Emma Stone's 10-Part Sci-Fi Miniseries On Netflix Only Takes A Weekend To Binge

Published Nov 13, 2026, 11:00 AM EST

Liz Hersey is an Editor and Critic for ScreenRant's TV team, editing, reviewing, writing, and creating content about the iconic shows you love to watch. She began her editing career at ScreenRant in 2019, shortly after joining the site as a Writer that same year.

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Lately, it seems like every project Emma Stone touches turns to gold, yet her TV work remains shockingly overlooked, especially her binge-worthy Netflix sci-fi series. In the past decade, the actress has appeared in buzzy commercial movies like Cruella and collaborated with arthouse director Yorgos Lanthimos on four films, including 2023's Poor Things, which earned Stone her second Oscar for Best Actress.

Though less celebrated, Stone's small-screen work is every bit as daring and experimental as her Lanthimos movies. The actress notably starred opposite Nathan Fielder in Showtime's 2023 satirical cringe comedy series The Curse, and before that, Stone appeared in a sci-fi miniseries called Maniac.

Premiering on Netflix in 2018, Stone and Jonah Hill star as Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim, two strangers who form a connection during a three-day radical pharmaceutical trial for a drug that promises to permanently cure all psychological trauma with zero side effects. If this sounds too good to be true, that's because it is, and Annie and Owen's intersecting mindbending journeys across various dreamscapes is as fascinating as it is dangerous. With such a unique premise and only 10 episodes, Maniac is an ideal weekend binge for both sci-fi and non-sci-fi fans alike.

Maniac Is One Of The Greatest 'Weekend Binge' Sci-Fi Series

Not only is getting through Maniac's 10 episodes, which vary from 26 to 47 minutes in length, easily binged on a weekend, but the Netflix original series was practically designed to be binged on a weekend. The entire miniseries basically takes place over the course of three days, meaning audiences can start it Friday night and follow Annie and Owen's trial in almost real time.

Maniac also boasts the best of both worlds in that the entire show is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective season 1), so viewers will be treated to a consistent singular vision, while never getting bored with what's onscreen. Each phase of the pill testing sees Annie and Owen dropped into wildly different dreamscapes, with Maniac shifting genres accordingly, ranging from bleak psychological drama to film noir, to even medieval fantasy.

In general, miniseries are a great option for a weekend binge, given that they tell complete, brief stories. However, there's nothing quite like Maniac, and it'll make for one unforgettable viewing experience.

Maniac Is Quietly One Of Emma Stone's Best Performances

Image via MovieStillsDB

Stone is rightfully praised for her accomplished filmography, but Maniac is arguably the best showcase of her versatility. While Annie is experiencing her trial, not only do her dreamscapes occur in different genres, but she also takes on corresponding personas in each. Given the constraints of the miniseries, not a lot of time is spent on each character, but Stone makes the most of it, whether she's playing 1940s femme fatale Arlie Kane or coldhearted Cold War-era spy Ruth.

However, her best performance is as Annie proper. Stone has made a career out of playing warm, ebullient ingenues; her two Oscar wins were for the roles of earnest aspiring actress Mia Dolan in La La Land and Bella Baxter, a clever subversion of the type, in Poor Things.

Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.

On the other hand, In Maniac, Stone completely turns off her usual radiance. Annie is dealing with an unbearable array of trauma and mental health issues, and as a result, she is guarded, cynical, and quietly beaten down. It's a fascinating departure, made all the more effective when juxtaposed with what we've normally come to expect fromthe actress. Just like Maniac stands out as a show, so does her performance in the series. It's an absolute must-watch for anyone with even a passing appreciation of Stone's work.