Maniac – Season 1

OVERVIEW | NEWS | CAST | SEASON 1

1.
Mental patient Espen seems to have completely withdrawn from reality and the newly appointed psychologist Mina becomes curious about him. Espen takes an interest in the new woman in his life, and decides to pull her into his own fantasy world where he is a superhero.

2.
The psychologist tries to get Espen to open up, but her questions make him uneasy. The solution for Espen is to escape into fantasy, where he and his fictional best friend Håkon are Resistance heroes during the war. They meet the Resistance in the woods, and are given a mission to blow up a ship with heavy water.

3.
Espen overhears that management is considering moving him into a closed ward. He flees into an episode of Hotel Cæsar, where it is revealed that he is Georg Anker-Hanssen’s sole heir. With help from the bellman Håkon he tries to find out who at the hotel is planning to stab him in the back.

4.
A meeting is convened to decide whether Espen is so ill that he should be moved to the closed ward. Mina tries to get Espen to behave normally. In his mind Espen is a successful stand-up comedian, who lives in New York with his bald sidekick Håkon.

5.
Mina has become closer to Espen. Håkon is concerned, and does everything he can to keep Espen in his own world. Finally he manages to convince Espen that he is surrounded by the undead, and soon they are running around the institution hunting zombies.

6.
Espen is taken home to his old apartment, hoping that the trip will trigger something in him. In his imagination he is Espen the master thief who, together with Håkon, is released from prison and plans to carry out one last job.

7.
Espens father is dead, and Mina and Jeffrey follow him to the funeral. Mina hopes that grief will help Espen get in touch with his real feelings. In his mind, Espen is a celebrated film director heading to the premiere of his latest masterpiece: “See you, Dad.”

8.
Mina meets Espen’s old girlfriend, and persuades her to see him. In his world, Espen is the popular quarterback at an American high school. His best friend Håkon is very sceptical when Espen says yes to a date with the new cheerleader.

9.
Management have decided that Espen should be transferred to C-wing. Mina makes one last attempt to bring him back to reality, while Håkon does everything he can to keep Espen in his fantasy world. It comes to a head in a western duel to the death.

10.
Espen’s feelings for Mina have a decisive influence on him. But could she love him in return?