; it even helps her come out of a catatonic state and find the drive to get through her day.
For Sean, the whole premise is incredibly frustrating; he wants to grieve his son and move on, not replace him with a doll, and he feels the therapy is having a detrimental impact on his wife’s mental health. But he and Dorothy’s brother, Julian (Rupert Grint), play along to support Dorothy through her grief response. Though the Turners aren’t keen to admit it, the unusual therapy approach, and the loss itself, have fractured their marriage, deeply.
A few weeks after receiving the doll, the Turners hire a nanny — the very sheltered, small-town teen Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free). Leanne is meant to care for the doll, or, in Dorothy’s mind, Jericho. Privately, Sean tells Leanne that she doesn’t have to play along when Dorothy is at work, but the new nanny takes her role very seriously, which makes Sean wary of her. And there’s something else about Leanne —something potentially otherworldly. At the end of the pilot episode, the Turners discover a crying newborn in the crib where the Jericho doll once was — a gift of sorts from Leanne. Is it a stolen child? Does Leanne possess supernatural abilities? The mystery of Leanne’s nature and backstory unfold from there.
Servant Review: How a Return to Traditional Horror Inspires Invention
Why doesServantwork so well as a psychological horror series? And how hasit reestablished Shyamalan as a preeminent namein the genre? It’s simple, really. InServant, less is more. That’s the approach to much of it: the ensemble cast is small; most of the show is contained to a Philadelphia apartment building and the adjacent public park; and the premise isn’t convoluted in an attempt to be original.
By forcing a set cast of characters to interact time and again in a confined space, Shyamalan and the rest of the creative team are forced to be inventive. While viewers see Dorothy reporting in the field, it’s always through another character watching a TV broadcast. If someone leaves the apartment,they’ll video chat with a character who’s stayed home. There’s really no escaping the apartment, which, itself, starts to crumble and fracture — not unlike the characters’ relationships and psyches. The claustrophobic setting not only adds dimension to the psychological horror aspect, but feels reminiscent of stage play in the very best ways.
In many ways,Servantisa character study. As the seasons progress, different characters form surprising alliances or become deadly enemies. At the center of it all, is a struggle between Dorothy and Leanne. Although she welcomed Leanne into her home, and received the gift of a newborn from her (somehow…), Dorothy discovers there’s a high price to pay, especially as Leanne grows both in her abilities and self-assuredness. The two manipulate the other characters around them, always wanting an upper-hand when it comes to not only being in charge, but in mothering Jericho.
Thanks to itsstraightforward yet compelling premise,Servantnever loses its way. It isn’t burdened by overly complicated plot threads. Instead, this strong central focus allows the creators to balance the genre elements with their own originality. Thehorror seriesis made fresh through its nuanced dialogue, singular images, and ever-evolving, complicated characters.
Ina recent interview, Shyamalan shared that he and theServantwriters have always known where the four-season series was going, calling it “precision movement towards an end.” That’s hardly ever the case in contemporary television making. According to Grint,he and his castmates shoot the episodes in order— another rarity — and don’t receive their scripts until just before they film each episode.
Thanks to streaming platforms and their unclear metrics, show renewals and cancelations are a bit more nebulous, too. It’s hard to bet on a second season, let alone several. TakeKilling Eve: the four-season show started off strong, but, despite being adapted from a book, didn’t have an endpoint in mind for its characters. Plus, it was handed off to a new showrunner each season. Instead of keepingKilling Evefresh, that lack of unifying vision made for a disappointing and messy series finale.
While Shyamalan and the writers might not have known every plot point in between the pilot and the finale, having something to work toward makes all the difference. Bolstered by strong performances and elegant craftsmanship,Servantisa slow-burn mysterypacked with dark humor, gruesome surprises, and haunting moments — across all four seasons. And although it remains to be seen how (and how successfully)Servantwill end, it’s clear that this “less is more” approach, combined with Shyamalan’s driving vision, have helped this horror series excel in ways a movie couldn’t — no matter how entertaining its twist.
New episodes ofServant’s fourth and final season drop on Apple TV Plus on Fridays, with the finale releasing on July 25, 2025.
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