Monsterland

"Hulu's", "Monsterland" series is one strange, different, and interesting far out anthology which includes tales and stories set in different locations, yet it involves ordinary folks and their grim daily problems of life. Some episodes were strange and hit and miss other episodes were well written with twist and good as they took a spin for truth and revenge. The stories also blend into the characters lives as they crossed paths with evil killers, supernatural forces, ghosts, haunted demons, cursed legends, religion, angels, and gothic fable cursed characters like evil witches and wolves. Overall the series may not be everyone's cup of tea still it's a watch if you like suspense, drama, and twist and how it relates to ordinary people in real life as it shows the connection to the paranormal and strange!

A ton of these reviews lament the script writing, however, few actually seem to realize it is adaptation of a short story anthology, North American Lake Monsters y by Nathan Ballingrud. I have not read the anthology which seems to be much more favorably reviewed. The show was good just poorly marketed. The previews and and retitling definitely do not fit the show. It also seems the source material may have alluded to more actual monsters where the stories selected here were mostly metaphorical.

The first episode of season one struck me similarly to my seminal reaction to the first X-Files episode. And I was excited with this prospect. Even without Molder and Scully.

However, after watching half of the first season something has become apparent. The performances, production design, cinematography, and general mood are great. The scripts are spotty though. They tend to end abruptly, leaving the conclusions unresolved or "open-ended." And as a viewer I feel that this is a let down, or indicative of lazy writing.

These meandering storylines are allowable for a few, errand episodes within a season, however, it seems to be a series pattern.

None-the-less, I'll continue watching because there are some satisfying pay-offs within this series. You just have to wade through the murk.

Monsterland advertises itself as blurring the lines between black and white. While traditional horror always punished the obvious sinner, what Monsterland does well, is make their protagonist more human. The characters range from distraught teenagers, to a billionaire, to middle class families. Even if you can't find your exact socioeconomic status in this eight-part series, you can be sure you'll relate to one of their stories.

In some episodes, the monsters are debated, they may be hallucinations or normal facts that everyone accepts. In other episodes it's obvious that humanity is the monster, a recurring theme throughout all genres. What Monsterland does well though, is that it makes you wonder what is real and what isn't. What is a representation of something the author and producers wanted to portray, or what is bonafide supernatural entities.

What I loved about Monsterland is that it portrays the true horror. While there is no shortage of blood and gore, there are no jump scares. This series will not keep you up at night; however, it will make you think about humanity. There are 7 billion people, each living their own lives with their own darkness. Monsterland offers brief illuminations into that darkness that threatens us all, without relying on gore, jump scares, or monsters. It's an honest look at how anybody, of any race, any financial status, any orientation, can have a difficult time with life.

Each show is a slowburn. There are very few moments that I would consider my "favorites". In each episode, you must understand the characters and their blights before understanding the monster, whether it is real or imaginary. Because of this, some episodes fall flat, some are intriguing, and the only genuine episode is the series finale. Monsterland takes you on a journey that will not leave you sleeping with the lights on, but will make you think that the characters in each episode are not so different between you and I.

Really good concept... but annoying how you can go from an episode that keeps you thoroughly engaged from start to finish, then the next will bore you to tears.