The Changeling Review: a lyrical and harrowing account of the horrors of parenthood

Loving someone else with such all-consuming intensity is horrible. It changes you. It makes you terrified and helpless, but it also makes you stronger than you ever thought you could be. In a nutshell, parenting is horrible. And "The Changeling" reflects that. The series dives deep into the timeless terror of parenthood through the lens of our current world, filled with social media and date dads in the local playground.

The cadence of the story, which takes place in a world of smartphones, is however almost lyrical and reflects the traditions of oral storytelling. LaValle, who is also the show's executive producer as well as narrator, intervenes at key points throughout the first season's eight episodes to remind us of the larger context of the story, and several lines: "Tell me about the journey of your life and I will tell you who you are", "If you are looking for a sign, this is it" and "You are exactly where you need to be", are just a few of them - are repeated continuously We're of course invested in the character's specific struggles, but "The Changeling" is fundamentally a fable. And as a fable, its focus goes beyond the plot to look at who and what shaped his characters – parenthood, yes, but also intergenerational trauma, among others.

This focus makes the series an introspective undertaking more often than not, even when the dark creatures that bump into each other in the night become real. It's not a simple show, nor easy to watch for a multitude of reasons. However, the mindfulness required to absorb it all pays off, thanks in large part to Stanfield and Backo, whose performances twist and tear your heart in all the right places.