If you loved
Wakefield
Robin Swicord · Film · 2017
What hooked you in Wakefield was the way the sudden abandonment of ordinary life forces a profound, unsettling introspection upon the individual.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Wakefield
Kristen Dunphy · Series · 2021
Books on the same thread
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2016
Explores: Grumbling protagonist, Unexpected friendship, Redemption.
Like the protagonist of Wakefield, Ove is a man defined by his solitude and rigid perspective, offering a similarly character-driven look at the transformative power of withdrawing from society.
The Awakening
Kate Chopin · Book · 1899
Explores: Female desire, Marital dissatisfaction, Social constraints.
Edna’s journey in The Awakening echoes the existential restlessness found in Wakefield, capturing the same feeling of entrapment within domestic life and the desperate, isolating urge to break free.
Anxious People
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2021
Explores: Hostage situation, Anxiety, Redemption.
If the marital strain in Wakefield resonated with you, this exploration of anxiety and fractured relationships among strangers provides a similarly sharp, character-focused examination of people pushed to their limits.
The Silent Patient
Alex Michaelides · Book · 2021
Explores: Silence, Mental Illness, Trauma.
The silence that defines the protagonist in this thriller serves as a chilling parallel to the self-imposed isolation seen in Wakefield, grounding its mystery in the complexities of marital breakdown.
Series on the same thread
Awake
Kyle Killen · Series · 2012
Shares a thread with Wakefield: Mental Health.
Just as the lead in Wakefield retreats into his own mind, this series uses a dual reality to externalize the internal grief and identity crisis that haunt a man’s daily life.
Fleishman Is in Trouble
Taffy Brodesser-Akner · Series · 2022
Shares 2 threads with Wakefield: Midlife Crisis, Domestic Drama.
This series mirrors the midlife crisis and sudden marital abandonment depicted in Wakefield, focusing on the messy, psychological fallout that occurs when an established life unexpectedly unravels for a middle-aged man.
Severance
Dan Erickson · Series · 2022
Explores: Identity Crisis, Existentialism, Memory Manipulation.
The artificial separation of the self in this show reflects the extreme isolation found in Wakefield, offering a cold, existential look at what remains when a person removes themselves from reality.
Podcasts on the same thread
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cognitive bias, human behavior, interpersonal dynamics.
Much like the man in Wakefield who documents his detachment from the world, this podcast explores the psychological toll of being trapped in an environment that defies typical human experience.
I Am In Eskew
David Ward · Podcast · 2021
If you were drawn to the analytical nature of Wakefield, this show helps you examine the cognitive biases and behavioral patterns that drive people to isolate themselves from their own relationships.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2017 movie Wakefield related to the 2021 TV series Wakefield?
No, the 2017 movie Wakefield and the 2021 TV series Wakefield are distinct productions. They share the same title but are separate projects with different creative origins and narratives rather than being adaptations of the same source material.
What is the premise of the movie Wakefield?
The movie Wakefield follows a man who experiences a nervous breakdown. This event leads him to abandon his wife and family life to live in his attic for several months, observing his former existence from a hidden vantage point.
Should I watch the 2021 TV show Wakefield after the 2017 film?
You can watch the 2021 TV series Wakefield regardless of whether you have seen the 2017 movie. Because they are not connected by plot or source material, there is no required viewing order for these two titles.
How long does the main character live in the attic in Wakefield?
In the 2017 film Wakefield, the protagonist resides in his attic for a duration of several months. During this time, he remains separated from his wife and observes the life he left behind from his concealed location.