SeriesFest Season 9 Independent Pilot Spotlight: ‘DOSE’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Rachel Prather & Dominic Bogart in ‘DOSE’. Photo Courtesy of Tage Films.

It is definitely safe to say, that the anthology is having quite the renaissance right now. For Black Mirror has captivated everyone with its unique storytelling, and of course, Creepshow on Shudder has made the hardcore horror anthology cool again and Paramount+ even let Jordan Peele explore his own iteration of The Twilight Zone a couple of years back. All of which should come as no surprise. Simply because the anthology really is quite the unique type of series, one that offers up a complete and satisfying story over the course of thirty minutes to an hour and there’s a lot to love about that type of tale in this era of binging content.
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Not to mention, these stories also feature wondrous depth. For so many shows in this vein have something deep and reflective to say about our modern world, something that has been a staple of this type of story since its genesis with The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits back in the day and that too is a draw. To see what a ‘simple’ and short story about aliens or nuclear war can leave us with and well, as popularity in the anthology continues to grow during this era of peak television, other creatives are gearing up to explore further what the anthology can do from a commentary and examination standpoint. As evidenced by an incredibly dynamic independent pilot that screened at SeriesFest Season 9 recently, Dose.

For this anthology series, from the mind of writer/director Peter P. Clark, delves into a world and a topic that is just now gaining traction in our society, the world of psychedelic drugs and how they might be used to treat mental health issues and health issues in general and it accomplishes this feat, courtesy of drug-of-the-week stories, the kind that features ailing characters that can greatly benefit from unique therapies in this vein. Take for example, the pilot episode. Which introduces us to a man named Jeremy who is struggling with a traumatic past and is unable to reconcile it or much else in life. Enter the wonder of Psilocybin, a psychotropic drug that could indeed help him find peace and well, that leads to a fascinating plot we won’t spoil here.

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Victor Almanzar, Rachel Prather, & Dominic Bogart in ‘DOSE’. Photo Courtesy of Tage Films.

Because that would ruin some epic twists and turns, the kind that you only find in an anthology. But that… is the perfect place to start in discussing what makes this pilot a worthwhile watch and a worthy consideration for airtime from a network/streamer. In that, it feels like a classic anthology. Which is important. Because audiences have come to expect certain things from anthologies and the feel of them is part of that criteria, and the right vibe is here, and that vibe is complimented wonderfully by stunning visuals and powerful direction, and a dynamic that draws you deeply into Jeremy’s plight and going this route… is what allows for what comes next in this anthology story to be so incredibly impactful and relevant.
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For caring about Jeremy allows for the viewer to also care about the treatment and listen carefully to what it should do for his mental state and his problems, and that brings forth the commentary and analysis regarding psychedelic drugs, and their place in the modern world, and what they can do for us in the present and the future. And this is presented in such an objective and medical light, that at no point do such observations feel preachy or demanding. It is simply a presentation of a new frontier, one that people don’t have a lot of knowledge about and is just now gaining popularity and steam. In fact, Colorado is one of the few states dabbling in such matters, since its voters recently approved such treatments last year. Which makes this a timely pilot, one that puts the anthology on the cutting edge of commentary since the vast majority of them offer observations on more global issues.

But what’s amazing about this pilot is that it has so much more to offer than just cutting-edge production values and to the minute commentary on a hot bed issue in our world. It also… offers up some very human stories. After all, Jeremy’s plight allows for us to explore the nature of trauma, our relationship with drugs and pain, and that makes for a powerful story as well. One that moves you and makes you think and hopefully this is a pilot that gets picked up for certain post-SeriesFest. Simply because this is a perfect anthology story, since it features everything, we love about the genre and so much more, and television needs more anthologies and stories that are forward thinking. And to help you get an idea of how unique and wonderful this pilot/series truly is, here’s the trailer to Dose, to help tide you over until we get a series announcement regarding this refreshing show.

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