The best thrillers often root themselves in very credible details, to really drive home the fact that the action you’re watching could really happen. That’s not essential to get viewers into things, but it really helps to suspend your disbelief – and it’s a plan that Apple TV+ seems to be leaning into with its new series The Savant.
The show stars Jessica Chastain, and just got its first trailer, laying out an impressively believable premise that pits her against malicious forces as a very particular sort of law enforcement officer. She’s employed to foil domestic terror attacks, by disguising her digital identity, infiltrating online groups and stopping them in her tracks once she has enough evidence of their plans.
The credibility here comes from the fact that this is definitely a job that really exists, given the number of attacks that happen in the US on an annual basis. With the country’s access to weapons always a hot topic of debate, and the identity of most attackers coming under scrutiny, you can expect the show to draw plenty of discussion and perhaps ire when it starts on 26 September.
Aside from that real-world context, though, The Savant looks pretty compelling. Chastain is the mother of a young family, but struggles to leave her work behind, which is clearly a big part of the plot. After all, the later stages of the trailer make it obvious that an extremist group she’s been working to infiltrate might find out who she is and where her family lives.
That’s a terrifying prospect, and it suggests that The Savant will move from online thrills to physical action as the show unfolds on a weekly basis. Chastain, meanwhile, is one of the most reliable actors working today – she’s one of those who rarely if ever turns in a poor performance, and has the ability to elevate the material with which she works.
Apple TV+ is on something of a streak when it comes to thrillers like this. I just wrapped up watching Smoke, with Taron Egerton in the lead, which was a little silly but nonetheless good fun. I’m hoping The Savant can outdo it, though.
