With celebrity worship becoming the new normal in fan behaviour, it was only a matter of time before film and television tackled the new wave of fans head on. Swarm is one of the latest limited series released in 2023, tackling the way the new generation seems to be growing unhealthily obsessed with their famous idols. The series features 7 episodes from 25-40 minutes in length, following protagonist Dre, played by Dominique Fishback, in the aftermath of a tragic event, as her obsession with pop star Ni’Jah and place in Ni’Jah’s fan following “The Swarm” grows to unhealthy and violent heights. Prefacing each episode with a title card reading “this is based on true events”, Dre is a fictional character, with “the Swarm” based on the real life Bey Hive, the fan base of sensation Beyonce. Created by Janine Nabers and singer/actor Donald Glover, the series places a unique spin on the unhealthy levels of obsession society has let celebrity worship come to, while underneath talking to many more issues, like the state of adoption in the United States, and the effects on young people when they lack a supportive and understanding community.

Andrea “Dre” Greene is a woman obsessed with Ni’Jah. Following a tragic event in her personal life, Dre sets out on a murderous spree across the United States, with her unnervingly uncanny catchphrase preceding each murder, “Who is your favourite artist?”. Mirroring Ghostface’s “what’s your favourite scary movie”, if her victim does not answer with her favourite star, their only fate remaining is death at the hands of Dre. As her tour of the United States continues, she is brought back to her childhood home, where her past is revealed to be nothing short of troubling and traumatic, let down by the system and her adoptive parents as she dealt with her own issues as a child. As her journey’s, and murders, advance as she travels the country, viewers are told just enough to keep them engaged and understanding of Dre’s interior life, while leaving much up to the imagination when it comes to Dre’s past, her true motivations, and where she will end up in the future.

The standout of the series is the unnerving performance from Dominique Fishback, playing the obsessed fan turned serial killer Dre. Fishback so brilliantly portrays this serial killer with such grace, capturing the insanity in the actions of this complex character. Dre is much more than a serial killer, and Fishback seems to capture this multi-faceted character with such a deep understanding of the past that has brought Dre here, within the world that has allowed her obsession and personal trauma go this far. Fishback leaves the audience feeling unnerved throughout the series, but with her performance one can’t help but feel sympathetic towards this obsessed killer, despite the horrific actions she takes. The past of Dre is a messy one, and without giving too much away, Fishback so strongly encourages audience sympathy, while still gawking at the horrors committed.

The series is not just a commentary on obsessive fan culture. As Dre’s past is revealed, the show becomes just as much a commentary on community and the need, especially for young people, to be truly seen by someone they love. Dre’s personal complexities stem not only from the society around her that has perpetuated her obsession, but also from a personal history of being discarded rather than cared for as she reached these difficult moments in her life. In a search for this community she has lacked her whole life, Dre’s place in “The Swarm”, the fan base surrounding pop star Ni’Jah becomes the only community she is left to hang on to. It is no wonder her obsession has grown to these unhealthy levels, as the Swarm seems to be the only community Dre has ever known.

Both formally and tonally the show takes a huge shift in episode 6, with brand new characters introduced and the overall atmosphere created in the episode intentionally changed to feel like it comes from a completely different show. In taking this risk, the series succeeds in answering questions sure to be asked by the viewer from the preceding 5 episodes surrounding the police proceedings behind the scenes of Dre’s antics. With a hilariously recognizable performance by Heather Simms in this single episode, the complete shift of tone seems to work in answering these questions about police involvement without becoming overbearing on Dre’s episodes. But this full stop in the forward motion of the first 5 episodes, plus the complete lack of Fishback’s stunning performance as Dre, viewers could be left counting down the minutes left of episode 6 before they can return to the wonderful performance and chilling atmosphere around Dre in the final episode.

Swarm is a chilling and horrific limited series from the mind of star Donald Glover, and Janine Nabers. Following Dre, in the wake of a tragedy as her obsession grows to unhealthy and illegal heights, it is Dominique Fishback’s performance as Dre that is the stand out of the series. Although told over and over that the series is based on true events, Dre is a fictional character, with her story based on the obsession of Beyonce fans and their support of this star, rather than actual events that have happened in the name of a pop star themselves. But despite this questionable communication of real world events on the show’s part, the series has clearly captured the growing anxiety in 2023 about the heights to which a fan base’s obsession with a celebrity will go. How far is too far, or have we already let this obsession spiral our of control for good.

Swarm (2023) is available to stream now on Prime Video.