Saagar Kote
Hulu’s ‘Phony’ is a comedy mystery thriller series created by Nick Paley that follows Sonny Cooke (Sam Nivola), a high school student living with his single mother, Ellen (Connie Britton), in a small Oregon town. The two share a close bond and have a special way of expressing their affection by squeezing each other’s arms or shoulders. However, their relationship takes an unsettling turn after Sonny wakes up from a coma following a car accident. He becomes convinced that the woman claiming to be his mother is an imposter who looks and behaves differently from Ellen.
Even their familiar gesture no longer feels the same, as she fails to squeeze him back when he tries to say he loves her. Sonny’s concerns are dismissed by everyone around him, who suspect that the accident has affected his mind. Determined to prove he is not imagining things, Sonny begins investigating, and the ordeal becomes frightening in unexpected ways. These shows, similar to ‘Phony,’ will keep you hooked with their unpredictable storylines, deceptive characters, and secrets.
8. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (2026)
Created by Lisa McGee, ‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’ places its characters in an increasingly unsettling mystery that forces them to question what they know about the people around them. The Irish comedy-thriller series revolves around three longtime friends, Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), Robyn (Sinéad Keenan), and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), who reconnect after hearing that a former schoolmate with whom they have lost touch has died.
Their reunion soon takes an unexpected direction as the women embark on a journey across Ireland to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death. However, the trio has secrets of its own to protect, making their search for answers considerably more complicated. Akin to ‘Phony,’ the narrative intricately explores identity, secrecy, and uncertainty through the experiences of the main characters, challenging their perspectives.
7. Search Party (2016-2022)
In ‘Search Party,’ a missing acquaintance becomes the unlikely focus of four young New Yorkers struggling to find direction in their own lives. The comedy series from the creative team of Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, and Michael Showalter centers on a young woman named Dory Sief (Alia Shawkat). Her growing preoccupation with the disappearance of Chantal Witherbottom (Clare McNulty) draws her friends Portia Davenport (Meredith Hagner), Elliott Goss (John Early), and Drew Gardner (John Reynolds) into the search. Already dealing with insecurities, strained relationships, and a general dissatisfaction with their circumstances, the four see Chantal’s disappearance as something they cannot simply ignore.
They set out to piece together what happened, but their attempts to get answers lead them into a series of bizarre and increasingly dangerous situations. As the mystery takes hold of their lives, the investigation begins creating new tensions within the group, putting their friendship under pressure. Both ‘Phony’ and ‘Search Party’ explore how unexpected circumstances can disrupt close relationships. Sonny struggles to accept the apparent change in his mother, while Dory and her friends find their bonds tested by their growing involvement in Chantal’s disappearance.
6. Fake (2024)
‘Fake’ is the saga of Birdie Bell (Asher Keddie), a Melbourne journalist and food writer who meets wealthy grazier Joe Burt (David Wenham) through a dating app. Despite an uncomfortable first encounter at a bar, Joe’s persistent messages eventually draw Birdie into a romance. When their relationship develops, she becomes increasingly invested in the image of the perfect partner he presents. However, small inconsistencies begin to make her question his claims, and she gradually realizes that Joe has probably lied.
Torn between her romantic expectations and her growing suspicions, Birdie begins uncovering the mystery behind the relationship. From the creative mind of Anya Beyersdorf, the Australian drama-thriller series is inspired by Stephanie Wood’s eponymous book. Sonny’s suspicions about his mother lead him into frightening territory in ‘Phony,’ while Birdie’s romantic relationship similarly takes an increasingly unsettling turn.
5. Cruel Summer (2021-)
‘Cruel Summer’ is an anthology mystery drama series that examines how a life-altering incident can transform the lives of teenagers and damage their relationships. The first season unfolds in Skylin, Texas, where Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia) finds herself at the center of a controversy following the disappearance of popular student Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt). Accused of knowing more about Kate’s whereabouts than she admits, Jeanette becomes embroiled in a scandal that threatens to upend her life.
The second season moves to Chatham, Washington, where Megan Landry (Sadie Stanley), Isabella LaRue (Lexi Underwood), and Luke Chambers (Griffin Gluck) become involved in a complicated love triangle. Their relationships take a darker turn when a shocking crime changes everything. The Bert V. Royal creation explores how an unexpected development can fundamentally change the lives of young characters, much like ‘Phony’ does through Sonny’s trials and tribulations.
4. Shining Girls (2022)
‘Shining Girls’ is a sci-fi thriller series from creator Silka Luisa, based on Lauren Beukes’ novel of the same name. It follows Kirby Mazrachi (Elisabeth Moss), a newspaper archivist from Chicago who continues to struggle with the trauma of a brutal attack that nearly killed her years ago. Her assailant was never identified, and the experience has left her struggling to understand a reality that seems to change around her. Determined to find the person responsible, Kirby becomes interested in a recent murder that bears an unsettling resemblance to her own assault. She joins forces with veteran reporter Dan Velazquez (Wagner Moura) to investigate the case.
As they dig deeper, they uncover several unsolved murders dating back decades that appear to share similar patterns. Their investigation leads them toward a mysterious serial killer, while Kirby attempts to make sense of her shifting reality and finally confront the past that continues to haunt her. Both ‘Phony’ and ‘Shining Girls’ feature main characters whose understanding of reality is profoundly unsettled, with Sonny questioning whether his mother has been replaced while Kirby struggles to make sense of a world that keeps changing around her.
3. School Spirits (2023-)
Created by Megan Trinrud and Nate Trinrud, ‘School Spirits’ is a teen horror-drama series based on their graphic novel of the same title, co-written with Maria Nguyen. Maddie Nears (Peyton List) is a Split River High School student who finds herself trapped on campus as a ghost after her mysterious disappearance. Unable to communicate with the living, she befriends other spirits haunting the school and gradually discovers that she may have been murdered. While her classmates search for her, Maddie investigates her own death, uncovering hidden motives and unsettling revelations along the way.
Confined to the school grounds, she must piece together what happened to her while navigating the secrets held by both the living and the dead. Along the lines of ‘Phony,’ the show places its main character in situations where the people around her cannot understand or accept her experiences. Sonny’s claims about his mother are dismissed while Maddie struggles to communicate with the living students who believe she is simply missing.
2. The Innocents (2018)
‘The Innocents’ is a British supernatural series that tells the story of teenagers Harry (Percelle Ascott) and June (Sorcha Groundsell), who leave their families behind in search of a life together. Their escape takes an unexpected turn when June discovers she can shapeshift, leaving her struggling to understand her changing identity. A mysterious professor soon takes an interest in her abilities, introducing the couple to others like her and offering to help June gain control over her powers.
He also offers her an opportunity to reconnect with her estranged mother. However, as Harry and June investigate the origins of her abilities and uncover secrets about their families, their plans for a fresh start become increasingly dangerous. With Hania Elkington and Simon Duric lending their creative vision, the show combines mystery and thriller elements with unsettling questions about identity and reality, much like ‘Phony’ does.
1. Surface (2022-)
Created by Veronica West, ‘Surface’ is a psychological thriller series that follows Sophie Ellis (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), whose life takes a dramatic turn after she survives a suicide attempt. She tries to kill herself by jumping from a San Francisco ferry, but unexpectedly wakes up with amnesia. As she tries to piece together her past with the help of her husband, James Ellis (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Sophie begins questioning the circumstances surrounding her memory loss. Initially, she suspects James of stealing money from his venture capital firm, but the recovery of memories reveals that she was responsible for the theft and had concealed the funds under the identity of Tess Caldwell.
Assuming that identity, Sophie travels to England to investigate her former life, only to find herself drawn into a dangerous web of secrets and deception. Both ‘Phony’ and ‘Surface’ feature protagonists who begin questioning the people closest to them. Sonny suspects that his mother has been replaced, while Sophie struggles to determine whether her husband is hiding the truth about her past.
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