USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. Try and resist the call of"Sirens,"I dare you. There is an addictive, delicious, all-encompassing quality to Netflix's latest limited series, a wealth satire with a campy twist starring Julianne Moore,Meghann Fahy, Kevin Bacon andMilly Alcock("House of the Dragon"). Inthe five-episodes limited series,you are whisked away to a Martha's Vineyard-ish island full of the uber-rich in their Lilly Pulitzer best, where the staff is definitely judging you and one very gross Edible Arrangement is enough to start a chain of events that will upend the lives of the wealthy and working class alike. Anxiety, deadpan humor and blinding shades of pink are the building blocks of "Sirens" (now streaming, ★★★½ out of four), the latest series from"Maid"creator Molly Smith Metzler, based on "Elemeno Pea," her 2011 play. There are moments when you can tell the series has its roots in theater: It's claustrophobic, tense and eerie, even though the setting is a sprawling, palatial estate bathed in sunshine and salt water. But that's where the series − which often feels like it takes place in a heightened, magical realist version of reality − operates best, in a world of opposites. Bright and dark. The haves and have-nots. Love and hate. Attraction and revulsion. The future and the past. "Sirens" is like a shipwreck caused by the Greek mythological creatures from which it takes its name: Swirling, chaotic, blackly comedic, tragic and unstoppable. Grounded by arresting performances by an elite cast and tied up in an aggressively perky bow by its excellent scripts, the spellbinding series begs to be devoured with haste. You'll be so mesmerized by the characters, narrative twists, luxe costumes and lush beachfront setting you'll hardly realize five hours have gone by. Set during one dizzying weekend at the Kell estate, home to billionaire couple Michaela (Moore) and Peter (Bacon), these top one-percenters are so worshipped and secluded that their immediate social circle resembles a cult more than a community. Eagerly drinking the Kool-Aid is Simone DeWitt (Alcock), a formerly impoverished but deeply ambitious upstart from Buffalo who gets a taste of the lifestyle of the rich and famous as Michaela's uppity assistant. But the delicate balance of Simone's life is broken by the arrival of Devon (Fahy), her very low-class sister, a fast-food worker straining under the weight of caring for their dementia-stricken father (Bill Camp) back home. Devon is a pesky splinter in Simone's perfect life, her black eyeliner and dark wardrobe a literal stain against Michaela's perfectly color-coordinated world. Michaela and Simone's relationship is co-dependent to the extreme: they share chewing gum (and occasionally a bed) and run a falcon conservation society with its own cultish rituals (scepter included). With multiple DUIs and burnt out by her caregiving duties, Devon thinks Simone is equally in crisis. Simone thinks she's thriving; she's even dating the rich guy next door, a hilariously foppish Glenn Howerton ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), cleaned up significantly from his usual Paddy's Pub uniform. It's all a recipe for emotional explosions and revealed secrets. Metzler's tight scripts reveal the oddities of the Kells' world bit by strange bit, giving the series an"eat the rich" tonethat is all its own: These billionaires aren't just casually cruel, dismissive of the working class and generally terrible; they're also so freakingweird. Absolute power may corrupt absolutely, but absolute wealth can separate the wealthy from reality. The performances complement the winding story: Moore is ethereal and hypnotizing, and Bacon has the casual confidence that rich White men are born with. But Fahy and Alcock are the real draws, with Fahy following up her Emmy-nominated"The White Lotus" turnwith an equally award-worthy performance. Alcock gets to shrug off the confines of the "Game of Thrones" spinoff role that put her on the map, proving that she has a lot more to offer besides riding dragons. Simone is damaged and buoyant simultaneously, and the young actress shows a deep maturity in the portrayal of the character's complex mental and emotional state. That the series can't decide if its mythological title is more metaphor, reality, or set dressing can be forgiven. Even if occasionally some specific scenes get lost, the overall aura is compelling enough to keep you watching. So yes, the song of "Sirens" will have you hooked for all five episodes, which start chaotic and get more unhinged from there. Comparisons toHBO's "Lotus"are unavoidable, and not just because Fahy appears in both. Both series zoom in on class and money to make larger points about human nature without resorting to clichés or fantasies. I'll let you be the judge of which one is more misanthropic about the state of our species. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Sirens' review: Julianne Moore in the next 'White Lotus'
