Who doesn't love a good thriller in this day and age? 

In a time where you can watch Dateline nearly any time of the day if you've got the right cable setup, the lure of the whodunnits is strong nowadays. 

If you're in the mood for a twisty mystery with a lot to say, then Surface is a series you'll want to add to your list. 

Set in picturesque San Francisco, the series is led by powerhouse Gugu Mbatha-Raw, whose Sophie is slowly piecing her life together after an accident has left her struggling to access her memories. 

And while she's trying to figure out who she is and what happened to her, she realizes that her life wasn't quite as idyllic as some would like her to believe. 

Engrossing is an understatement here, as it's more than just an engaging show to watch in the dead of summer. It's thought-provoking on top of garnering the general rush that comes with a fascinating guessing tale. 

Imagine waking up unable to recall what got you to the exact place you're currently in. What lengths would you go to discover who you were?

Things are never quite what they seem here, and the series raises many questions about truths and secrets and how we see them and interpret them. If what's true to you is no longer true to me, where do we go from here? 

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a star, and she brings an earnest vulnerability to Sophie, who's never content to be a passenger in her own life. Mbatha-Raw always has a commanding on-screen presence, and it's on full display here as she navigates Sophie's fragility beautifully. 

She has chemistry with the whole cast, especially Stephan James' Baden, who becomes acquainted with Sophie through her journey. James gets a lot to do here, and every second spent with Mbatha-Raw is a masterclass in on-screen chemistry. 

Oliver Jackson-Cohen plays Sophie's devoted husband, James, and his brilliance always lies in the quiet nuances he brings to his characters.

I can think of specific scenes of his in both The Haunting of Hill House and The Invisible Man, where he's completely silent, but you can see a myriad of emotions pass through his face in a heartbeat. His ability to be both disarmingly charming and something else entirely isn't easy to pull off, but he always does. 

He's a fabulous James here, and it's hard to imagine another actor nailing the role so effortlessly. 

A sea of familiar faces round out the cast, and everyone more than holds their own. In particular, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and François Arnaud make the most of every single second of their screentime. 

The pilot has everything you want, from the character introductions to the stopping point, which will make you glad that Apple TV+ is releasing the first three episodes on July 29. And as the season ramps up, it keeps a fast pace and never lets up. 

There's something to be said for a series that never loses momentum and builds upon itself. We go on Sophie's journey with her, and through the peaks and valleys, they keep you just as invested in the outcome as you were from the opening frame. 

Surface is the perfect watercooler series that should have social media abuzz with theories and weekly discussions. It's sexy, fresh, and the kind of psychological thriller that's worth your attention. 

Surface premieres on Friday, July 29, on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes and the rest debuting weekly. 

Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.