Amazon Prime’s latest anthology series, Tales from the Loop, has a unique origin. Originally a narrative art book by Simon Stålenhag, the world of The Loop was converted to a TTRPG in 2017 before being made into a TV series. The tone of the art book continues through the series; this is a world that seems gray and empty but full of wonders both remarkable and frightening.
Viewers are introduced to this world by Russ Willi (Jonathan Pryce, Game of Thrones) who explains that his Mercer Center for Experimental Physics, referred to by the residents of Mercer, Ohio, as “The Loop,” is a place where the impossible happens by way of the superscience taking place in the underground facility. How these impossibilities impact the characters’ lives and the audience’s imaginations is the basis for each episode while the constant setting allows small details to add up in a subtle but strong example of expert world-building.
Fans of sci-fi will find familiar elements. The setting is similar to Eureka, with people in a seemingly ordinary town dealing with the bizarre. The mid-western 1980s setting might even evoke some Stranger Things feelings in some viewers.
But mostly the stories and the manner in which they’re told are reminiscent of the written works of Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury. This is hard science fiction. Little humor is to be found even in the character’s lives. The purpose isn’t to amuse or entertain. It’s to make you think of uncomfortable eventualities that can come with giant leaps in progress.
