Impatient for more Severance? Try this little-known Apple TV+ series

If you thought the wait for a second season of Severance was tough to bear, how are you coping with the wait between episodes now that it's finally started? If you're anything like me, it's pretty difficult to manage, which means you might be casting out your net to find other trippy or head-bending shows you could watch while you wait.

I'm assuming most readers of this piece are Apple TV+ subscribers if they're enjoying Severance and therefore consider the platform one of the best streaming services around. You might therefore have already explored the depths of shows like Silo, Foundation and For All Mankind, which could leave you stumped. Here's a bit of a deep-cut option, though: Calls.

This is a show that's about as high-concept as it gets since it actually has no real visuals to speak of other than a choppy audio line and labels to tell you who's talking. The whole show, in fact, is just a series of two-way phone calls that have been recorded. You listen to them in turn, slowly piecing together an overarching story based on what the characters talk about.

I don't want to spoil its twists, but the more you listen the more it'll become clear why I'm comparing this to a sci-fi show like Severance, and the way it drip-feeds that information to you is really well done. Plus, the cast list speaks for itself (even if they're only voices), with talent including Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Lilly Collins, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Aubrey Plaza and way more popping up for half of a conversation.

Calls — Official Trailer | Apple TV+ - YouTube

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If you're someone who puts a lot of store in critical consensus, then there's even more good news for you – Rotten Tomatoes has the show sitting on a fantastic 95% score from critics. Those reviews big up its clever storytelling and how nicely it keeps you in suspense about the central mysteries of its setting.

I've saved the best news for last, though – this isn't much of a timesink. Episodes of Calls range in length, but some of them are just 15 minutes long, roughly. That makes the show ideal for lunch breaks, commutes, or other short bursts, rather than demanding your attention for an hour at a time. If that sounds like a great option, the show is still streaming on Apple TV+ now.