You’ll Recognize So Many Of The Voices On Calls

The new Apple TV+ series Calls is minimalist TV. It builds its apocalyptic world out of jumpy subtitles across a dark screen, abstract line visuals reminiscent of ’90s Windows screensavers, and voice performances from some of the biggest names in Hollywood. The nine episodes, none longer than 20 minutes, are connected by something vaguely paranormal and sinister. Directed by Don’t Breathe’s Fede Álvarez, the series is an English-language remake of a French hit. And like its title implies, the scripts are essentially a series of overlapping phone calls that grow increasingly fraught as the unexplained happens over and over again. The plot’s mysterious, but the voices on the other end of the line are recognizable. Here’s who you’ll hear on Calls.

EPISODE 1: The End

"There’s someone outside. / What? / He’s in the backyard... This is so scary.”

The premiere features Succession’s Nicholas Braun, Emily in Paris’ Lily Collins (who recently posted a very apropos throwback photo), and Jumanji’s Karen Gillan in a bicoastal phone triangle.

EPISODE 2: The Beginning

“What day? / The day you screwed up your life, Mark.”

The mystery rewinds to the beginning with Tenet’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson, American Honey’s Riley Keough, Ben Schwartz from Parks and Rec, and Chucky icon Jennifer Tilly.

EPISODE 3: Pedro Across the Street

“Long story short, he asked me to pick up a bag from his house. / Who asks for that?”

Starring The Morning Show’s Mark Duplass, Arrested Development’s Judy Greer, and Pedro Pascal aka The Mandalorian and Maxwell Lord from Wonder Woman: 1984.

EPISODE 4: It’s All in Your Head

“This is gonna sound weird, but my arms are stretching and they’re getting longer.”

Featuring The Mandalorian’s Rosario Dawson and Laura Harrier from the Netflix mini-series Hollywood.

EPISODE 5: Me, Myself, and Darlene

“I just shot her. And I’m calling to turn myself in, so if you wanna send someone down here, I’ll wait.”

Time becomes unreliable in this episode with Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), and Paola Nuñez (Bad Boys for Life).

EPISODE 6: The Universe Did It

“Last time I saw you, you said you loved me since the eighth grade and you knew you always would.”

Starring the youngest Jonas Brother, Nick Jonas, opposite another Wonder Woman foe: Danny Huston, who played Ludendorff in the first Gal Gadot installment.

EPISODE 7: Mom

“... and then you’ll connect with someone in the future. / Or in the past. Hopefully the past.”

Starring The Act’s Joey King and Jaeden Martell from Knives Out.

EPISODE 8: Is There a Scientist on the Plane?

“Captain. Our flight, this flight, it’s all over the news. They’re saying we crashed somewhere over Phoenix.”

In Episode 8, we meet the first characters who really stick around: Parks and Recs alum Aubrey Plaza and recognizably deep-voiced Carnivale star Clancy Brown.

EPISODE 9: Leap Year Girl

“Please put your daddy issues aside, OK? The fate of the world depends on it.”

Plaza and Brown are joined by Avatar’s Stephen Lang and Danny Pudi from Community in the Season 1 finale.