Tales from the Loop


Contributors to Wikimedia projects

Article Images

Tales from the Loop is an American science fiction drama television series developed and written by Nathaniel Halpern based on the art book of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. The eight-episode first season was released in its entirety on Amazon Prime Video on April 3, 2020.[1]

Tales from the Loop
GenreDrama
Science fiction
Based onTales from the Loop
by Simon Stålenhag
Developed byNathaniel Halpern
Written byNathaniel Halpern
Starring
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Matt Reeves
  • Adam Kassan
  • Rafi Crohn
  • Nathaniel Halpern
  • Mark Romanek
  • Mattias Montero
  • Adam Berg
  • Samantha Taylor Pickett
Running time50–57 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
ReleaseApril 3, 2020

Tales from the Loop follows the interconnected lives of the residents in the fictional town of Mercer, Ohio. Mercer is home to the Mercer Center for Experimental Physics, an underground facility known as the Loop. It is here that researchers attempt to "make the impossible possible".

Tales from the Loop is based on the 2014 narrative art book of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag; also drawing inspiration from the fact Stålenhag never fully explains what the science fiction objects he depicts do or where they come from.

On July 17, 2018, it was announced that Amazon had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of eight episodes. Executive producers include Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan, Rafi Crohn, Nathaniel Halpern, Mark Romanek, Mattias Montero, Adam Berg, and Samantha Taylor Pickett. Halpern serves as showrunner and Romanek directed the pilot episode. Production companies involved with the series include 6th & Idaho, Indio, Amazon Studios, and Fox 21 Television Studios.[6][7][8] The first season was released in its entirety on April 3, 2020. A first trailer was released on February that year.[1]

Writer and showrunner Nathaniel Halpern drew inspiration from the short story cycle Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson; its themes of loneliness and isolation, and its focus on small town characters.[9] Executive producer and director Mark Romanek drew inspiration from the Dekalog, the 10-part series of television films by Krzysztof Kieślowski. Other directors cited to influence the production include Ingmar Bergman, Yasujirō Ozu, and Andrei Tarkovsky.[10][11]

The team, headed by visual effects producer Andrea Knoll, attempted to preserve the "painterly feeling" of Stålenhag's artwork,[12] earning them an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role.[13] In his attempts to "crack the code" of Stålenhag, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth chose to shoot night scenes during dusk instead.[10]

On Rotten Tomatoes, season one has an approval rating of 86% based on 69 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Though the show around them burns a bit too slowly, Tales from the Loop beautifully transposes Simon Stålenhag's paintings into moving art and provides a welcome dose of warmth and humanity with its sci-fi."[14] On Metacritic, season one has a score of 68/100 based on reviews from 15 critics.[15]

David Baird from The B.C. Catholic characterizes the series as "a set of loosely interrelated meditations upon ephemerality, the impact of technology, and human vulnerability infused with a mild science fiction savour" and considers it "a beguiling fusion of forward-looking nostalgia".[16] Joshua Thomas from The Michigan Daily simply considers it "superb sci-fi"; "exactly what good sci-fi should look like."[17] Writing for Firstpost, Prahlad Srihari thinks its "wide shots, the symmetrical frames, and the play of light and space all do justice to Stålenhag's retrofuturistic vision".[18] According to The Verge's Joshua Rivera, "Tales from the Loop is so pretty it breaks your heart."[19] Writing for /Film, Hoai-Tran Bui thinks the show explores "universal elements of grief, aging, parenthood, loneliness, and love" but also that it "often toes the line between beguiling and boring".[20] Polygon's Charlie Hall, meanwhile, was left "feeling uneasy and confused".[21]

Awards and nominations

edit

Association Category Recipient Results Ref
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role Andrea Knoll, Ashley Bernes, Eduardo Anton, Julien Hery, Laurent Pancaccini, Andrew Kowbell, Alan Scott, David Piombino, Rajesh Kaushik (For "Loop") Nominated [22]
Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) Jeff Cronenweth (For "Loop") Nominated
Visual Effects Society Awards Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project Dominik Kirouac, Gaël Chopin, Sylvain Nouveau, Laurent Pancaccini (For "Loretta's House") Nominated [23]
  1. ^ a b "Video: "Tales from the Loop" - Official Trailer". The Futon Critic. February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (March 1, 2019). "'Tales From The Loop': Rebecca Hall To Star In Amazon Series Based On Simon Stålenhag Art". Deadline. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c D'Addario, Daniel (April 2, 2020). "'Tales From The Loop': TV Review". Variety. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "Tales From The Loop". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  5. ^ "Tales from the Loop – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 17, 2018). "'Tales From The Loop': Amazon Studios Orders Genre Series Based On Simon Stålenhag Art From Matt Reeves & Fox 21". Deadline. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (July 17, 2018). "'Tales From the Loop' TV Series Set at Amazon". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. ^ Holloway, Daniel (July 17, 2018). "Amazon Orders Sci-Fi Series 'Tales From the Loop'". Variety. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  9. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 9, 2020). "'The Batman' Director Matt Reeves On DC Pic During COVID-19 Hiatus; Unraveling 'Tales From The Loop' & Netflix Slate". Deadline. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Desowitz, Bill (August 28, 2020). "'Tales from the Loop': Shooting the Sci-Fi Series with Inspiration from Simon Stålenhag's Surreal Paintings". IndieWire. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  11. ^ Perez, Rodrigo (April 21, 2020). "'Tales From The Loop': Mark Romanek Discusses Krzysztof Kieslowski & Arthouse Sensibilities Applied To The 'Twilight Zone' [Interview]". The Playlist. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  12. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 18, 2020). "'Tales from the Loop' VFX Producer Andrea Knoll On Translating Painterly Aesthetic Of Swedish Artist Simon Stålenhag's Work To Sci-Fi Drama". Deadline. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  13. ^ "Tales From The Loop Receives Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Supporting Role". Moving Picture Company. July 28, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  14. ^ "Tales From the Loop: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "Tales From the Loop". Metacritic. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ^ Baird, David (May 13, 2020). "Tales from the Loop: perennial questions in a retrofuturism setting". The B.C. Catholic. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  17. ^ Thomas, Joshua (April 5, 2020). "'Tales from the Loop' is superb sci-fi". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  18. ^ Srihari, Prahlad (April 6, 2020). "Tales from the Loop review: Amazon's quasi-anthology series is low on sci-fi spectacle, high on introspective drama". Firstpost. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  19. ^ Rivera, Joshua (April 6, 2020). "Tales from the Loop turns small-town America into a sci-fi feelings machine". The Verge. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  20. ^ Bui, Hoai-Tran (March 27, 2020). "'Tales From the Loop' Review: Amazon's Striking New Sci-Fi Series is a Serene Ode to Humanity". /Film. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  21. ^ Hall, Charlie (April 3, 2020). "Tales from the Loop tries to adapt a series of mysterious paintings". Polygon. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  22. ^ "2020 Primetime Emmy" (Press release). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. July 28, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  23. ^ Pederson, Erik (March 2, 2021). "VES Awards Nominations: 'Tenet', 'Midnight Sky', 'Extraction', 'Soul' & 'Mandalorian' Among Titles In Visual Effects Hunt". Deadline. Retrieved March 2, 2021.