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From Season 1 Review

From is a science fiction horror mystery series that premiered its first season on HBO Max in 2022. It’s a very interesting show and the first season is very promising.

The series is set in a nightmarish town in the United States that traps those who enter. The unwilling residents strive to remain alive while plagued by terrifying nocturnal creatures from the surrounding forest as they search for secrets hidden within the town and beyond in the hope of finding a way out. Made by the creator of Lost, it has that similar mysterious vibe to that famous show that I have yet to watch. Needless to say, this series is not for everyone as it’s only for those of us who are patient and who can stand numerous episodes where the plot progresses in small details and tidbits.

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This is the type of premise that sounds very familiar, but in actuality there hasn’t been a show quite like this one before. It’s a great watch if you want to follow an intriguing mystery and a cast of likable characters for whom you root for. The setting was brought to life so well. The technical aspects are only solid, especially in this era of cinematic and advanced television, but the cinematography, score and production design all are perfectly fine. The eerie and mysterious tone is the highlight for me and that is what’s bringing me back every time.

This type of character-driven series lives or dies by its characters, so thankfully this roster is quite good. The acting is consistently strong even if none of these performers are really A-listers. The standout is clearly Harold Perrineau. His performance is fantastic and his character is very sympathetic and complex. I liked his backstory and his care for the townspeople is evident.

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Tabitha, Jim, Jules and Ethan constitute this family who are newcomers to this haunted town. I really liked all of them expect for Jim. His overprotective attitude is quite annoying to watch. Ethan is such an adorable kid, however, and all of his scenes are quite wholesome. Father Khatri is a very interesting character with a strong backstory, so it’s a shame that they killed him off so early in the game.

There are lesbian characters here and characters of different ethnicities, but all of them are incorporated well without any frustrating agenda. I have to say that I really like Donna as this tough older woman who is the protector of the town. Most of these characters are archetypes, but were well developed so they worked. My favorite has to be Jade, who is this overly cocky and charismatic guy that is always trying to solve this mystery and insult others. He’s a lot of fun.

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I wouldn’t call From science fiction, at least not so far. It’s a full mystery first and foremost and that is the genre where it operates best. The horror elements are certainly there, but aren’t all that effective. The creatures are creepy, but hardly horrifying. Most of the deaths felt unnecessary. As for the mystery, I am digging it so far. I liked the root tree, the creepy radio signal toward the end, that older guy who is trying to solve everything etc. The mythology established here was quite strong even though of course the pacing is very sluggish and in some episodes the progression is pretty much non-existent. But this was done to develop the characters more, which the show did successfully. The dialogue is also pretty solid.