Surface is back, doubling down on all the gaslighting, unreliable narration, repressed trauma, and secret identities we’ve come to know and love. It remains more of a guilty pleasure than a taut psychological thriller. However, the series is elevated by its star, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who is sensational here for the second consecutive season. Produced by Reese Witherspoon, Surface thrives on Mbatha-Raw’s mesmerizing performance, allowing the audience to overlook the show’s weaknesses and give in to the irresistible distraction this Apple TV+ series is designed to be.
A streaming soap opera that is addictive due to its bingeable format, glossy production, and high-stakes twists and turns, Surface may not be high-brow, but this creation by Veronica West (High Fidelity, Brothers & Sisters) gets the job done. The story follows Sophie (The Morning Show’s Gugu Mbatha-Raw) as she secretly moves to London to uncover the secrets and lies of her past. Suffering from amnesia caused by a head injury, Sophie uses the monetary resources she stole from her American husband, James (Wilderness’s Oliver Jackson-Cohen), to infiltrate the elite British social scene. However, she gets more than she bargained for within that mysterious, thick layer of London fog.
Sophie finds a connection to a British heiress, Eliza (Millie Brady), and they seem to share a torrid past. To help her navigate the hidden secrets—including those of Eliza’s brother, Quinn (Ted Lasso’s Phil Dunster), and his fiancée, Grace (Slumdog Millionaire’s Freida Pinto)—a journalist (Daisy Jones & the Six’s Gavin Drea) contacts her. Together, they work to expose a scandal that may shed light on Sophie’s true identity.
I label Surface a guilty pleasure—albeit a thoroughly enjoyable one—because the series is not without its weaknesses. The first season had so many twists and turns that it struggled to maintain a consistent tone, which can feel disjointed at times. And no, this is not an intentional choice based on the unreliable narrator effect. The series’ dialogue also ranges from overly expository to robotic. Yet, there is an addictive quality to the story that keeps the audience hooked.
Most of that credit goes to Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who continues her streak of graceful and commanding performances in leading and supporting roles. She is simply electric here—you can’t take your eyes off her. Surface’s second season is worth watching because of Mbatha-Raw. A dynamic actor with undeniable allure, she keeps the audience engaged, elevating even the silliest, trope-filled clichés by putting a slightly different and interesting spin on the most generic of scenes. Her talent and star power add undeniable depth.
That alone keeps the series from being too silly to take seriously or enjoy, along with those dozens of conniving, one-dimensional characters. Sure, the series may have more style than substance, offering little to no new ground in the genre, but it provides the same pleasures that are undeniably entertaining. Sometimes, that’s all you need to forget about the stresses of your daily lives, which is essentially who the series is made for.
All eight episodes of Surface season 2 were screened for this review. You can stream this series only on Apple TV+ starting on February 21!
