Hulu’s “Phony” follows teenager Sonny Cooke, played by Sam Nivola, who wakes up after a car accident convinced that his mother Ellen, played by Connie Britton, looks different and may be an impostor. The show combines teen drama, dark comedy and a mystery, making its particular tone difficult to replicate.
For viewers looking for similar themes while waiting for more episodes, five series offer stories about suspicious identities, secrets and young people navigating unsettling events.
“School Spirits” follows Maddie Nears, played by Peyton List, after her mysterious death at Split River High. Stuck in a kind of purgatory with other teen ghosts, she tries to solve her own murder while her friends among the living investigate what happened. Like “Phony,” it places a mystery at the center of a story shaped by school life.
“Dirty John” may appeal to viewers drawn to Britton’s performance. In the first season of the anthology series, she plays Debra Newell, who falls for John Meehan, played by Eric Bana, despite warnings from her daughters about his apparent dishonesty. The role gives Britton a different kind of mother to portray than Ellen in “Phony,” with the story focusing on a con and its consequences for a family.
The Australian limited series “Fake” is based on journalist Stephanie Wood’s memoir about a relationship that turned out to involve deception. Asher Keddie plays Birdie, who meets a man through a dating app and later discovers troubling facts about his past. Both “Fake” and “Phony” build tension as a character starts to doubt someone they trusted.
“Cruel Summer” uses different timelines and perspectives to tell stories about teenagers dealing with trauma. Its first season centers on the disappearance of Kate Wallis, played by Olivia Holt, and the changing social position of Jeanette Turner, played by Chiara Aurelia. Fraud and shifting identities connect the series to “Phony,” although their stories unfold in different ways.
Netflix’s limited series “Apple Cider Vinegar” is based on the story of Australian wellness influencer Belle Gibson, played by Kaitlyn Dever, and her cancer-related fraud. The series also shows the effects of the deception on cancer patients. As in “Phony,” one person’s false identity becomes the center of a wider web of consequences.
Sources: TVLine.