by Ed Fortune
Swarm is a dark, satirical take on modern fandom, which follows the misadventures of the psychotic Dre (played brilliantly by Dominique Fishback), a young woman obsessed with a pop diva called Ni’Jah, who is a thinly veiled parody of a real-world celebrity. Directed and produced by Donald Glover, this is a dark and angry take on modern pop culture and how a mix of isolation, obsession and social media-fuelled fandom can lead to tragedy.
To call this a modern take on American Psycho is to do both a bit of disservice; it’s a deeper, grittier and more intense on fan culture, self-obsession and hopelessness. We frequently switch between Dre’s fantasy and reality, so we’re never quite sure what horrible thing has happened next. The show seems to want to divide audiences; it’s constantly moving camera and intense soundtrack will either draw you in until you’ve binged the entire thing or inevitably repulse you with its everyday approach to horrific things.
The entire show is shot in a muddy, grimy sort of way. Because it’s mostly told from the protagonist’s perspective, Dre’s world is one of permanent chaos. The main character is, at times, helpless and terrifying as they navigate through this world of primarily unlikable folk. Dre’s descent into murderous madness is both predictable and shocking, and the bright gore contrasts against this murky world.
Dominique Fishback is amazing, embodying this difficult character throughout. They hold the viewer’s gaze through a series of gruesome vignettes. Dre is a zealot, idiot and murderer, yet Fishback makes us care about this monstrous fool. Swarm is intended as a horror comedy, but we didn’t laugh; it’s just too bleak. This blood-soaked tragedy frequently bends toward the surreal rather than the humorous. The guest appearance of pop star Billy Eilish as a cult leader highlights the show’s underlying concern about how powerful a cult of personality can be.
One of those shows that you will either become fanatically devoted to or entirely repulsed by, and it is likely to dominate the pop culture conversation for a while.
