Tales from the Loop
A sci-fi series based on Simon Stålenhag's art book.
Tales from the Loop is an American science fiction drama series created by Nathaniel Halpern, who also wrote and served as showrunner. It is adapted from the 2014 narrative art book of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. The first season consists of eight episodes, all released on Amazon Prime Video on April 3, 2020.
The series is set in the fictional town of Mercer, Ohio, and focuses on the interconnected lives of its residents. Central to the town is the Mercer Center for Experimental Physics, an underground facility called the Loop, where scientists work to "make the impossible possible."
The main cast includes Rebecca Hall as Loretta, a physicist at the Loop and mother of Jakob and Cole; Paul Schneider as her husband George, also a physicist; Duncan Joiner as their younger son Cole; Daniel Zolghadri as their older son Jakob; and Jonathan Pryce as Russ, the founder of the Loop and George's father. Abby Ryder Fortson and Emjay Anthony portray younger versions of Loretta and George, respectively, while Shane Carruth appears as an adult Cole. Recurring roles include Jane Alexander as Klara, Russ's wife and George's mother, along with Tyler Barnhardt, Ato Essandoh, Nicole Law, Danny Kang, Christin Park, Dan Bakkedahl, Lauren Weedman, Alessandra de Sa Pereira, Leann Lei, Dominic Rains, Jon Kortajarena, Brian Maillard, Elektra Kilbey, and Stefanie Estes.
Development began when Amazon ordered the series on July 17, 2018. Executive producers include Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan, Rafi Crohn, Nathaniel Halpern, Mark Romanek, Mattias Montero, Adam Berg, and Samantha Taylor Pickett. Romanek directed the pilot episode. Production companies involved were 6th & Idaho, Indio, Amazon Studios, and Fox 21 Television Studios. A trailer debuted in February 2020. Halpern drew inspiration from Sherwood Anderson's short story cycle *Winesburg, Ohio*, particularly its themes of loneliness and isolation and its focus on small-town characters. Romanek cited the *Dekalog* series by Krzysztof Kieślowski as an influence, along with directors Ingmar Bergman, Yasujirō Ozu, and Andrei Tarkovsky.
During filming, the visual effects team, led by producer Andrea Knoll, aimed to preserve the "painterly feeling" of Stålenhag's artwork, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Drama / Science fiction
- Developer
- Nathaniel Halpern
- Based On
- Tales from the Loop · Simon Stålenhag
- Starring
- Rebecca Hall / Paul Schneider / Duncan Joiner / Daniel Zolghadri / Jonathan Pryce
- Composer
- Philip Glass / Paul Leonard-Morgan
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 1
- Num Episodes
- 8
- Executive Producer
- Matt Reeves / Adam Kassan / Rafi Crohn / Nathaniel Halpern / Mark Romanek / Mattias Montero / Adam Berg / Samantha Taylor Pickett
- Runtime
- 50–57 minutes
- Company
- Indio Film · 6th & Idaho · Fox 21 Television Studios · Amazon Studios
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Tales from the Loop is set in the fictional town of Mercer, Ohio, which houses the Mercer Center for Experimental Physics, an underground facility called the Loop. The series explores the lives of residents connected to the Loop, including main characters Loretta (Rebecca Hall), a physicist working with her husband George (Paul Schneider); their sons Cole (Duncan Joiner) and Jakob (Daniel Zolghadri); and Russ (Jonathan Pryce), the founder of the Loop and George's father. Recurring characters include Klara (Jane Alexander), Russ's wife and George's mother, and others such as Danny Jansson (Tyler Barnhardt) and Gaddis (Ato Essandoh).
The series was developed by Nathaniel Halpern, who drew inspiration from the short story cycle Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, particularly its themes of loneliness and isolation and its focus on small town characters. Executive producer and director Mark Romanek drew inspiration from the Dekalog by Krzysztof Kieślowski, and other directors cited as influences include Ingmar Bergman, Yasujirō Ozu, and Andrei Tarkovsky. The production team, headed by visual effects producer Andrea Knoll, attempted to preserve the 'painterly feeling' of Stålenhag's artwork, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role. Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth chose to shoot night scenes during dusk to 'crack the code' of Stålenhag's style.
Reader's Guide
Tales from the Loop is significant as a television adaptation of a narrative art book, translating Simon Stålenhag's evocative paintings into a moving image format. The series received critical acclaim, with an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 68 reviews, and a Metacritic score of 68/100 from 15 critics. Critics praised its visual beauty, with The Verge noting it 'is so pretty it breaks your heart,' and Fortean Times calling the cinematography 'stunning.' The series was described as 'a beguiling fusion of forward-looking nostalgia' by The B.C. Catholic and 'superb sci-fi' by The Michigan Daily. However, some critics found it slow, with /Film noting it 'often toes the line between beguiling and boring,' and Polygon's critic feeling 'uneasy and confused.' The series' legacy lies in its integration of human stories with technological themes, exploring grief, aging, parenthood, loneliness, and love, while maintaining a coherent whole across episodes directed by different directors. It earned an Emmy nomination for visual effects and remains a notable example of art-inspired television.
Did You Know?
- Executive producer and director Mark Romanek drew inspiration from the Dekalog, a 10-part series of television films by Krzysztof Kieślowski.
- Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth chose to shoot night scenes during dusk to preserve the painterly feel of Stålenhag's artwork.
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