on screen “Swarm” ★★★★

What if you told a story about American culture as seen through the lens of a seriously unwell person, like Joker or Taxi Driver, only you made your protagonist a young Black woman who is very, very committed to her favorite musical artist? That’s what cocreators Donald Glover (“Atlanta”) and playwright Janine Nabers have done in their new limited series, “Swarm,” which takes a darkly comic look at the unhinged extremes of fan culture. All seven episodes are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The deal

Dre (Dominique Fishback) and Marissa (Grammy nominee Chloe Bailey) make an odd roommate duo. While Marissa has a boyfriend, an active social life and career plans, Dre is awkward and reclusive. All her hopes and dreams are wrapped up in her adoration of R&B star Ni’Jah (Nirine S. Brown), whom she and Marissa have idolized since their teens.