The horror movie “Obsession” has been making waves recently, becoming a box office smash on a tiny budget and generating plenty of conversation online. Directed by 26-year-old filmmaker Curry Baker, the film follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a young man who’s in love with his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). Too anxious to tell her about his feelings, he buys a magical toy that grants one wish, and he wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the world, hoping they can finally be together. His wish comes true, with disastrous consequences that spiral into violence and an intensely toxic relationship.
The premise of “Obsession” isn’t a total oddity, but the movie’s clever, low-budget filmmaking and an amazing performance from Navarrette have made the film a hit among horror fans. Fortunately, television has explored many of these same themes through wildly different genres and storytelling styles. What follows is a list of shows that share a certain amount of DNA with the film, whether that’s a focus on stalking, obsession, wishes gone wrong, supernatural horror, or unsettling changes in identity. Here are some television shows to watch if you like “Obsession.”
While poor Nikki (Inde Navarrette) becomes a love-obsessed stalker and serial killer thanks to the stupidity of her faux boyfriend, Bear (Michael Johnston), Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) on “You” is just built like that. In the first season of the Lifetime/Netflix hit, Joe is the manager of a bookstore in New York City. He develops an obsession with Beck (Elizabeth Lail), an aspiring writer. He stalks Beck and eventually dates her, eliminating any obstacles in his way — including people.
In Season 2, he meets his match in the form of Love (Victoria Pedretti), a chef with violent impulses of her own. Love disrupts Joe’s murderous pattern somewhat, but he still manages to develop new obsessions with women every season. Season 4 represents a welcome change, as Joe becomes the target of a stalker of his own and the show turns into a captivating whodunit.
“You” is an endearingly soapy, even trashy show that succeeds on the strength of its performances, notably from Badgley and his very capable co-star Pedretti. The stalker formula works well, as do the moments where the writers switch it up and provide some well-earned twists. Fans of “Obsession” will appreciate Joe’s deranged behavior, though “You” is more of a thriller than a horror series.
Baby Reindeer
“Baby Reindeer,” a favorite of horror legend Stephen King, is one of the best shows about obsession and stalking we’ve ever seen. Creator Richard Gadd based the series on a harrowing experience from his own life. He plays Donny Dunn, a struggling comedian working as a bartender. One day, a woman named Martha (Jessica Gunning) walks into his place of work, and he makes the visibly distraught stranger a cup of tea. Martha latches on to Donny from that moment on, becoming obsessed with him to the point of stalking him.
Donny quickly surmises that Martha is not well, but he doesn’t act to protect himself. Her unbalanced behavior forces Donny to relive the trauma of his past, and it becomes clear that both Donny and Martha are very damaged people. Indeed, though Martha exhibits some truly disturbing behavior, she’s not made to be an outright villain, as she’s clearly struggling mentally. Gunning gives a mesmerizing performance that you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from, as much as you may want to. It’s an uncomfortable watch, thanks to its unflinching look at human nature and the effects of trauma. Still, we recommend you sit with that discomfort, as it’s one limited series you need to watch at least once.
Killing Eve
One of the things that’s so delicious about “Killing Eve” is the mutual obsession of its two protagonists. Sandra Oh plays Eve Polastri, an American living in London and working for MI5, the less-cool cousin of MI6. Bored with what’s functionally an office job, Eve becomes obsessed with a notorious assassin and begins working with MI6 to bring her down. In turn, that assassin, Villanelle (Jodie Comer), becomes aware of Eve’s investigation, and starts stalking Eve for her own amusement.
What follows is a thrilling game of cat and mouse, during which Eve proves she’s just as capable of behaving like a psychopath as Villanelle. As Eve and Villanelle chase each other across Europe, digging into the shadowy organization that employs Villanelle, the two women form an intense bond that may prove deadly.
The show was created by genius screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and her fingerprints are all over the show’s brilliant first season. The rest of the series never reaches the heights of that first entry, and we’re still upset by the series’ divisive season finale, but it’s worth the watch for witty writing and fantastic performances from Oh and Comer. Comer has a handle on accents like no one we’ve ever seen and gives this cold-blooded killer humanity, while Oh is great at balancing Eve’s two different selves. Supporting performances from the likes of Fiona Shaw, Kim Bodnia, and Camille Cottin are the cherries on top.
Sweetpea
“This was definitely the most challenging role I’ve ever done,” Ella Purnell told Vogue about her UK series “Sweetpea.” She also described the show as “sort of like Fleabag meets Dexter,” a sentiment we agree with. If you liked “Obsession,” you’ll appreciate the series’ portrayal of a woman who goes from victim to villain. Purnell plays Rhiannon, a reserved woman who is rarely noticed. She lives with her parents and works as a secretary at a local newspaper. Her boss, who gave her the nickname “sweetpea,” forgets she exists most days.
Rhiannon has been ignored, belittled, and outright bullied for most of her life. This mistreatment has led to a rather intense inner monologue reminiscent of Arya Stark’s (Maisie Williams) infamous kill list in “Game of Thrones.” Essentially, she spends her days keeping a mental list of people she’d like to kill, from a man who takes up too much space on the bus to the girl who bullied her in school. Then, one day, she finally snaps and kills one of the people who has disrespected her.
She’s not totally evil, and she knows she shouldn’t be killing people, but she finds that once she’s crossed that line, she doesn’t want to stop. Rhiannon’s painful lack of confidence and simmering anger about how she’s been treated by others — much of which boils down to sexism — makes her surprisingly easy to root for, even though you know she’s technically in the wrong.
If Wishes Could Kill
“If Wishes Could Kill,” a Korean YA series on Netflix, begins with a high school student slitting her throat at school, recording the act of violence on her phone. This gritty opening sets the tone for the series, which, like “Obsession,” explores the cost of wishing for — and getting — your heart’s desire. The show centers on a group of high school friends. Hyeon-wook (Lee Hyo-je) uses a wish-granting app called Girigo to wish for a perfect score on his math test. His wish comes true, but there is a great cost: his life.
When someone makes a wish on Girigo, a 24-hour countdown begins, meaning the user has 24 hours to live. When the countdown ends, they become possessed, violently killing themselves and anyone who gets caught in the crossfire. Hyeon-wook’s classmates, who include Se-ah (Jeon So-young), Geon-woo (Baek Sun-ho), Na-ri (Kang Mi-na), and Ha-joon (Hyun Woo-seok), begin investigating how the app works, trying to break the chain of violence before they’re all dead. The show blends teen drama, supernatural mystery, and horror for an entertaining ride.
Swarm
The movie “Obsession” centers on violent romantic obsession, but for another look at the topic, check out the Prime series “Swarm,” which explores the dark side of fandom. The show stars Dominique Fishback, who gives a killer performance as a young woman named Dre. She is a superfan of the pop star Ni’Jah, whose fans are called The Swarm. (Ni’Jah is clearly modeled after Beyoncé and her own Hive.) Dre’s sister, Marissa (Chloe Bailey), once shared Dre’s obsession, but now Dre is on her own. Dre’s poor social skills and increasing isolation lead her to lose her mind entirely.
Dre embarks on a cross-country road trip that turns deadly as she targets anyone who doesn’t show her idol the “correct” amount of adoration. “Who’s your favorite artist?” she asks unsuspecting onlookers. If they answer wrong, it may cost them their lives. Though Dre is clearly deranged, Fishback delivers a heartbreaking performance that will make you feel for Dre even as you cringe over her delusions.
Created by “Atlanta” masterminds Donald Glover and Janine Nabers (with an assist from none other than Malia Obama), “Swarm” is a total trip, and its tone oscillates wildly from episode to episode. It combines elements of horror, dark comedy, and even documentary filmmaking to deliver scathing commentary on contemporary fandom and celebrity culture, and it feels unnervingly truthful.
Obsession: Dark Desires
Curry Baker’s “Obsession” gives stalking a harrowing supernatural bent, but if you’re interested in real-life stories that are just as terrifying, check out the true crime series “Obsession: Dark Desires.” The Investigation Discovery series tells the stories of stalking victims through interviews and reenactments. With the exception of one shocking episode in Season 3, all of the victims escaped with their lives and appear on the show narrating their experiences.
These shiver-inducing tales explore nearly every form of stalking imaginable. A student who becomes obsessed with his teacher. An obsessive pizza delivery driver. An opera singer stalked by a deranged fan. Creepy neighbors and secretly violent coworkers. A dangerous peeping Tom. A predator within the Mormon Church. The narration from the victims gives each story a personal touch and keeps the episodes from feeling too repetitive. Some of the reenactments are a bit cheesy, but the narratives are compelling enough to keep you engaged.
Servant
“Servant” is one of the best shows streaming on Apple TV, and fans of “Obsession” will appreciate the unsettling delusions of its protagonists and the creeping sense of dread that permeates the atmosphere. Created by Tony Basgallop and executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, “Servant” follows Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) and Sean Turner (Toby Kebbell), a Philadelphia couple grieving the death of their infant son. Dorothy is struggling to reckon with what happened, so at the suggestion of a therapist, they use a lifelike baby doll to help her process the loss. They even hire a nanny, Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free), to care for the doll.
Things don’t exactly go to plan. The doll appears more lifelike as the days go by, while Leanne’s behavior grows increasingly erratic. Strange phenomena begin occurring around Dorothy and Sean’s home, and they start to suspect they’ve let something sinister into their lives. “Servant” is a slow burn, and the show’s central mystery takes a while to unfurl itself. Shyamalan masterfully manipulates tone and atmosphere, creating a sense of foreboding that increases over the show’s four excellent seasons. The acting is great all around, and Rupert Grint also appears as Dorothy’s erratic younger brother. Like “Obsession,” it depicts the unsettling experience of watching reality shift right before your very eyes.
Cape Fear
Apple TV’s version of “Cape Fear,” based on John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel and previously adapted into films in 1962 and 1991, draws out the tension of those earlier iterations and injects the story with a modern sensibility. Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson play Anna and Tom Bowden, married lawyers living a comfortable life in Savannah, Georgia. They have two children: Zack (Joe Anders), who’s having trouble at school, and Natalie (Lily Collias), Anna’s daughter and Tom’s stepdaughter. Though their life appears perfect from the outside, skeletons in the closet come out to play as the series progresses.
The most dangerous skeleton? Max Cady (Javier Bardem), a violent sociopath recently released from prison after being convicted of murdering his wife. He blames Anna and Tom for his incarceration, and is hell-bent on revenge. Ominous things begin occurring around the Bowdens. It starts with the discovery of a family of four skunks drowned in their pool, though they can’t prove it was Max’s doing.
“Cape Fear” lets the tension build over 10 episodes, but it’s also not afraid to make liberal use of jump scares to add visceral jolts of fear to the story. Bardem gives a terrifying performance, and all the actors add depth to the writing. Unlike previous versions of the tale, this is less a story of good vs. evil, as the Bowdens are hiding dark secrets. A focus on toxic masculinity and the dangers of technology brings the story into the modern day, and cleverly placed guest stars wink at Scorsese’s 1991 film.
Chloe
The BBC One series “Chloe” looks at obsession and stalking from a surprisingly grounded, thoughtful perspective. Erin Doherty gives a magnetic performance as Becky, a young woman without much going for her. She works a series of temp jobs while caring for her ailing mother. She spends most of her free time scrolling social media and has developed an obsession with a woman named Chloe Fairbourne (Poppy Gilbert), whose perfectly curated Instagram account indicates a glamorous, tastefully lived life. When Becky discovers that Chloe has suddenly died, she decides this is the perfect opportunity to ingratiate herself with Chloe’s art world circle.
We learn fairly early on that Becky has been casually behaving like a con artist for quite some time now, and her new identity as Sasha isn’t her first foray into recreational manipulation. As Sasha, who is much more glamorous and well-connected than Becky, she maneuvers her way into Chloe’s inner circle, sidling up to Chloe’s friends and loved ones. Becky is neither a genius con artist nor a faultless liar — she makes things up as she goes, occasionally slipping up and putting herself in jeopardy. The show never overlooks the reality of her con or the circumstances of her life that brought her to this place, giving the series a strong sense of realism despite its deceitful premise. There’s nuance to Becky’s actions, and her behavior is not what we’d expect from a woman possessed by obsession.
