Prime Video’s “Swarm” is a critique of rabid fandom and other out-of-control aspects of our culture from series creators who, in many ways, show full command of their medium.
Nominally a commentary on the godlike qualities fans ascribe to Beyoncé (the show calls her Ni’Jah, but the veil is intentionally translucent), the new limited series from Donald Glover and fellow “Atlanta” writer and producer Janine Nabers expands into a frequently fascinating exploration of obsessions ranging from food to cults to true crime.
Glover and showrunner Nabers deftly shift genre and tone, seamlessly moving from psychological thriller to true horror to slapstick comedy as Dre — the least hinged member of the Beyhive-esque Ni’Jah fandom known as the Swarm, played by the excellent Dominique Fishback (HBO’s “The Deuce”) — wreaks havoc across the country.