Surface might not be receiving rave reviews, but stick with the Apple TV+ original series, which hails from Reese Witherspoon’s production company, and it dives into plenty of twists and turns to excite, leaving viewers questioning everything by the end.
That’s the mark of a great show, and while Surface doesn’t have a huge cast, each character provides to the story in a meaningful way, beautifully portrayed by the actors who play them. In some cases, the best characters are actually the least likable ones.
6 Harrison
Harrison immediately comes across as the sleazy best friend and co-worker who simply wants his bud to forget about his in-the-way wife and hang out and have fun. While he clearly cares about James, he also appears to have a deep dislike for Sophie, merely tolerating her versus enjoying having her around.
He comes across as the kind of friend who is great to have when hanging out in a bar or going to a party, but not necessarily the type of person to lean on in times of need. There’s something suspicious and unlikeable about him.
5 Caroline
Caroline, played by Ari Graynor, who fans might recognize from I’m Dying Up Here, is obviously a good friend to Sophie, trying her best to help her best friend return to life as it once was before the terrible incident. But fans can’t help but shake the feeling that she’s either hiding something or has ulterior motives.
There is obviously more to Caroline than her sunny disposition and carefree attitude. She admits to having issues with commitment, and while she’s successful professionally and comes from wealth, fans wonder if there was something going on between her and Sophie prior to the injury.
4 James
James is arguably the most polarizing character on Surface, which is why he is positioned firmly in the middle of the pack. It’s unclear whether he’s truly the doting husband or trying to hide or make up for something. Then, fans wonder if he’s obsessively watching his wife’s every move or simply worried about her well-being. It’s a fine line and the character is presented in such a way that teeters it well.
Every episode that goes by makes it more and more unclear as to who James really is and whether he is putting on a show or desperately and madly in love with Sophie. Naturally, the implication in some scenes and through some moments is that he might have tried to kill Sophie or had someone do it for him. Without knowing the truth, fans are left to be unsure about how likable he is, going back and forth with opinions from one episode to the next.
3 Baden
Baden, who fans might recognize as Stephen James, who played Walter, one of the most intelligent characters on Homecoming, comes across as the type of guy who truly made Sophie happy. After discovering that he is not only an undercover police officer but that she was having an affair with him prior to her accident, Sophie is confused and upset but also wondering if the “old” her chose him for a reason.
Indeed, he appears to be kind, gentle, and the type of guy who listens to Sophie while expecting nothing from her in return. The fact that he didn’t pressure Sophie into continuing what they had after her accident, though clearly hoping it might happen again organically, shows that he is both respectful and likable. And his undercover work proves that he is not only intelligent but possesses street smarts, too.
2 Sophie
Fans immediately feel sympathy for Sophie, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw in what could be considered one of her best roles. It’s tough to see her and not imagine what it might feel like to be unable to remember anything (and anyone) prior to a traumatic brain injury, including whether she jumped intentionally, was pushed, or something else was going on. Seeing what she goes through in her personal life, even trying to cope while doing something as simple as going for a morning run, evokes emotions in those watching.
Especially in scenes like when Sophie tries desperately to cross the bridge over the water where she allegedly jumped or when she suffered a panic attack in a taxi, fans can’t help but root for the character. They want her to regain her memories and get her life back: even if the outcome wouldn’t be favorable, at least she would have a solid sense of her own identity.
1 Hannah
Interestingly, the character who appears on-screen less often than the others is arguably the most likable one. As Sophie’s therapist, Hannah seems dedicated to helping her patient work through her trauma and get to the root of how she is feeling now that she has survived and is effectively returning to a life she doesn’t remember.
She is kind, soft-spoken, logical, and reasonable. She tries, whenever possible, not to offend or insult Sophie. Even though some scenes have fans frustrated, as though Hannah seemingly shrugs off Sophie’s potentially legitimate concerns, from her perspective, she is just doing what she believes to be best for her patient. She carries the weight of what patients like Sophie unpack in their sessions. But Hannah comes across as the type of friend anyone would want to have on their side.
