Midnight Mass - Mike Flanagan Sets Next Netflix Series

[Persona]

Just finished episode 4. Holy ****.

I can see a good chunk of people having trouble with the pace and how talky the show is. It can be a little uneven... however, the passion, creativity, and thought behind the show is immense, and carried off by some extremely well realized characters and their connections and interplay. In that way (and some others), it is very Stephen King.

The details and the execution of the show in terms of cinematography, production and sound design, music, etc... just so good. Easily top tier Flanagan so far.

Can't wait to see how this finishes.

 

[Erik20]

I think I still prefer Hill House over this, but it was really great. (Though that might be a case of rose-tinted glasses)

Also I'm really glad

Spoiler

that I didn't know anything about the story. In hindsight it's so obvious that it's about vampires, especially when you think back about certain scenes, but I just didn't see it. When the "miracles" started to happen, my first thought was actually that it might be something like "The Green Mile"

 

[Persona]

Finished it this morning.

As much as I liked the show, I think the monologuing could have been reined in a bit. Show is definitely VERY talky, which I didn't mind because it is well done but I do think it got to a point where it was continuing when the show should have leaned into the visuals, which were great. I will say that while this doesn't have quite the highs of Hill House and the overall pacing is wobbly, the closing stretch is pretty easily one of the better final acts in a Flanagan show or movie (and that's partly because that has been a bit of a weak spot for him, outside of maybe Oculus).

There are a lot of little plot things you have to give the benefit of the doubt. And Flanagan clearly got his island's population wrong since they seemed to be rotating extras through it, haha. And yet there is also a lot of great attention to detail in the storytelling here that makes me think this might be the Flanagan thing I rewatch the most.

Thematically, yeah, it lays it on thick. However I can appreciate the earnestness because there is enough intelligence and craft and solid performance sort of propping up the ambition. I have some conflicted feelings about it in this area but at the end of the day I think I appreciate the show for going for it, even it maybe some of it was overreaching. There are some visual confluences between religious imagery and what is actually happening in the show and then all the little implications and extrapolations that spin off of that that are pretty engaging for me, personally, as someone who is spiritual but also acknowledges, understands, even feels the different perspectives that--ultimately--this show seems to try to find a harmony between. And I think, at the end, it partly succeeds in doing that, though perhaps it muddles and/or mutes some of the conversations leading into that conclusion.

So yeah, far from perfect and in some ways a magnifier of some of Flanagan's flaws in part because sometimes those are inextricable from some of his great strengths that it is also magnifying. I'd still say it's one of the best Netflix series I've seen and I'd put it up there with Hill House and the Doctor Sleep Director's Cut as far as Flanagan is concerned.

 

[squeekness]

I'm halfway through. Some stuff I think we're obvious early, but I didn't mind. It is a bit talkative which slows it down some, but so far I am enjoying it very much.

 

[elgaz]

I started last night and watched the first 3 episodes. LOVING it so far.

As with all of Flanagan's works, the characters are what make the show - their variety, their motivations, their differences. You get immediately drawn in by them, the effect enhanced by the talented casts he often uses. There's a sense of community in this show, but a community with lots of angst both on display and hidden under the surface.

The Island setting gives the show a very unique look and feel too, which only adds to the sinister undertone running through it. Isolated from the mainland, surrounded by choppy waters, the people are somewhat detached from the rest of humanity and leaning very heavily on each other and the community they have built.

Can't wait to see where it goes with the next few eps.

 

[Snow Queen]

Great show, not sure I've ever wanted to reach through the screen and strangle anyone more than Bev.

 

[HarveyHarris]

Wow, so I went into this knowing next to nothing about it..... christ what a trip! Never come across Hamish Linklater before but that performance needs to be recognised.

 

[Persona]

I always enjoyed him on The New Adventures of Old Christine. Obviously this was a very different role, lol.

 

[squeekness]

Great show, not sure I've ever wanted to reach through the screen and strangle anyone more than Bev.

Maybe that crazy lady from The Mist movie, lol.

 

[kvz5]

I just finished ep 5 and I love how Flanagan continues his streak of phenomenal gut wrenching fifth episodes.

 

[elgaz]

Finished Ep6 last night so just one to go. I'm really impressed by the writing in this show, it's quite dialogue-heavy (especially with Father Paul) but there's so much in the way of symbolism, allegories, passion, perspectives and nuance that it's a joy just to sit and watch two characters have a conversation. And although it obviously has an extremely religious Christianity vein running through the entire script and story, the writing is presented in such a way that there is much parallelism with the struggles we all endure regardless of what religion (if any) we follow.

Wow, so I went into this knowing next to nothing about it..... christ what a trip! Never come across Hamish Linklater before but that performance needs to be recognised.

Totally agree, he's fantastic in this.

 

[elgaz]

Finished it tonight. Just brilliant. Flanagan has a lot of talent.

 

[#root]

Only watched 2 episodes yet but I’m liking it so far.

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Whatever that flying thing with glowy eyes is creepy AF .

 

[#root]

Episode 3:

Spoiler

Oh snap vampires . Had no idea that was where this show was headed. This was a really good episode but how does anyone see that thing and think angel!?

Episode 4:

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Oh **** the ending .

Damn, now I need to keep watching the rest. Also, I thought I hated Bev before but wow.

 

[Sawyer]

Just finished and I loved it. Once I got to Episode 3, I didn’t want to slow down at all. As far as Flanagan’s TV work goes, I think I have to put this slightly behind Hill House, but a bit ahead of Bly Manor. But the whole cast really killed it.

I had been wondering why

Spoiler

half the characters were in old age make-up. Once that twist dropped, it started making a whole lot more sense.

 

[Sawyer]

I was about to ask if any of this show’s newbies will end up being recurring members of Flanagan’s acting troupe, but then I saw that Gilford is going to be on The Midnight Club.

Eager to see if any others (Linklater, Kristin Lehman, etc) will follow.

 

[#root]

Finished with this and it was terrific. Great storytelling and the cast was amazing too. I only wish we had spent a little more time with the teens.

Spoiler

Considering what happens at the end, it would’ve been nice to have spent more time with them. In the first episode, it almost seemed like they’d be the main characters until Riley showed up on the island.

 

[#root]

Episode 3:

Spoiler

Oh snap vampires . Had no idea that was where this show was headed. This was a really good episode but how does anyone see that thing and think angel!?

This tweet is literally what I thought when I saw this scene .

 

[Snow Queen]

This tweet is literally what I thought when I saw this scene .

I'm screaming.

Spoiler

 

[elgaz]

I’ve seen loads of people on Twitter also saying the Father is

Spoiler

dumb for thinking it was an angel.

My take on it is - he’s old, confused (which is why he got lost in first place), gets a sudden rush of adrenaline when bitten closely followed by a euphoric rush of dopamine to his brain as his body begins to die. Add in a lifetime of being exposed to religious imagery and a winged creature facing him in his last moments . . . I can buy it

 

[Sawyer]

People on Twitter are really dragging the **** out of that Vox article and I’m loving every second of it.

 

[Snow Queen]

People on Twitter are really dragging the **** out of that Vox article and I’m loving every second of it.

Good lord, that's an article.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

Good lord, that's an article.

I knew there would be some interesting takes on this show, but criticizing this show for not being critical enough of Christianity and dismissive of atheism and other religions is a bizarre, if not objectively wrong take.

 

[elgaz]

I knew there would be some interesting takes on this show, but criticizing this show for not being critical enough of Christianity and dismissive of atheism and other religions is a bizarre, if not objectively wrong take.

Just read it. Wow, that’s a classic take of someone projecting their own issues onto something or someone else. The writer effectively states that the show did a disservice to everything but Christianity, whereas IMO one of the most compelling things about MM is it’s ability to show that no matter what religion (or none at all) that you follow, there’s room for everyone to accept each other. In fact, if anything, it’s Christianity’s Bible that takes a hammering here in how it’s words can be misinterpreted.by those who have a very narrow world view.

 

[Prison Mike]

Really enjoyed the series. I binged all 7 episodes last night. I liked that they didn’t drag the show out to 10 or 13 episodes. 7 episodes was the perfect amount. The series started out slow for me but ramped up by episode 4 and then the ending to episode 5 was pretty emotional. Things went bonkers in episodes 6 and 7. I wish Kate Siegel was in more things (and not just stuff her husband is involved in). She’s really good. Zach Gilford (whom I will always refer to as Matt Saracen) and Hamish Linklater were the MVPs IMO. It was also great seeing some past actors from Hill House and Bly Manor in this. Overall I still enjoyed Hill House a bit more, but this series was better than Bly Manor. Looking forward to the next Mike Flanagan series. The Midnight Club sounds interesting.