So, yes: Maniac looks great. It will inspire a zillion frame-grabs and GIFs. But it doesn’t inspire anything else. It’s a show that wants you to think it has all sorts of ideas: About the rigors of mental illness; about the false escapism of addiction; about the increasing corporatization of our lives. But after several show-offy hours, Maniac doesn’t reveal a single truth or idea that hasn’t already been kicked around—with more honesty and heart—in movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Melancholia.

Just as Maniac was hitting its low—in every way possible—with that dopey It’s a Wonderful Life one-liner, I wondered, "Who is this show for?" But the answer’s obvious: It’s for Netflix. Maniac will no doubt give the streamer a few weeks of Twitter buzz, maybe a few Emmy nominations—and yet another reason to brag about how it’s figured out what TV should be. Don’t fall for it. Maniac is an empty screen. If doesn’t happen to you, there’ll be be no difference in the world.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.wired.com