If you’re craving a spooky binge that makes self-isolation a little more appealing, look no further than Quibi’s thriller series The Stranger. The show — starring Maika Monroe, Dane DeHaan, and Avan Jogia — details a terrifying battle between rideshare driver Clare (Monroe) and her homicidal passenger Carl E. (DeHaan). Clare, who has just moved to Los Angeles to become a writer, picks up Carl E. during a routine trip and the two make friendly small talk. But minutes into their conversation, Carl E. reveals that he’s a sociopath and threatens Clare’s life. Although Clare escapes, her tech-savvy tormentor is hot on her trail, and he’s not messing around.
Each mini-episode, written and directed by Veena Sud (Seven Seconds), shows just how far Carl E. is willing to go to terrorize his target. In an exclusive clip shared with POPSUGAR, we see that he’s baiting Clare after taking her friend J.J. (Jogia) as a hostage. He sends her an antagonizing text, and Clare realizes that she’s still unsafe, despite being at a police station.
In an interview with POPSUGAR, Monroe spoke about why she thinks this particular approach to storytelling is effective. “The horror genre gets people’s attention,” she said. “You’re able to tell a cautionary tale in a very extreme way or an unrealistic way, but it’s very powerful.” For her, getting to tell that story while working with Sud was a major bonus. “That was a really big reason why I wanted to do the show,” she added. “I remember meeting with her for the first time. She’s just awesome and has so many cool ideas, especially with the new platform. She has such a grasp on how to make it work within this brand new space.”
Above, check out a sneak peek of the upcoming chapter and be sure to watch new episodes of The Stranger every weekday through April 27 on Quibi!