Prime Video’s Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Miniseries Is One You Have To Watch Twice

Tales From The Loop is a superb Prime Video sci-fi series that you need to watch twice in order to fully appreciate it. The Amazon streamer houses several great sci-fi TV shows, from The Expanse to The Boys, yet one of its best remains a hidden gem. With multiple subjects that are staples in the sci-fi universe, Tales From The Loop is a must-watch for fans of the genre.

Given the quality of the show, it’s a wonder that Tales From The Loop didn’t receive the attention it deserved during its release in April 2020. The sci-fi TV show was adapted from the retro-futuristic artwork by Simon Stålenhag, whose work was also used in the critically panned The Electric State.

Tales From The Loop Can Only Be Fully Appreciated With Multiple Viewings

Tales From The Loop Offers Various Hidden Clues Throughout Its Episodes

Tales From The Loop centers on residents in the fictional town of Mercer, Ohio. While the small town seems normal with nothing special going on to the unassuming eye, Mercer is home to an underground lab created by Russ Willard called the Mercer Center for Experimental Physics, or The Loop, as it’s known by the town’s residents.

The Loop’s main objective is to make the impossible possible, which they do by conducting obscure experiments and creating technology that has lasting impacts on the residents of Mercer. There are, of course, sci-fi TV shows that only need to be watched once, and it’s enough. Tales From The Loop, however, isn’t one of them. The sci-fi series requires multiple viewings for audiences to appreciate and enjoy its story.

Tales From The Loop can seem convoluted and confusing when being watched for the first time. The episodes often move from characters and timelines, which makes it harder to piece everything together. The show’s body-swapping and strange time loops can create a dreamlike effect that suggests the storyline doesn’t make sense, especially on a first watch.

The first viewing of Tales From The Loop is about feeling, while the second watch and each one after that is about understanding how the characters and story fit together. Tales From The Loop’s first few episodes make it seem like the science fiction TV show is an anthology more than a show that has a connected narrative.

When Loretta is introduced in the pilot of Tales From the Loop, it looks like she’s the main character, and everyone else is second to her. However, Loretta’s story is just the beginning of a show that offers multiple perspectives, hidden visual clues, and an intriguing structure that is expertly woven from one episode to another.

Tales From The Loop Is A Show That’s “Felt” More Than It’s Understood

Tales From The Loop Has An Admirable Emotional Depth

While Tales From The Loop is indeed a science fiction TV show, it’s way more than that once one digs deeper. The series has important commentary on the relationship that humans have with technology and how it subsequently shapes their lives and thus the choices they make for the sake of advancement.

One of the things that Tales From The Loop does exceptionally well is how it leans heavily on its somber tone. The series does have quiet moments that seem like they drag and are not important, but it’s difficult to miss that it is an emotionally charged show whose themes can remain with you long after the credits roll.

At its core, Tales From The Loop is a show about loneliness, growing up, and wishing to do things differently. Loretta’s complex relationship with Alma was a lesson for her to do better when she became a mother. While Jakob and Danny’s body swapping taught the former not to always be afraid.

When Tales From The Loop is viewed from an emotional lens instead of trying to understand what every little thing means and what it might amount to, it becomes clear as day that the series isn’t just about making the impossible possible, but about fundamental human relationships.