A darkly comic feminist fable exploring how women navigate perception

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: What does it truly mean to be a woman in a world that constantly defines you? This anthology series explores the internal and external lives of women through eight distinct stories, blending humor with sharp social commentary on identity and the weight of public gaze.

Roar is an American anthology series created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, the duo behind GLOW. Based on Cecelia Ahern's 2018 short story collection, the show premiered on Apple TV+ in April 2022. The project was developed as a vehicle for 'darkly comic feminist fables,' focusing specifically on how women navigate their own identities while simultaneously contending with the perceptions others hold of them.

The production involved a high-profile collaboration between several production houses, including Blossom Films (Nicole Kidman and Per Saari), Made Up Stories, Greenlight Go Productions, and Endeavor Content. Comprising eight episodes lasting 30 minutes apiece, this series adopts a female perspective throughout. The cast features prominent actresses such as Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, Merritt Wever, and Alison Brie, among others.

While the series has been praised for its high level of talent, critical reception has been somewhat divided. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 71% approval rating with an average score of 6.3/10, while Metacritic assigned a weighted average of 57 out of 100. Critics noted that while the feminist themes do not always transition smoothly across every installment, the quality of the performances remains a standout feature.

The series also sparked significant controversy regarding its content. During 'The Woman Who Was Fed By a Duck', the fifth instalment, viewers witnessed an unsettling sexual encounter involving a duck and a woman. When this was broadcast on the British show Gogglebox in May 2022, it triggered over 200 complaints to the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom.

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