MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes watches many series, but a horror series brings him back to old patterns: He constantly reads new theories.
Which series is it? In From, it’s about a mysterious small town that you cannot leave once you arrive. This is also experienced by the Matthews family, who arrive there during a trip. The much bigger problem appears at night: monsters that look like humans.
You are only protected from them if you are in a house with a talisman. Boyd is responsible for maintaining order in this small town, who, like many others, tries to escape from it.
The series is currently in its 4th season on Paramount Plus, but you can also watch the first two seasons on Prime Video with a subscription.
The premise alone sparked my interest, even though when it comes to the horror genre, I usually prefer movies. The series is so exciting that I have taken up a habit from my teenage years again.
Mystery, Horror and a Good Portion of Hopelessness
Although the monsters in From initially pose the greatest threat, throughout the previous 3 seasons (season 4 is currently running), other threats and secrets unfold. So far, From hasn’t placed much value on answering burning questions and constantly creates more mysteries and absurd situations, making me wonder every week what I am actually watching.
The most exciting (or scariest) thing about From is the hopelessness. Every time the residents get even a glimmer of feeling they have gained something, the town crushes that hope.
The series also stages this quite well, with effective flashbacks, dream sequences, and a good sense for creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. The actors also play a strong role. Even if some actors don’t completely convince me, I am a big fan of Catalina Sandino Moreno (Tabitha), David Alpay (Jade), Scott McCord (Victor), and especially Harold Perrineau as Boyd (seen on the title image).
As the leader of the town, he constantly tries to keep the residents from losing hope. With each season, you can see how he breaks more and more, and he plays that (especially thanks to his facial expressions) quite well.
What surprised me while watching were the costume design and special effects. They usually look quite good, and there are moments with the monsters that really take your breath away.
Another aspect that lets me enjoy the series a lot are the many theories because after every episode, I feel like my teenage self.
There is a Theory for Everything
This is the perfect breeding ground for all kinds of theories, and after each episode, I go straight to Reddit or TikTok to read every absurd theory. This has a nice effect, as you engage with different things.
Without wanting to spoil too much, I have already learned something about fairies and folklore or about the short story The King in Yellow by author Robert W. Chambers, who published a work in 1895, before the works of H.P. Lovecraft, that can definitely be classified as Cosmic Horror. Not all theories are so well developed, but I enjoy even the absolutely crazy ones – I mean, you never know what the series will do.
This reminds me of my teenage years, when I devoured countless videos and Reddit posts about animes like Dragon Ball Super or One Piece. Usually, it turned out quite different than expected by parts of the community, but there was still a positive effect.
I am not someone who writes a lot on Reddit or in comment sections, but thanks to these videos and posts, I still felt like a part of these communities because they grow and thrive through theories, even if nothing exciting happens.
Theories can also have a downside: If the actual series has disappointing explanations, you might become even more frustrated. And to be completely honest: I don’t believe that From can reach a satisfying ending in just 5 seasons (the 5th is supposed to be the last), but somehow I don’t care, because I still enjoy it. You can also find a strong horror tip in theaters: A little horror film teaches me to be scared in theaters again, belongs to the scariest things I’ve ever seen

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