The Mist (2017) User Reviews

The Mist... opportunity.

[Rob_Taylor · 5/10 · 3 August 2017]

There's a reason why the Stephen King novella was, in fact, a novella. There is only so much story you can wring out of the premise. King knew that, and so did Frank Darabont when he did the movie adaptation.

The TV version of The Mist, however, clearly believes this is a story that can be milked for as long as possible. After a couple of decent opening episodes, the story has slowed down to a crawl. The Mist of the title is purely there as a plot device to drive the human interest story. Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I doubt that is why most people are watching the show. In this show, though, the Mist is already playing increasing second-fiddle to the human drama in the same way that the zombies of The Walking Dead are now almost irrelevant to that show.

Six episodes in are we are already dealing with some of the most turgid and hackneyed story lines involving rape, crazy old ladies, mad doctors, and so on. The list is endless. Now, you can defend this and say the Mist is making the people act like this, but that doesn't change the fact that it is increasingly ludicrous to watch. It is putting me in mind of Shyamalan's The Happening, and that is definitely not a comparison that does it any favours.

The episodic nature of the show, of course, means that the story will never be as dynamic or as engaging as the movie, but even so... it is increasingly dull and predictable.

The choice to change the nature of the Mist, from something from another dimension, hiding monsters to a supernatural version, also seems a little weird. I get that they wanted to do something a little different with it, but honestly, the new Mist is kinda boring.

In fact, watching the Mist brings out the same feelings that I used to get when I was the designated driver on a lad's night out. Everyone else was having a whale of a time whilst I looked on, sober as a judge, and tried not to be embarrassed by what I was seeing. The Mist gives me that embarrassed feeling when I watch it. The sensation that I'd enjoy the whole thing a lot more if I was drunk.

It isn't badly made. It is decently acted. But it just doesn't make me want to tune in every week to watch it. It isn't gripping drama. It isn't scary and, after six episodes, I now have no real interest in finding out what the Mist really is, nor do I care about any of the characters in the show.

It's just... meh!

SUMMARY: Human drama (and melodrama) dressed up as horror. Not engaging and not very convincing. Read the story, or watch the movie. Both are better.

I wanted to like this -- I really did

[kingramze · 5/10 · 7 July 2017]

I'm a huge Stephen King fan, and I really enjoyed the movie "The Mist," so I assume I'm part of the target market for this show... and so far, it's been pretty disappointing.

Spoilers may lie ahead!

Here's what I was looking for in a TV-series adaptation: Danger, suspense, backstory on where The Mist comes from, how it came to be released, lots and lots of big creatures (spiders! flies! crab-like things, tentacles!), people learning how to fight with the creatures, maybe a few gung-ho idiots that die quickly and a few gung-ho idiots that succeed in some missions through the mist, smart people who make survivalist plans, crazy people who think it's the end times, a bit of mob-mentality from people scared out of their minds, and hopefully some new twists to keep the show going -- like... maybe missions to Arrowhead to plug the leak, maybe some Pacific Rim style fighting the alien invasion, maybe the US military retaliating against the mist, maybe even some MIB agents or some mythical tale about how the mist had come before and what we need to do to stop it.

Here's what we've got so far up through episode 4: Teenagers dealing with gender issues, rape, underage drinking, marital issues, people casually playing games and chatting while waiting out the mist in a mall (even though they've seen the mist murder people just outside the doors), a few people dying from random things we either can't see or do see for a blip and then are gone with no explanation or exploration, and apparently THIS version of the mist has some sort of magic and consciousness as it "knows people," can conjure up dead people to taunt you, and gets thicker and thinner at times... oh, and the creatures are like... moths, roaches, and smoke-monsters.

I kid you not, 4 episodes in and people are tossing a football in the mall as if people hadn't died outside and squabbling over petty issues. A mother just saw her daughter die, yet she's calm enough to go sit on a pillow and chat about other things. She barely tried to open a door to go after her kid before a monster got her. For some reason, the mist itself IS the monster in a sense b/c people are scared to open a door to let it in... instead of it being just a fog to hide and/or sustain the monsters within it. The show is like "Under the Dome" meets "The Walking Dead" only with less suspense and less horror.

On the plus side, we do have a pastor who thinks it's the end times, a hippie who worships nature that thinks the creatures are manifestations of God, some soldiers who may know more about the Arrowhead project, and we have a girl who for some reason survived a smoke-monster attack. There are still plenty of people to use as fodder, and there's at least one working vehicle to use to explore. All the right notes are there to build something great on, so it's possible they could turn this around.

Maybe it takes 4 episodes to build some exposition... but, I doubt it. It's as if the writer/director thinks the show should be about feelings, deep societal issues, and growing pains instead of -- MONSTERS & people reacting to the END OF THE WORLD as they know it.

I was really hoping for more of a 12 Monkeys style adaptation. Take a movie concept, add in a lot of back-story, create several long story arcs that go beyond the original movie's premise into exciting new territory with new, fun, dangerous things to figure out & new bad-guys, plot twists, and adventures to explore.

Nah, this went all lifetime movie with some deadly fog. So sad.

lots of issues

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 21 June 2018]

A mist has descended upon the town of Bridgeville, Maine and something inside is killing people. Bryan Hunt in military uniform tries to warn the police but he's locked up by chief Heisel on suspicion of being intoxicated. An unstable Mia Lambert is the other prisoner. The Copeland family is split between the police station and the mall.

I do like the 2007 movie but that movie's biggest moment is its shocking ending. Presumably, that cannot be done on the TV show unless it intends to ends quickly. When it does suicides early, they're unearned emotionally and it lacks any shock value. The problem starts with the characters. None of them are likeable. Everybody has some deep dark secret or other crazy characteristics. Their actions are questionable. A guy is willy nilly letting out prisoners without authorization and that's before it gets crazy. Drawing lot is silly especially only a few people would know the location of the radio and how to use it. It makes little sense to send random strangers stumbling into the office searching for the thing and why aren't people waiting for them on the other side of the door? I know why. They would hear the gunshot and the writers needed to connect the dots no matter how ugly the line. Almost none of the characters make sense unless the mist turns them into non-sense. That's certainly possible but it would leave nobody with rooting interest. They want the girl to be that but she is too infuriating to be appealing. I don't care about anybody and I don't care about their secrets.

The show still has the creature feature aspect. It should have started with a scary horror scene at the base but it meanders around with a slow reveal of some teenage drama. Stranger Things started with a monster at the base and that show does OK. It's a standard move which this show fails to understand. The start is off-putting, boring, and tiresome. As for the creatures, the small insects come with certain issues and the show leaves some nagging questions about the logic of this world. The smoke monsters are problematic for different reason. Neither are satisfying although not bad enough to be decisive. The logic of people is so upside down that the crazy lady actually makes sense. The creature feature aspect gets morphed into body horrors territory. I can roll with all these differences if I actually cared about anybody in here.

Where do I even start!

[brian-119-173475 · 1/10 · 4 August 2017]

I rarely ever write reviews but for this I am making an exception.

This series didn't just disappoint me but it got me very angry. Christian Torpe should make a public apology for what he did to this show.

When I first heard they were making this into a TV series I was really excited, I loved the movie and I am a big fan of Stephen King's adaptations. I originally thought that they would be expanding on the novella and movie. There is so much they could have done with this story.

I was so excited to see more about the arrowhead project. They could have easily made a great show that revolved around just the scientists at the arrowhead project. Basically a prequel to the movie.

But what this guy did to the story.. Wow.. First off the mist (in my opinion) is a kind of atmosphere from another dimension, that has creatures in it. It's basically their environment, they are just following the mist. For whatever reason Torpe decided to remove the creatures for... I don't even know, hallucinations? Ghosts? Guys on Horses with arrow? COME ON!

Why would someone do that? The coolest parts of the book and the movie involve the creatures and the mystery of where the mist came from. How do you remove that element?

They barely mention the arrowhead project. They are actually leaning more toward the mist being some kind of natural disaster, how stupid!

Then there are the horrible characters in the series, I think its safe to say I hate all of them. The story line involving who raped the daughter is so pointless (and the person who raped her is obvious). The junky who decides to go through detox in the middle of this happening. The people in the church have no point what so ever. The people trapped in the mall is a complete rip-off of dawn of the dead. The black smoke monster from lost, the one that kills the little girl, was by far the worst special effects I have seen in a long time.

Honestly what where they thinking?

Cliffhanger left hanging

[meast-80199 · 9 August 2022]

Very disappointed to watch 10 hours of The Mist to finish on a cliffhanger which I've read hasn't been putto a second series. A complete waste of time. Why can't something be announced that says this series won't continue. It should have not been left at that ending.

Flawed, but better then reviews would have you believe.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 21 February 2018]

I thought this would be better regarded then the reviews and rating would suggest, I really enjoyed it, felt like a hybrid remake of Lost and the Walking Dead, without the zombies, just a series of things happening for no apparent reason. Only this time Mother Nature seems to be behind all the strange goings on. Many comment on the lack of amiable characters, and I get that, but how irritating are sickly sweet characters, you need people with a story to tell, and many although not likeable were interesting. American Horror Story fans will recognise a few, most enjoyable performance throughout was Frances Conroy of course, she's great. A shame it was axed, there was more to tell. Watchable. 6/10

They forgot to include likable people

[Mrbngle · 2/10 · 28 August 2017]

In The Mist we get to know a small American town in which everyone seems to want to come across as incompetent, over-reactive, small-minded, humorless but above all very unfriendly. Everyone seems to hate each other, and the few people who form the exception, the people who do not constantly act like an idiot, and thus with whom I could best identify, are also the first to die (already in episode 1). This phenomenon is increasingly seen in drama series. At the The Walking Dead I decided to discontinue watching after three seasons (I was ultimately in favor of the zombies, which is not the maker's intention I assume). What makes The Mist even easier to dismiss are the worthless special effects and terrible acting. If you make a television show that is located in a thick layer of mist, you want to make sure that the fog looks like a fog. I suspect the makers were trapped inside their own cloud of incompetence.

It seems to be getting better, five episodes in.

[doubtitall · 7/10 · 21 July 2017]

The many complaints about the SJW foolishness have some merit. Sure, the themes can be useful for driving drama, but this seemed like a narrative overload. BUT after the fifth episode it looks as if maybe the writers aren't really going over the top. For instance, at this point it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the bi guy turns out to be the one who committed the rape of his 'best friend.' He's obviously badly cracked, like a borderline psychopath, and I'm not talking about his bi issues.

That's just one possible twist. Look for others.

If that's what the writers are really doing, playing some of the SJW themes against the tropes, then I'd rate it much higher, like maybe even a 7.5, though I still wouldn't rate it sky high. I was looking for a monster horror series with monsters more like the cool/horrifying beasts we saw in the movie (even if a bit less well done) rather than just super nasty bugs and such.

Still, here's hoping that changes, and the monsters get better. They could still turn this thing completely around by the end of the season.

The Smoke Monster

[moremale · 1/10 · 9 July 2017]

I've watched all 4 episodes and here's my take:

1. Every person is a known stereotype

2. Every person is really REALLY stupid

3. No monsters (just bugs)

4. They could have packed all 4 episodes into a single 30 minute segment and still had time to include 2 monster attacks and a food fight

5. Stoners will find ways to get into trouble ...and lastly...

It's good to see the Smoke Monster from 'Lost' finally get another gig

Great start but couldn't maintain momentum

[stecum · 6/10 · 18 September 2017]

Of course this is going to be compared to the literature followed by the remake film, which leaves us with high expectations. The first episode started out brilliant and left me wanting more, it was around episode 4-5 that I started to find things dragging on with very little action. There were really fun bits of the movie that didn't make it to season 1, maybe season 2? Though I'm confident we won't see that gracing our screens anytime soon. As a standalone series it's not without it's own ideas, however due to the dragging mid season I can't recommend this, I'm giving it a 6/10 for the Mist Film lovers, however 3-4/10 for normal viewage.

It couldn't be any worse and it won't be missed.

[RoidDroidVoid · 3/10 · 23 July 2017]

After watching the first 5 episodes, I just can't take any more. This show is absolutely horrible. From the completely ridiculous decisions made by the characters throughout to the uninteresting and poorly written drama, this show needs to be put out of it's misery (no pun intended). I hate the characters. I don't care to know anyone's backstory. The acting is uninspired. The story is a re-hash of a re-hash and, even then, the main story takes a back seat to the contrived nonsense meant to inform us about the characters. Even though the writers are brutal and relentless in their quest to force us to watch their family/teen drama instead of the horror show we tuned in for, their efforts only made me hate everyone. This show is truly insufferable.

Fixing the rating - A Rant

[aleksandraradivilovic · 10/10 · 25 January 2019]

My boyfriend and I used to rely pretty heavily on IMDB ratings to pick out a movie or show to watch in the evenings, so we know a little about the difference between a 2 and an 8. That being said, after watching The Mist and checking the rating, I felt like I had to write my first IMDB review. It's disappointing to see so many people giving this show a 1 just because they can.

Realistically, I would rate this show a 6.5 out of 10. It was relatively entertaining to watch, had some decent character interactions and some interesting themes and messages. It is nothing special, but it does the job.

Please stop being mindless sheep and jumping on the 1/10 wagon, these review sections exist so we can judge movies and shows as a whole and not on a couple of details that you find offensive.

So, I am dropping this review here is the hopes to counteract some of the mindless drones prowling across the internet.

Not bad, not that good.

[jp_91 · 6/10 · 22 June 2020]

"The Mist" TV adaptation was good at first, but then it becames bored. Stephen King's novel was adapted and theatrically released in 2007, a great film, but in 2017 this TV version was released, a weak production with great performances and special effects, but something is missing. This production is not bad, but not that good. A watchable work, no more.

Mist doesn't kill as much as boredom

[leonidasoriginal · 3/10 · 4 November 2020]

Title says is all. Modern day series can be as boring as watching water before it boils. And just when you think it will boil, someone shuts down cooking stove.

Mist Kills Everyone! I Hope!

[bkhazelett · 4/10 · 27 July 2017]

4/10, only because I think the Mist might win

Really the worst money grab I ever seen. There is nothing interesting going on in this horrific (pun intended) adaptation of a Stehen King novella. I can only imagine it is King's difficulty making condo payments that has led to this debacle.

The series is comically bad. Everyone in it is a stereotypical bigoted version of an everyday American. You are left desperately looking for at least one redeeming character. Even the 'rape' victim is a whiny self-absorbed brat that keeps finding herself alone with her love interest, yep you guessed it, the supposed rapist.

But we can forgive her for following him around can't we, he does prove to her he didn't do it, by touching her hand, then showing he can walk away. Good grief. I'm thinking we are gonna find out later he is secretly gay. It is the only way to redeem a All Star Jock-type these days.

The 'Reverend', every King story has one, is strangely defensive when it comes to 'his God', so much so he is threatened by a crazy lady that believes a spider she found in the church is God.

A coward bully cop who's son is???, you guessed it, the accused rapist, and guess who he is stuck in the same church with???, you guess it again, (if you didn't your just not paying attention) the dad of alleged victim. Awkward!!!. Let's talk about dad.

I think he will be the hero in the end, why, because he wrote a children's book. And if there is one thing I know about King stories is the writers that find themselves in it, are always smart intellectual-republican-hating types, that are always heroes, and they are also always white men. Just saying...

Back to "The Mist" (say it spooky) and you find that scarier than this pond-scum of a series.

Alyssa Sutherland, no relation, she's just a huge fan of 24, seriously, look it up. Is playing her most unlikable character to date, and I am including Vikings, where her murder was cheered the world over. She is a cheating-whore (their words, not mine, the rest are though) a murderer, a bully, and self-absorbed. She is also the mother of the supposed rape victim.

Sutherlands character is a know-it-all that does not like following other people's rules and this leads to the death of a child. Mommies need their wine breaks. But that's okay, they will blame that on another 'teenager' that they will send to his death, because now of course, we must follow the rules.

Which rule, 'Bust a deal, face the wheel', sorry wrong movie, I digress, 'make us unsafe and out side you must go' even if opening the door is the action we are accusing you of doing that led to the death we are blaming YOU for. I know, it's tough to follow the logic.

Even the gay kid is becoming irredeemable as we are now finding out, he is a liar about the whole, "I saw him rape her" scenario. I'm gong to predict, the football-jock-star-quarterback rapist he accused, is a secrete lover of his. If I am wrong, please forgive me I'm only three shows in. But I do know my King.

I short, I am rooting for the Mist here. So I will say a prayer to the Mother-Earth Spider-God, Please give the Mist the strength to KILL THEM ALL!!! In the name of your only begotten son, Stephen King.

It's not bad, kind of interesting

[mladen1987 · 7/10 · 8 July 2017]

I don't understand why people are bashing on this TV Show that much while there are plenty of awful shows out there with good ratings at the same time. In general The Mist is not a great show, but not that bad either, its rating here is misleading. The show is OK, kind of interesting. It has good moments and also the typical slow drama time killing stuff that every show these days has. It's concept is interesting, the characters are OK, the story line is not bad either. Whoever want to watch it feel free to do so, don't pay attention to the rating.

Exquisitely simple-minded and insipid.

[GirlwithFlowersandBooks · 3/10 · 23 June 2017]

The pilot is an emotional roller-coaster. At first you are amused with how bad the writing is, but then you get angry at how bad the writing is. And then it's funny again because you realize it must be a parody. In case the title was not self-evident, this show is about a mist. The mist is coming and it will kill you with the most absurd amalgam of bad acting, bad writing and a tasteless soup of sociopolitical stereotypes. However, I was slightly entertained at how stupid it all was. So I give it a 3.

Better than reviews indicate

[slhma-86182 · 7/10 · 24 June 2017]

The Mist series started out bad. By the end of the first episode I was sorely disappointed.It seemed like it was playing out like a lifetime movie after school special.But lets skip ahead.The second episode kicked a** and now im hooked.I thought the drama between the characters would ruin the "horror" aspect of the series.I didn't like the changes from the movie/book.However did I see a cameo by the religious fanatic lady in episode 2? Not the mother with her son who was a nasty bitch but another older lady who made a funny face when the main character mom tells off the bitch.I cant recall names of characters so im referring to them as main character mom and nasty bitch mom ,etc.

By the end of the second episode i was beginning to see the potential this series has.My favorite character is the black military man who befriends the drug addict lady.She is my second favorite character.

Mysteries abound,there is just enough gore to keep me thrilled and i can only see this getting better IF the producers and directors don't insult our intelligence with a super low budget and lame overdone drama.

The woman who lost her husband is another favorite of mine.The end of episode two when they drink wine in the church to her husbands memory...nicely done....

So im happy to discover this series does not have to be boring or horrible.It is capable of being engaging,suspenseful and if you have half a conscience..you will like the characters.

Sub-Plotting Away The Potential

[Pigeon_down · 5/10 · 5 February 2018]

Shows like The Mist and The Walking Dead are based on a very simple premise of threat (usually super/bio/natural) and the need for survival as a group in challenging circumstances. These shows can pull in good audiences, but it is impressive how frequently this simple premise cannot be executed boldly and instead runs off into a series of sub-plots that detract from the core premise until the core premise is lost. The Mist suffers this fate.

First, the premise is sound enough. The simplicity of the idea is its great attraction. The problem with this show is, like TWD the premise becomes secondary to the sub-plots and poor character decisions that then consume the show.

So, Stephen King penned 'The Mist' - it's an alternate take on 'The Fog' just taking the concept in a different direction. In this envisioning the Mist descends on a small town in the US cutting of communication and isolating the town. Within the realms of this genre, this is a suitable plot that comes with full license for the associated suspension of disbelief.

We have a good set. The weakness then is the lack of courage to execute on the core premise, instead drifting into the sub plots of the various irrational characters. If this show had been given the benefit of stronger oversight of the storyline this might not have led to the shows demise and could with the right writing have seen additional seasons tagged on.

When a writer must fall back on the stupidity of characters to carry the story then you know the series is in trouble. Even B movies fans like intelligent characters in B movies.

The Mist is a missed opportunity - a show that should have had a stronger tighter focus on the core plot. Less silly character sub plots. A clearer definition of what it was and a willingness to stay true to that.

I believe there is still very much a market for this type of a show - if only writers of sufficient quality could be found to build the episodes that build ON the core premise, not away from it.

Not so bad as the crowd says...

[Reefs72 · 7/10 · 25 June 2017]

This is my first review (if you could call it a review) on IMDb and it was triggered as I wanted to defend this TV-show. I have not read the book, but I love the movie from 2007.

Most reviews are negative, complaining about the acting, dialogues, effects, the characters etc. - and yes, it has it's flaws, but so does almost everything produced on TV. I like this show and I believe that it has potential to grow into something really good. The thing that I really like is that the writers of the show are building up the tension by not throwing us "jump-scares" every five minutes, but instead we have a nice mystery-building around the strange mist that have seized the town and the characters in it. And they are doing this in a way that keeps me interested and makes me wonder whats really out there? Who or what is behind this mist? Is it supernatural or is it human-made?

I have now seen three episodes, and I'm looking forward to the fourth one. The show have mostly been focusing on character building so far and I like that is reflects some of the heterogeneity a society is built up on. Most of the actors do a good job in their roles, especially since some of them are fairly new to the acting or have not had any major roles before. The dialogues works for me, nothing to complain over and it follows a nice flow so far. The special effects or make-up I have seen so far is good, especially the "death-moth scene" in episode three.

I'm giving this show a seven in grade so far, but I hope that it will get higher with the future episodes.

One long campfire scene

[mickr7an · 1/10 · 23 June 2017]

I am very disappointed with this as I was looking forward to it being a big fan of the movie, but not having read the novel. I have only watched the first three episodes so my review is limited to those shows. Very much like the movie the mist moves in and various characters get trapped in a variety of places with other characters supposedly creating tension. But there is none. Characters do stupid infuriating things. But unlike the movie there is almost nothing happening outside in the mist and what does happen is not very interesting. It's about 90% characters sitting around talking about their feelings. I know this will allow them to drag it out from a movie to a ten episode TV show and keep the budget low but it's quite tedious as the characters are not that strong. Maybe it will pick up but so far it's very boring.

I really enjoyed this

[mrcnicholls · 8/10 · 26 August 2017]

The reviews were so bad that I expected to watch about ten minutes and then go to something else. But no. The pace is certainly slow but I enjoyed the exploration of the premise - weakish though it is (exactly how or why the mist does get in here but not in here, etc, is just not worth worrying about - we have to suspend our disbelief and not get all logical about it).

If you just want blood and amusing horror stuff, this will bore you, but it's off-kilter and unnerving from the beginning and that oddness, in the context of some quite thoughtful character development, is fascinating. All the characters are flawed and their weaknesses contribute to the downhill-slide of a whole community which is really quite awesome. There are few (perhaps no) grains of comfort here: nothing and nobody can be relied upon and moral compasses spin wildly out of control throughout.

As a timely discussion of the paper-thinness of society's understanding of what it means to be civilized, this unpolished gem worked well - for me, at any rate.

It's what you'd expect

[ben-1590 · 6/10 · 10 July 2017]

There's nothing highbrow about this and it doesn't follow the original story. Three episodes in and it looks like a standard 'pick off a couple of secondary characters a week'. That's not to say it's bad, it's just not all that good.

The special effects are sparse, the acting is meh, and it seems to be going for a more...magical cause and effect. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I long for the rational explanations of the original book/movie. Physics and laws of nature don't necessarily apply anymore.

The worst part is Spike TV by far. If you thought you noticed a few more commercials, you're not wrong. Spike TV has the longest commercial breaks in TV and it really bogs down the pace.

Overall it's alright. I kind of wish we had more cheap and disposable limited series like this. You don't need to get too invested and it's entertainment that doesn't tax your brain much.

Terrible

[mat-fletcher · 3/10 · 23 June 2017]

I really love the movie and the short story. What a back story there is to explore, not to mention the horror of what we know is in the mist.

When I heard that a TV show was being made I got excited, they could not go wrong, the work had be done by the movie to set it up to be scary, exciting adventure and I really want to know more about Arrowhead.

What i just watched had absolutely nothing in common with the book or movie, it was a terrible...and I do mean terrible, production with poor acting, poor script, unlovable and uninteresting characters and they spent most of the first episode ticking boxes. Weird, make up wearing teenage boy who is gay / not gay, football jocks, rape, sex education gone wrong, racism etc...

Those things have a place but it's not in a show about monsters in the mist.

I don't know if i can go through another episode, I probably will, it cant be any worse than the pilot.

I am annoyed about this, this failure of a show could prevent anyone else from trying to continue the Mist story in the future.

Can the mist please kill all these guys?

[petra_ste · 5/10 · 25 October 2018]

I love Frank Darabont's The Mist (so some SPOILERS for it as well), one of the best horror movies of the last decades, with its simple, effective premise and great build-up of tension.

This show, a new adaptation which takes only the general scenario from King's short novel, jettisons its best, most iconic element - i.e. the actual monsters hiding in the titular mist - to focus on fake identities, shrill religious maniacs and people turning into murderous psychos within a couple of days.

As of the first season finale, it's never clear what the mist is or does. In the 2007 movie it's implied to come from another dimension, but what matters is that dangerous creatures lurk within it. Here, the mist acts like a sentient supernatural entity, alternatively killing characters within a few seconds, ignoring them, choking them, turning them crazy, mutating them, summoning cloaked figures, carnivorous bugs or dead people.

Now, in the horror genre SOME mystery is a good thing, but here the rules concerning the main threat are so vague, the whole thing reeks of desperate writers who don't know what they are doing. I wouldn't have been a bit surprised if some character had walked into the mist only to be attacked by either Count Dracula or a Velociraptor. It's like a horror bargain bin.

Much like in the last years of The Walking Dead, as the season goes on the supernatural threat becomes second fiddle to human conflict; unfortunately, in spite of the focus on personal drama, the characters don't quite work.

This is supposed to be an ensemble show, with several groups of people trapped in different locations and striving to survive, but nearly all of them range from unpleasant to loathsome and do things which are not only despicable but completely unbelievable, like murdering another survivor because she wants to stay behind with a wounded companion. If you thought Marcia Gay Harden's character was over-the-top in the movie, you ain't seen nothing yet.

It's garden-variety nihilism of the "See, people are really awful!" kind. Yeah, (some) people are awful, especially when the chips are down, but even their actions, however amoral, generally make some amount of sense.

Pity, because there are some moments of tension and decent performances; in particular, the protagonist and the guy playing the sheriff were quite good, but the latter undergoes such absurd developments, it becomes hard to take him seriously.

5/10