What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWakefield
Robin Swicord · Film · 2017
If you loved Wakefield, start with Wakefield (Kristen Dunphy, 2021) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Wakefield across media.
If Wakefield hooked you, you likely crave stories that explore the quiet, unsettling unraveling of a person’s domestic life.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Wakefield
Kristen Dunphy · Series · 2021
Books on the same thread
Fields of White
Keyi Sheng · Book · 2014
Shares a thread with Wakefield: Midlife Crisis.
Like the protagonist of Wakefield, Jason faces a midlife crisis that forces him to confront the widening gap between his professional expectations and his crumbling personal reality.
The Awakening
Kate Chopin · Book · 1899
Explores: Female desire, Marital dissatisfaction, Social constraints.
Edna’s journey toward self-discovery mirrors the withdrawal seen in Wakefield, capturing the profound sense of alienation that occurs when one decides to disconnect from traditional domestic obligations.
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2016
Explores: Grumbling protagonist, Unexpected friendship, Redemption.
Ove shares the misanthropic isolation present in Wakefield, though his solitary world is eventually interrupted by the messy, unavoidable reality of neighbors who refuse to let him disappear.
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle
Haruki Murakami · Book · 2011
Explores: Existentialism, Loss, Disappearance.
The surreal disappearance of a spouse in this narrative echoes the marital breakdown in Wakefield, highlighting how an ordinary life can suddenly shift into a disorienting, existential journey.
Series on the same thread
Awake
Kyle Killen · Series · 2012
Shares a thread with Wakefield: Mental Health.
Just as the lead in Wakefield physically separates himself from his family, Michael inhabits a fractured reality where the loss of his loved ones dictates his psychological state.
Fleishman Is in Trouble
Taffy Brodesser-Akner · Series · 2022
Shares 2 threads with Wakefield: Midlife Crisis, Domestic Drama.
This story tracks a similar trajectory of marital collapse found in Wakefield, focusing on the abrupt shift from a stable life to one defined by sudden absence and isolation.
Enlightened
Mike White · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Wakefield: Mental Health.
Amy’s public breakdown and subsequent search for meaning parallel the extreme life-altering choices made by the protagonist in Wakefield, emphasizing the messy process of personal reinvention after trauma.
In Treatment
Rodrigo García · Series · 2008
Shares 3 threads with Wakefield: Mental Health, Existential Crisis, Psychological Drama.
This series offers the same intense, claustrophobic focus on the psyche as Wakefield, stripping away layers of behavior to reveal the raw, often uncomfortable truths behind a character's breakdown.
Podcasts on the same thread
THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST
ADAM BUXTON · Podcast
Explores: east anglia, family life, dog ownership.
While lighter in tone, these rambling, intimate conversations capture the same sense of observational wandering that defines the self-imposed isolation of the main character in Wakefield.
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Podcast
Explores: relationships, marriage, family dynamics.
If you were drawn to the psychological examination of marriage in Wakefield, this podcast provides a real-world look at the complex, hidden conflicts that drive people toward radical disconnection.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2017 Wakefield film related to the 2021 Wakefield TV series?
No, the 2017 film Wakefield and the 2021 television series Wakefield are separate projects. They share the same title but represent different stories and adaptations, so they are not narratively connected.
What is the premise of the 2017 Wakefield movie?
The 2017 film Wakefield follows a man who experiences a nervous breakdown. This event leads him to abandon his life with his wife and hide away in his attic for several months.
Should I watch the 2021 Wakefield series if I enjoyed the 2017 film?
You can watch the 2021 Wakefield series if you are interested in the title, but it is not a sequel or continuation of the 2017 film. The two works are distinct productions with different creative origins.
How long is the 2017 Wakefield movie?
The 2017 film Wakefield, written and directed by Robin Swicord, depicts a man living in his attic for several months. The film runtime captures this period of his nervous breakdown and his subsequent withdrawal from his family life.