Hot of the feels of the release of their hit series “Chapelwaite,” which landed on our “Top 10 Shows of 2021” list, Epix is gearing up to release their new horror series “From,” which has now earned its spot on our list for 2022.
The synopsis goes like this: “FROM unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest; including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down.”
As I sat down to watch the first three episodes, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the cast list was enough to let me know it was worth checking out. Harold Perrineau and Eion Bailey lead the cast that also includes Catalina Sandino Moreno (The Affair), Hannah Cheramy, Simon Webster, Ricky He (The Good Doctor), Chloe Van Landschoot, Shaun Majumder, Corteon Moore (Utopia Falls), Pegah Ghafoori, David Alpay (Castle Rock), Elizabeth Saunders (Clarice), Elizabeth Moy, and Avery Konrad.
Harold Perrineau (interview) plays the role of the town Sherrif who is struggling with everyday life, being a father, and coping with the responsibility he has to protect the town. He gives a wonderful, believable, intensely emotional performance. He absolutely nails it!
Eion Bailey (interview) stars as Jim, a father whose family has just become trapped in the town and does a great job as his character tries to settle into the community while trying to save his marriage. When it comes to Jim, I was left with the impression that he’s a bit lost and it’s almost like he wants to be there where he and his family are forced to work together to survive.
The entire cast does fantastically as their characters fight to live a somewhat normal life while fearing for not only their safety but the safety of those around them.
While there are monsters, “From” is as much about the struggles of families and individuals as they cope with being stuck and their fears, managing relationships, and their emotional struggles. There are characters you’ll cheer for, characters you’ll hate, and characters that will break your heart.
The extremely well-timed story will grab you and suck you in, leaving you wishing you could binge watch it. But, the fact that you have to wait for each episode just makes you crave it more. “From” has a fresh story that we haven’t seen hundreds of times (thank God). It’s gripping and leaves you on the edge of your seat, worried for your favorite characters and trying to figure out the mysteries that surround them in that strange place.
“From” is 90% horror and 10% psychological thriller, but horror fans will be pleased. This series has everything horror fans want, blood, gore, fright, action, intensity, and twists and turns. Speaking of blood and gore, there’s a ton of it and it’s up front and center. Bodies are ripped open and gutted, walls are drenched in blood and there are eerie monsters who look human, but aren’t. The special effects team did a fantastic job of making it all look very real. One of the creepiest things about the monsters is that at first, they look human. These monsters don’t run, they walk, which they have in common with classic horror characters like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Harold Perrineau said it best during our interview, “They just walk because you know why? You’ve got nowhere to go. That’s scary.”
My verdict? “From” is a fantastic, dark series that is a pleasure to watch. A great story, great characters, and cast, emotional and intense performances, great cinematography, and out-of-this-world special effects, what more could you want? “From” will make its premiere on Epix on February 20, 2022. I highly recommend it, but I will advise you to make sure your little ones are far from the TV, we wouldn’t want them scarred for life, now do we?
