If you’re looking for a new show to watch on Amazon Prime Video and you’re a fan of thriller or anything psychological horror-related, The Edge of Sleep might be a show to consider putting on your watch list. In mid-October of this year, Amazon Prime Video premiered the show The Edge of Sleep, which features Markiplier (or Mark Fischbach), a famous YouTuber and internet personality, as the main character of the series. The show is also based on the podcast that goes by the same name. As a fan of the Youtuber myself, I was excited to hear about his role in the TV show. After watching the show, I would like to give my honest review on the series and reasons why you should at least consider watching it yourself.

The plot follows Dave Torres (played by Mark Fischbach), a man who struggles with hallucinations and sleeping since childhood and finds himself in the middle of a worldwide plague where people are passing away in their sleep. He and a group of survivors try to figure out what’s causing people to mysteriously die in their sleep, while also trying not to give in to sleeping as well.

The concept of people passing away mysteriously in their sleep is an interesting yet basic idea. The show expands upon the idea of dying while sleeping, which can get the viewer’s attention. The series builds upon suspension and cliffhangers, which makes the watcher eager to find out what is going to happen next. It also makes the watcher think outside of the world-building itself. Some questions I’ve thought of while watching the show are, “How many people are passing away in their sleep?” or “Does this mysterious plague only affect humans or other living creatures who need sleep?” The show makes the viewer want to theorize and predict what’s going to happen next, Which I personally find exciting.

Another reason why I think the show is good is because of the aesthetics the show presents. The overall atmosphere and how the show presents the environment surrounding the main characters gives the viewer a sense of dread and loneliness, knowing that only a few certain about of people are alive. It presents itself as a post-apocalyptic feel to it, similar to other shows such as The Last Of Us or Fallout. The choice of music also adds to the lonely feeling I got while watching the show. The song used throughout the show is a cover of the song I Go To Sleep by Peggy Lee. The song is an indirect reference to the show’s concept of passing away in their sleep.

My last reason why I recommend this show is because Mark Fischbach plays the main role in the series. While Fischbach has acted in small projects such as In Space With Markiplier and Who Killed Markiplier? (which are small, interactive films on his YouTube channel), this is the first time the YouTuber has been presented in an actual show on a streaming service. It also gives the viewer an intake on what Fischbach’s acting skills are like.

As a whole, I really like the show. Not just because of the concept or because one of my favorite Youtubers stars in it, but also because of how much work the directors and producers put into the series. The cliffhangers and suspension had me hooked on what was going on. At times, some scenes did feel rushed, but quickly got back on track. The characters each also have diverse personalities and perspectives, which adds tension between the characters. Some gore is also presented within the show itself, which made me a bit squeamish at times while watching. With only 6 episodes, I can easily binge-watch the show during the weekend.

If the show piques your interest, you should definitely consider watching it on Amazon Prime Video. If you can’t watch it on the platform, there’s also a podcast and book that have the same name as the title and are made by the same directors as the show. The podcast and book have basically the same concept as the show but in different forms!