by Foster Harlfinger, Contributing Writer
M. Night Shyamalan and Tony Basgallop’s Servant has remained an underseen gem of the Apple TV+ catalogue for its first three seasons. Though its fanbase may be small, those who have consistently watched the show since its 2019 premiere can attest that it has provided us with some of the most exciting week-to-week theorizing since shows like Mr. Robot and Lost.
With its fourth and final season, Servant finally brings the show’s myriad story threads to a close in a way that will surely spark debate for years to come. Though the season opens with a stylistically engaging exercise in tension as Leanne’s (Nell Tiger Free) conflict with the Church of the Lesser Saints comes to a head, the first five episodes as a whole leave something to be desired in the way of narrative resolution. Servant’s first three seasons consistently operated on the border of intrigue and frustration given the show’s trademark slow pacing and enigmatic presentation.
Part of what makes Shyamalan’s better films so watchable is their tight runtimes and consistent consideration for audience engagement. Though his aesthetic influence shines through every one of the show’s 40 episodes, Servant would have been better served as a two- or three-season show, given how few and far between its dramatic payoffs are. Even so, Servant remains one of the most unique shows on television, with its masterful cinematography, darkly comic sensibilities, and singularly unsettling tone. Each new story development practically begs the audience to pore over every line reading or background detail to theorize about what is to come.
When the payoffs finally arrive in episodes five through 10, it comes as a major relief. Episode nine, in particular — the sole Shyamalan-directed episode of the season — is the finest chapter of the entire show, and it delivers the most emotionally resonant moment of the series as Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) is finally forced to grapple with the trauma of her past. Though Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Julian’s (Rupert Grint) consistent banter throughout the season continues to deliver Servant’s week-to-week entertainment value, Dorothy remains the true star. With her delightfully quirky performance, Ambrose commits unlike any other member of the cast. In a role that would have quickly bordered on parody with a lesser actor, Ambrose manages to completely sell the thematic underpinnings of unresolved grief and trauma.
As the season came to a close with its penultimate episode, Servant felt primed for a whirlwind finale, but that is simply not the direction Shyamalan, Basgallop, and co. wished to pursue. Though the finale clarifies the emotional center of the show, and offers an unexpectedly optimistic take on its characters, this comes at the expense of the descent into darkness the rest of the season had been teasing. Despite offering closure to a number of hanging threads, the mixed reaction to the episode suggests a misalignment of audience expectations to the story the filmmakers wished to tell.
Servant is a gift to those who fall within its hyper-niche fanbase, and as with any show, it will be difficult not to miss these characters. Unfortunately, the show is more visually compelling than it is narratively, making it difficult to recommend to most audience members. However, if you can handle the slow pacing and narrative ambiguity, there is more than enough merit in Servant’s performances and presentation to make it worth your while.
Score: 7/10
Servant is currently streaming on Apple TV+
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