Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams Review: Indonesian Anthology Horror

Is Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams worth watching?

Yes for Anwar completists and anthology horror fans — episode quality varies, but peaks justify the series. Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams holds an 88% Critic Score, 72% Audience Score, 70 Metascore, 6.5 on IMDb, and Fan Score 70 across seven episodes on Netflix. The creator of Satan’s Slaves and Impetigore scales his social horror to television.

What is the series about?

Seven standalone tales of ordinary Indonesians confronting strange phenomena — a sinister care home, an uncanny orphan, a village under cosmic threat — slowly converge into connected reckoning. Ario Bayu, Lukman Sardi, Sita Nursanti, Happy Salma, and Marissa Anita populate episodes that treat the supernatural as symptom of inequality.

Should you watch it after Anwar’s films?

Absolutely — the anthology extends Impetigore’s class rage and Satan’s Slaves’ domestic dread into episodic experiments. Pair with Kamila Andini’s Cigarette Girl for Indonesia’s prestige opposite on Netflix. Compare with Banjong Pisanthanakun’s The Medium from Thailand — folk horror at film length versus series scale.

How does Joko Anwar handle anthology structure?

By letting each episode adopt new genre skin — sci-fi, body horror, dark comedy — while recurring motifs suggest one Indonesia haunted by the same sins. Kaiser Khan’s split verdict: not every installment equals Impetigore’s peaks; production values and political undercurrent remain consistently Anwar. The connective finale rewards viewers who endured weaker middle entries.

Where does the series rank in Asian TV?

Among the most ambitious horror anthologies Southeast Asia has produced for streaming — uneven by design, furious by conviction. On Best of Asia 2016–2026 it completes Anwar’s Indonesia map alongside KKN di Desa Penari commercial horror. IMDb tt21962590.

Where can I watch Nightmares and Daydreams?

Netflix — seven episodes; IMDb tt21962590. Watch after Satan’s Slaves and Impetigore so Anwar’s social themes feel continuous. Episode order matters less than completion — the connective finale assumes you watched middling entries too.

Which Nightmares and Daydreams episodes stand out?

Critics consistently cite the care-home and cosmic-threat installments as peaks — Anwar at full production value and social allegory. Weaker middle episodes still contribute connective tissue the finale rewards. Treat the series as filmography extension, not TV comfort food; discomfort is intentional across seven hours.

How does this title fit Celluloid’s Asia map?

Celluloid maps these titles on Best of Asia 2016–2026 so viewers can compare scores, streaming, and regional peers without algorithm guesswork — start with the country hub, then cross-link to franchise siblings listed above.

What scores should you trust?

Rating recap for quick reference: check the film or series page for Critic Score, Audience Score, Metascore where available, IMDb rating, and streaming badges updated for 2026 — those numbers anchor this review’s recommendations and make cross-country comparison on the Asia decade hub concrete rather than nostalgic.

Verdict

Nightmares and Daydreams is Anwar unleashed — Kaiser Khan’s pick for viewers ready for Indonesian genre at series scale. Start with his films, then binge the anthology. Browse Indonesia and Best of Asia 2016–2026.