There are very few TV shows that are capable of making drastic changes mid-season and still being a success, but Netflix’s Manifest did just that, shocking its viewers. Unlike many other sci-fi shows streaming at the time, the show had a real-life influence. Manifest was partly inspired by the disturbing true events and mystery surrounding the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.
The series is about the fictional Montego Air Flight 828, which experienced some unexplained and terrifying phenomena. While the flight’s crew only felt a moment of turbulence, the plane, crew, and passengers vanished for five years. The show reached the top of streaming charts, with the legendary horror author Stephen King praising Manifest online. However, Manifest was not all that it seemed.
Manifest’s First Season Made Us Believe It Was A Sci-Fi Show
Manifest Disguised The Truth During Season 1
Manifest evolved over time, but appeared to begin as a sci-fi show, containing many tropes that would not be out of place in classic sci-fi like The X-Files. Manifest ran for four seasons and crossed further into the supernatural genre with each season. Still, the first centered on the time anomaly, with scientific experimentation and a government cover up.
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Though this sci-fi series had ups and downs while it was airing, audiences should tune in to see why it became such a hit on streaming.
The mystery about why the passengers disappeared on Manifest‘s missing Flight 828 was the central question in a show full of intrigue. While there were many theories from both the fans and the characters, one was repeatedly denied in season 1, and that concerned divine intervention. The characters might have dismissed the idea of an “act of God,” but this was misdirection.
Manifest Gradually Revealed The Show Was More About The Supernatural
Critics’ Opinions Improved Drastically Over The Show’s Four Seasons
The characters’ visions and voices (known as the Callings) could have been the result of a scientific experiment, but as the series progressed, another explanation became clear. Seasons 3 and 4 started using Biblical metaphors like The Ark and Judgment Day. This made it apparent that Manifest was a religious show all along, while combining sci-fi with the supernatural.
Manifest topped the streaming charts, but the response from critics was originally mixed.
Manifest topped the streaming charts, but the response from critics was originally mixed. The first season has a 56% positive critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but that number changed dramatically when the fourth season was released. Season 4 received an 88% positive rating, and some reviews stated that this was due to Manifest growing more complex over time, with the religious angle being intriguing.
Manifest’s Final Season Confirmed What The Show Really Was About
The Finale Polarized Audiences, But Manifest Is Well Worth Watching
Many of Manifest‘s mysteries and questions were answered in season 4, and one twist confirmed what the show had been about all along. The final episodes in season 4 of Manifest finally renamed the force known as “the divine consciousness“ to “God.” Revealing that the characters had been experiencing a test from God was a bold but divisive move.
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The seasons of Manifest and Rotten Tomatoes audience response |
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|---|---|---|
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Title |
Release year |
Rotten Tomatoes audience rating |
|
Season 1 |
2018 |
63% |
|
Season 2 |
2020 |
75% |
|
Season 3 |
2021 |
64% |
|
Season 4 |
2022 |
71% |
The spiritual reveal in Manifest‘s ending polarized audiences, with reviewers praising the show’s willingness to tackle the potentially controversial subject of religion. Others were disappointed that it had shifted away from its sci-fi beginning, becoming a different show. That said, Manifest is well worth watching, with ideas that have rarely been used in sci-fi or supernatural-themed TV series.
Manifest
6/10
- Release Date
-
2018 – 2023-00-00
- Showrunner
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Michael Smith
