What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSynchronic
Film · 2020
If you loved Synchronic, start with Maniac (Patrick Somerville, 2018) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Synchronic across media.
If Synchronic grabbed you, it is because you crave stories where reality unravels to expose the fragility of human existence.
Books on the same thread
Dark Matter
Blake Crouch · Book · 2016
Explores: Identity Crisis, Parallel Universes, Regret.
Like Synchronic, this story uses a scientific anomaly to force a protagonist into an existential crisis, examining how the life you know can be stolen in an instant.
Annihilation
Jeff VanderMeer · Book · 2014
Explores: Environmental Collapse, Exploration, Identity.
This narrative mirrors the unsettling, otherworldly atmosphere of Synchronic, plunging you into an environment where nature itself defies logic and questions the stability of your own identity.
Doctor Sleep: A Novel
Stephen King · Book · 2013
Explores: Addiction Recovery, Redemption, Good vs Evil.
Just as Synchronic explores the heavy toll of addiction, this story follows a protagonist grappling with past trauma while confronting dangerous, supernatural forces that threaten his fragile recovery.
Transcendent Kingdom
Yaa Gyasi · Book · 2020
Shares a thread with Synchronic: Addiction.
This novel shares the raw, emotional weight of Synchronic, using a scientific lens to navigate the devastating intersection of grief, family loss, and the cycle of chemical dependency.
Series on the same thread
Dark
Baran bo Odar · Series · 2017
Explores: Time Paradox, Family Secrets, Existential Crisis.
If the time-bending stakes of Synchronic intrigued you, this series offers a deeper, more complex look at how past choices and paradoxes irreversibly fracture the lives of families.
Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker · Series · 2011
Explores: Technological Dystopia, Social Commentary, Unintended Consequences.
This anthology captures the same sense of dread found in Synchronic, focusing on the unintended, often horrific consequences that arise when humanity pushes the boundaries of its own reality.
Maniac
Patrick Somerville · Series · 2018
Explores: Mental Health, Escapism, Pharmaceutical Experimentation.
Much like the drug-induced journey in Synchronic, this show explores the disastrous fallout of an experimental pharmaceutical trial meant to fix the human condition but resulting in chaos.
True Detective
Nic Pizzolatto · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Synchronic: Neo-Noir.
This series mirrors the neo-noir tone of Synchronic, following detectives through a grim investigation where the lines between law, morality, and personal trauma become dangerously and permanently blurred.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic audio stories echo the experimental, anthology nature of Synchronic, frequently challenging your perception of reality through short, suspenseful narratives rooted in the complexities of human nature.
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2026
Explores: justice seeking, obsession, societal impact.
If the investigative drive of the paramedics in Synchronic kept you watching, this podcast fuels that same obsession with unearthing the dark, hidden truths behind a series of tragedies.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Synchronic a movie about paramedics?
Yes, Synchronic follows two New Orleans paramedics whose lives are significantly impacted after they encounter a series of horrific deaths linked to a mysterious designer drug with otherworldly effects.
What is the primary conflict in Synchronic?
The primary conflict in Synchronic involves two paramedics dealing with the aftermath of a designer drug that causes bizarre, otherworldly effects and leads to a series of horrific deaths in New Orleans.
Does Synchronic feature supernatural elements?
Yes, Synchronic centers on a designer drug that produces bizarre, otherworldly effects. These effects are responsible for the series of horrific deaths that disrupt the lives of the two main characters.
Where does Synchronic take place?
Synchronic is set in New Orleans. The story follows two local paramedics who are forced to confront the strange and horrific consequences of a new designer drug that has appeared in the city.