The Institute

At the time of this review there are four episodes available to watch.-

This show is pretty good. For me it mercifully buries a number of cliches under a layer of creative approach. I'm also a fan of the TV show "From" so use that to inform you what my tastes are like.

Some of the dialogue is cringe. Most of the acting is pretty good. One actor in particular is just reciting lines, Arlen So. Not really in the role at all.

Currently I'm looking forward to the next episode.

I was born early 90s.. I have seen almost every tv show released since 1999.

Feels like after the pandemic tv shows started to show cracks that were not as common when there were more "gate keepers".

Netflix model has caused the death of good writing, good directing, good acting and I feel like movies and tv shows may have peaked in the 2010s later end.

Movies and tv shows are not old as time, gone with the wind was 1939..it's 2025 and even with more money and higher picture quality...substance seems to be lacking?

MGM? What are they doing? The lighting of the scenes looks weird, I feel like I'm watching a YouTube show? I use to look forward to shows, Hollywood feels dead.

Its enjoyable enough. A intriguing premise with a suite of characters that feel pretty standard for this kind of show. At some point, Stephen King properties tend to blend together, especially these more obscure adaptions. Generally, I wouldn't recommend (at least 3 episodes in), but it isn't exactly bad. Just peak mediocrity, with some nepo-casting.

The beginning of book has a terrifying event that the TV show greatly waters down 😐.

That set up the expectations of what this show will be, watered down version of book.

This will not be horror nor thriller and more sci-fi drama if anything.

Thus my expectations have been lowered and so will continue to watch it for what it is, family friendly show. Even the aesthetics of show such as lighting suggests a more toned down feel compared to books.

Serviceable is best way to describe show if you read book. Cast and acting good, no complaints there.

It will be probably be more exciting for those who have not read books👍.

It's refreshing to see tv show of almost extinct variety, one that's intentionally not made for TikTok generation with attention span of the fruit fly and inability to follow more than one line of thought at the same time, bored if there's no fight, or car chase, or cliche video effects every 5 minutes ;)

Stephen King is always hard to transfer to tv/film media, out of tens and hundreds of such deeds, very few have gone even above the half tank mark. This one looks promising - it's hard to imagine that with such a good start it will plummet. But it was known to happen ;))

Another good thing going for the show is, as it's happening in Maine, there are no (so far ;) mandatory rota, "price affordable", actors with hard to understand, heavy accents, that have no origin in the source material.