The OA is a cutting satire of affluent suburbia.
I was watching this show and thinking “Wow, for all silliness and self-seriousness it has, it almost feels like a parody... ohhhhh.”
Prairie - The troubled child into self harm, turned New Ager, after growing up in a literal sheltered existence. She claims her eyes are open (her recovery from blindness) and she goes around promising spiritual salvation to those most troubled around her.
It’s important to note: she gives herself the name “OA.” It's not really explicitly stated, but implied it means “Original Angel.” This hints at a messiah complex, along with allusions to Satan, hinting that she’s either a rebel or an extremely self-indulgent narcissist.
The NDE crew: a collection of kids from middle-class families, chronically brought to the cusp of suicide (the NDE research) by a domineering system (Hap). They never truly resist Hap, despite him leaving himself open to attack on many occasions. We, the viewer, are shown evidence to believe that the test facility isn’t *that* ‘isolated’ suggesting the situation wasn’t hopeless. Hap’s superficial attempts to scare the crew into compliance is generally enough to keep the kids cowed, despite him having no visible weapons, and isn’t particularly imposing.
Steve - The violent kid, turned pragmatist. He represents a generation growing from its xenophobic roots, to a more open minded individual, and eventually, the closest thing the show has to a *developed* relatable character.
Note: Buck and Elias are also relatable, but they don’t get the same amount of face time as Steve.
Buck Vu - The name kind of says it all. He represents a quiet minority, straddling an immigrant heritage, transgender, and clear roots within the suburbs. He doesn’t get many speaking lines, but the few he does, implies he’s a hard worker and aiming high.
Elias Rahim - Shown to be bilingual, with a noticeably less local name than “Buck,” he represents the first generation immigrant. He and Steve have clear tension. While Steve is turning over a new leaf, Elias justifiably doesn’t trust him. In the big picture though, it's obvious he and Steve will wind up being allies.
Betty - The mid-life crises careerist. She’s easily manipulated by Prairie, and fundamentally submissive in nature. Considering she’s still trying to find meaning, she snaps up Prairie's sales pitch without a 2nd thought.
They all kind of unite into Prairie's cult for their own reasons, accepting her incredibly grand claims, and even pursuing her rituals publicly against real threats, with ambiguous outcomes.
