Each episode of Swarm begins with an unconventional disclaimer: a black-and-white assertion that the seven-part series is “not a work of fiction” (it is) and that “any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional”. That bit is fair enough. With an eye to making a morbid satire of a particular brand of online fan culture – surrounding widely, ferociously beloved figures such as Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift and, most pointedly, Beyoncé – the show follows one terrifying superfan named Dre (Judas and the Black Messiah’s Dominique Fishback) whose personal trauma, combined with her obsession with the fictional popstar Ni’Jah, spurs her on to a years-long killing spree. Sorry Joe Goldberg, there’s a new psycho in town.
It’s not quite a slice-of-life for the average Beyhive member, but the show’s creators say they chose to base the fictional ‘Swarm’ on Bey’s fandom as, compared to the rest, it is “the most interesting and the most fun, honestly, and it has had the biggest impact”. It’s a compliment really, guys! Co-conceptualised by Atlanta creator Donald Glover (who has likely seen his fair share of unhinged fan behaviour courtesy of the celebrity that came with his rap alias Childish Gambino) and New York playwright Janine Nabers, Swarm begins in Houston, Texas. The story sees Dre’s femcel existence play out as a consequence of years of arrested development, stemming from an over-reliance on her sister Marissa (Chloe Bailey) as well as her unwavering dedication to Ni’Jah.
Following its premiere at SXSW, Indiewire’s Ben Travers praised the show as a sharp critique of the influence of the true-crime genre, as well as its merits as “an empathetic character study”. But not every critic is convinced. “Swarm doesn’t really seem to be about fans or tweets,” writes Mike Hale for The New York Times, “or for that matter about Beyoncé.” He continues to note that, “in the show’s best moments, the premise serves as an attention-grabbing, plot-propelling armature for a story that promises, for a while at least, to be more interesting than that”.
The show’s celebrity cameos include Rory Culkin, Paris Jackson and Billie Eilish – whose role as Eva, the “executive director” of a “female empowerment group”, is said to be based on the NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, who was sentenced to 120 years in prison in the landmark 2020 sex-trafficking case. Hats off to Billie, as this one is definitely not a softball first role.
With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 84% (and a critics’ consensus that praises both “Fishback’s ferocious performance and the creator’s bold creative swings”) it seems that Swarm has succeeded in sending up the toxic breed of music obsessive that can be found lurking in certain corners of the internet. The show also gives airtime to entertaining music culture apocrypha (such as the infamous who bit Beyoncé debacle) and has generated a weekend-long controversy in a continuation of the seemingly interminable sex scene discourse. As only the greats can do. You can stream all seven episodes online now, or simply log off and never think about any of the parasocial dystopian mess of social media ever again. Up to you!