Mike Flanagan's most recent Netflix horror series endeavor drops Sep 24. Reviews have been raving about this show, some going so far as to say that this tops Flanagan's previous hit, The Haunting of Hill House.

The show stars Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) and Kate Siegel.

With most of Flanagan's works, they explore various themes, from Hill House's exploration of grief and familial trauma, to Bly Manor's focus on toxic relationships and expressions of love. This show appears to explore faith.

While I was a bit disappointed by Bly Manor, I will still watch anything that Flanagan creates, and it appears that he was extensively involved in this show from directing every episode, to the writing, which was not the case with Bly Manor. Regardless, I am excited for this show. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint.

And here is the teaser trailer.

Just watched the first two episodes and while it has been a slow burn, I am definitely intrigued. I get a significant Stephen King's Salem's Lot vibe. I think Zach Gilford has done a wonderful job, so far, and Hamish Linklater as the pastor does a great job of flirting that line between charming and creepy.

Hell yeah. Pumped to start this this weekend.

I'm looking forward to this one too.

He is the man. So stoked for this.

Flanagan is one of the best horror directors of late. Will watch on his name alone.

Doctor Sleep is highly underrated.

Halfway through episode 2 and it hasn't really grabbed me yet, which is disappointing. But will keep going because I like everything Flanagan has done.

Hope it starts picking up here soon.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Halfway through episode 2 and it hasn't really grabbed me yet, which is disappointing. But will keep going because I like everything Flanagan has done.

Hope it starts picking up here soon.

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Episode 3 is where it picks up and 4th tips it's hand at what is going on (only that far so far and could change more)

Well that was certainly an unexpected turn. (Episode 3.)

Finished it. I came away a bit disappointed. I was entertained, it was obviously very well done, but I just was never scared nor was there ever really much suspense. I also felt that it was extremely monologue heavy, and really took me out of scenes as they were pretty eye roll inducing. I'm used to Flanagan using monologues, but I can't remember him using it this frequently. However, I did like the commentary on faith, free will, and forgiveness.

Below are spoilers for all episodes:

I found the twists to be incredibly predictable. I predicted the vampire angle mid 2nd episode, hence the Salem's Lot comment, and this really felt like they were trying to do a re-telling of Salem's Lot by the end. The young priest being Pruitt was made so obvious that I thought they wanted the audience to know that it was him, what with the demented lady calling him Pruitt, that-b*tch-Bev staring at what was obviously an old photo of Pruitt on the wall, Saracen saying he saw Pruitt on the beach, etc. They also made it painfully obvious that the doctor was the daughter of the priest with the demented lady claiming she saw someone outside their window wearing her father's clothes, and the super awkward pause when stating the doctor's father's name. I also found it obvious that the demented lady would become young again, given the obvious make-up. There was just no suspense or mystery.

And speaking of the demented lady, the old person make-up was atrocious, and the make up artist for this show should be fired. Any scene the demented old lady was in was a scene I was immediately taken out of, as I just stared at her horrible make-up the entire time. It also didn't help that both her voice and movements both sounded and looked like a young actress doing a terrible job of imitating an older person. It felt insulting and a bit messed up. Why not just hire an older actress? That was a crazy decision not to, and not in a good way.

I am on the fifth episode, I really enjoy it but it really bothers me that the priest still believes that he is working with an angel, especially when he can no longer step into the light. And when he is drinking blood

Also the show is going for the lowest of low hanging fruit when it comes to religion and "fanaticism" with that woman.

I enjoyed it for the most part but was hoping for more of a cathartic ending. The fact that everyone on the island died minus the two kids kind of pissed me off, especially since there was never any moment of comeuppance for Bev, who died along with everyone else. It bugged me that our "hero" characters all kept getting killed at the end. Still, I enjoyed it overall. But not his best work.

Also, it was a weird coincidence that I had just watched the movies plot spoilers: Bram Stoker's Dracula and Dracula 2000 right before watching this, the latter of which seems to tie into this quite a bit thematically if you've seen it.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Also, it was a weird coincidence that I had just watched the movies plot spoilers: Bram Stoker's Dracula and Dracula 2000 right before watching this, the latter of which seems to tie into this quite a bit thematically if you've seen it.

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I have been watching the latest season of American Horror Story as well as the Strain. It also felt like a strange coincidence. I am vampired out for a bit.

I watched it all the way through, and then the wife said she wanted to watch it too - but with me.

It was a slow burn the first time through, and an absolute slog this go round.

The homily delivered by Seigel's character as she was dying was risible. I'm an agnostic, so I have no problem with what she said, but the idea that she took comfort in knowing that we arose from star dust as she is expiring doesn't strike me as something most people go on and on about in their final moments. It came across more as the screenwriters pontificating.

Her dying actions on the other hand were pretty moving in injuring the angel while being devoured.

Currently watching the pilot and is that… Henry Thomas as the dad? 25 minutes in and the two "oldest" characters so far, including the old woman at the clinic, are in bad old people makeup. Guessing there are flashbacks or something…

Okay, on that note, I'm pretty sure I just figured it out, based on the blink-and-you-missed-it painting of the old man priest in the church. I didn't really care much for the pilot, but now I have to keep watching to see if my Benjamin Button theory comes to fruition…

TCTTS said:

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Currently watching the pilot and is that… Henry Thomas as the dad? 25 minutes in and the two "oldest" characters so far, including the old woman at the clinic, are in bad old people makeup. Guessing there are flashbacks or something…

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Yeah I have to believe the old people makeup had to be intentional

I take it you're new to the world of Mike Flanagan.

If you haven't already, I HIGHLY recommend you check out Doctor Sleep and both 'Haunting' series on Netflix.

You've said that most horror isn't your cup of tea and is generally cheap and theme park-y, but these are some of the best examples of genuinely good horror in recent years. One of my current "automatic watch" directors/creators.

(FYI Henry Thomas and Kate Siegel, Flanagan's wife, are in basically all his projects.)

I enjoyed this series. Some minor annoyances such as the old person makeup as already mentioned, but good overall. Much better than that trash movie Malignant.

Watched the first episode. Definitely a slow burn but doesn't disappoint. As usual, nothing cheap or cliche here.

Since I've seen the Haunting series, I paid special attention to the church scene where the number of people in the pews, esp right side looking at the pulpit, seemed to change. The weird cuts of Riley talking in the scene with his childhood (girl?)friend was intriguing as well.

Just finished episode two, and I'm in. I'm really digging the religious themes (and Gilford's excellent monologue on suffering, especially), but the monster/horror/supernatural angle is pretty cool too.

Something about Flanagan's filmmaking feels just the slightest bit cheap to me, though. It's good, no doubt, but also kind of has that middle-of-the-road, mass-consumption, Netflix quality about it, that I can't quite put my finger on. Part of it's definitely the old people makeup, and I swear there better be a reason for it. I just looked it up, and Henry Thomas is 11 years older than Gilford, while the woman playing Gilford's character's mom is only 10 years older than Gilford, and it drives me nuts. Hell, the actress playing the doctor's senile old mom is 21 years younger than the woman playing her doctor daughter.

Again, I *think* I know where all that's heading, but we'll see...

TCTTS said:

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Just finished episode two, and I'm in. I'm really digging the religious themes (and Gilford's excellent monologue on suffering, especially), but the monster/horror/supernatural angle is pretty cool too.

Something about Flanagan's filmmaking feels just the slightest bit cheap to me, though. It's good, no doubt, but also kind of has that middle-of-the-road, mass-consumption, Netflix quality about it, that I can't quite put my finger on. Part of it's definitely the old people makeup, and I swear there better be a reason for it. I just looked it up, and Henry Thomas is 11 years older than Gilford, while the woman playing Gilford's character's mom is only 10 years older than Gilford, and it drives me nuts. Hell, the actress playing the doctor's senile old mom is 21 years younger than the woman playing her doctor daughter.

Again, I *think* I know where all that's heading, but we'll see...

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You will see why in episode 3


What is hilarious is the Netflix algorithm has been spoiling people by lumping it with other horror shows/movies of a particular sub genre

So, my Benjamin Button theory was correct. I just didn't know what caused it. Now I do. Awesome.

Episode three was sufficiently creepy and great.

Really enjoying this series way more than I thought I would.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Glad to hear you're enjoying it.

If you do watch any more of his stuff, you gotta start with Haunting of Hill House. One episode in particular (6 I think), I know for a fact you will enoy immensely. And fantastic show overall.

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I think 6 is the one with one of the most incredible single camera shots in cinema

Saw some interviews on it, and I believe the shortest take in the whole episode is 8 minutes.

Even though there's some stitching going on, that is still ridiculously impressive.

Even 1917 probably has some shorter takes than that.