User reviews

I thought this series was supposed to be horror but it's not really in my opinion. Each story is unique (mostly) and some are much better than others. My least favorite was the Texas one. That one was a dud. However a couple of them were so interesting. The one that really creeped me out was the one with Taylor Schilling. Her character was interesting, mysterious and ultimately unforgettable. The breakout star was Miss Dever who equally frustrated me but then gained my compassion. She's a young star who is on the rise right now and is one to watch!

"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!

I will add more to this review but if the caliber of the rest of the episodes is the same as the first.. well horror fans of all shapes and sizes.. we might be in for a big treat. Many 'horror' fans, by that i mean gore mongers. Will perhaps not appreciate the first episode considering its a psychological horror... I for one got a pure feeling of unease watching the first ep, this often comes from great story writing, editing and direction can do this with dialogue coming secondary.

Episode 2, Also another psychological horror. That ambiguous ending will have you questioning everything that came before it in a different light. Everything seemed more innocent until.... well you'll have to see. Really what carried this episode is the acting of the lead. I've seen him in other things and he plays certain characters very well.

Edit, Just done with episode 5... My score has thus far not merited being downgraded from a 9 especially after this episode... Many people in the world are affected or have a loved one affected with mental illness. This one hit very deep for me as I struggle with mental illness and will for many other people like myself who have felt that level of despair where you thought there was only one solution... fortunately i keep myself in line in that regard more for the sake of others than myself. Others are not so fortunate to have that level of control....

Hulu releases this show in Oct to ride the Halloween train but the title is completely misleading, the show isnt about monsters or any real horror. Instead, its a collection of depressing stories about people struggling in life. Theres usually some mention of a "monster" but for the most part it's just a low-rent psychological show. If youre looking for entertainment, keep looking.

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.

It's getting tough. I don't expect to be spoon-fed a story, but the endings are just so abrupt and nothing is resolved or explained. The acting is superb, in my opinion, but it's wasted by bad writing and the typical predictable social issues. I'm four episodes in and I think I'd rather watch paint dry.

In summary, all style, no substance. Was not at all what I expected and hoped for.

I honestly didn't know what to expect and I'm glad I came in with an open mind. I don't think there's enough shows out there that feeds into the complex mind of humans. It's unsettling, sad, beautiful, and serves as a warning. People that don't "get" it are probably just wanting to watch something like insidious or Friday the 13th. This show definately requires your full attention but stick with it. I will say I liked all of them except for episode 4 that one dragged. I think if you like The ABCs of Death or Stephen King youd like this

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 show is pretty bad. Episode 1 was ok. Almost all other episodes are crap. Flat writing. Uninspired direction. Never scary. Never chilling. Never memorable. It's Tales From The Crypt without jokes or style.

Its disappounting that people dont see the real monster is poverty and desperation. But its not just a boring preachy dreary show. Its reality and there are horror aspects and supernatural story lines but its not a Ryan Murphy show. Its for deep thinkers and it wont disappoint those who can derive meaning behind the exterior.

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.

Horror is like pizza...even when it's bad, it's still pretty good. This is bad pizza. Gone are the days of meaningful writing in the horror genre and are replaced with empty fodder peppered with jump-scares and half-decent costumes. I don't know if it's a result of writers catering to dumber audiences or just lazy and uninspired writing, but this fits either. This anthology had 8 chances for various writers to showcase their writing talents and while there were a few intriguing storylines, they all fell flat with what seemed like a feaux creative way for the writers to allow the audience to draw their own conclusions; aka: writers couldn't come up with a way to end the story and places the blame on the viewer. My guess is Hulu pays their writers in free Hulu subscriptions.

This show is well made. Some of the stories are simple, but it's not bad. Definitely not deserving of one or two stars. That's just lying.

I thought this was going to be something entirely different. It really depends on what you're looking for a in a show right now. In my opinion, it's unnecessarily upsetting, sometimes explicit, quite depressing, boring (and I don't say this often), and sort of aimless. Not to mention, inconclusive. I wanted something along the lines of Channel Zero, the first few seasons of AHS, or Sharp objects, instead I got a set of morbid, dark and joyless stories that sucked the life out of me. I suggest Lovecraft country instead, as it's quite good and rather new as well.

Firstly, I have only seen the first episode so far. I am always on the lookout for shows that are on the sinister side. I expected this show to be about typical monsters, and I really do not enjoy that kind of entertainment. I do enjoy a deep, meaningful psychological thriller which this seems to be. I recommend it, but not if you are looking for typical halloween horror.

I don't understand such negative reviews, 2 or even 1 out of ten?

good acting well scripted and decent camera work

now im only giving it a 7 because i dont want to over egg it, but my enjoyment of this was 8, but its not everyones cup of tea i understand that

but i have seen horror films done in their parents basement on an iphone with family members as the cast, that i couldnt bear to watch 5 minutes without skipping ahead and turning it off

this is different from the twilight zone ,devs, tales from the dark side , tales of the crypt , but has elements of all of those but different

thankyou hulu

It seems like I'm part of the consensus but make no mistake my opinion is my own and was made well before reading any other review. Pardon me but WTF? I didn't get a lot of these. Horribly depressing and topics that were much darker than should be made into a show. (Not being a prude but I felt like I needed a shower and an antidepressant after watching these). No resolutions or representations either. Like a piece of music (bad music) where the last note is forgotten and you're left going (again) WTF? Someone finish this or show me what it all meant. Could be just me but doesn't seem so. If you haven't watched it you're not missing much.

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.

I'm not sure if the moral here is supposed to be that people are the real monsters or that the mentally ill are? Some people are burdens, and that either makes them mosters or turn the people around them into monsters. In any case, this show blows. These monsters are neither entertaining or scary. They are not even weird or original, these are bleak depressing monsters.

I won't go as far as to say this is a masterpiece or even something you HAVE to watch. However, if you want something that will make your brain churn a bit, then this is great for you. I see a lot of people expressing disappointment over it not being necessarily "real" monsters, but I didn't go into it expecting that. I didn't see any advertising that suggested that. I saw bits and pieces of the show which actually seem to represent what the show actually is. It's "monsters" in a sense of immoral characters. People who have done messed up things to other people. It does touch on very dark subject matter, so be forewarned. This is not necessarily a Halloween/October show. It does have a spooky, creepy, terrifying vibe. The darkness is there, but if you're looking for monster monsters, well then look elsewhere. It truly is the type of show that will make you feel something, likely reaching a dark part of yourself. It has a lot of thought, originality, fantastic cinematography, and superb acting. It's entertaining enough. I was able to binge the entire series pretty quickly. I am totally the person to stop watching something that sucks. This didn't suck.