Why "From" Is One of The Best (and Most Underrated) Horror Series On TV Right Now!

Horror-genre television shows usually get a bad rap. Excluding zombie shows, the only truly worthwhile and entertaining show in this category is “American Horror Story” with 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s been difficult for directors and writers to successfully create a horror series that is actually scary, hasn’t been done to death, and keeps audiences entertained for multiple seasons. Overcoming all of these odds, "From" is an underdog series that has ranked higher than most of its competitors.

MGM+’s “From” has everything horror fans are looking for. The only true issue we have with the show is suffering while waiting each week for a new episode! Each one tends to end on a cliffhanger that keeps you enthralled in the series. The mix of horror and mystery truly makes it one of the best series on television right now. The Season 2 finale just came out, and fans are eagerly awaiting Season 3, which was just announced. Even so, we seem to still be far away from any type of true conclusion.

While we wait for Season three, let's do a full breakdown of the series to date!

1. Storyline

The plot of "From" is horrifying within itself. People who enter the cursed town all see the same thing before they get trapped. Trying to drive away from the town somehow just places you right back in it. But worst of all, after nightfall, murderous, smiling monsters that resemble humans roam the streets killing anyone left outside. The only thing that protects the townspeople are talismans that must be hung on the inside of the entrance. 

Season 1 left us at a confusing place, and if you haven’t had the chance to watch it yet, I won't give any real spoilers. The season finale was all over the place which caused a sense of heightened anxiety. However, we were no closer to finding out any of the town’s secrets and there still seems to be no way out, which keeps the mystery alive for the the next season.

So far, we don’t seem to be too much closer to answers. Actually, there seems to be a lot more questions than answers. We have been given more potential theories about the town, and each of them seem to be somewhat viable. Nothing has been ruled out, and the monsters that come out at night now don’t seem as scary as the invisible entity that is attacking people as they slumber...

The storyline of the show is ongoing and difficult to really pin down, but we think that’s what makes it interesting. The only downside of the storyline is its confusing aspects, but we are hoping to see some things get cleared up in the upcoming season. In relation to horror, the storyline is psychologically terrifying. The idea of being trapped in a mysterious and deadly town as things slowly get worse day by day isn’t what we would call a fun vacation. The entities that roam the town are physically terrifying to see as well. The combination of physical and psychological terror in the storyline is extraordinary and is what makes this show so successful.

Review: 4/5

2. Cast/Characters

There are no A-list celebrities in the cast of “From” (though there are some familiar faces, like Harold Perrineau from "Lost", Oscar nominee Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Eion Bailey from "Once Upon a Time". All the actors in the show aren’t super well known, which we think works very well to keep the audience immersed in the experience. The cast and characters are diverse and thrown together, which helps with the plot that people are chosen at random to get stuck there.

The focus at the beginning of the series was the Matthews family, who got trapped in the town in the first episode. Tabitha and Jim were traveling with their two children, Ethan and Julie, in an RV that ended up getting flipped upside down when it collided with another car. Being newcomers to the town, fans of the show were able to understand the conditions of the town from the family’s experience on their first nights.

Throughout Season 1 and 2, the focus shifted from the Matthews family to all the other residents of the town and their own experiences. Boyd Stevens, a veteran who was appointed sheriff of the town, slowly became the main protagonist as we learned more about his backstory and duties. He is responsible for fixing most of the turmoil within the town.

Donna Raines is also a main protagonist in the town. She is the leader of those who live within Colony House and works alongside Boyd to maintain peace in the town. Other main characters include Victor, who has been trapped within the town since he was a little boy and whose mental growth has been stunted. He is responsible for giving a lot of insights into the town since he has been stuck there the longest.

Kenny Liu acts as Boyd’s deputy, and his mother runs the diner and provides most of the town's food resources. And, perhaps most important, is Kristi Miller, a former paramedic that serves as the town's only doctor. And last but not least is Sara Myers, whose hallucinations have caused her to commit murders amongst the townspeople and is an important yet controversial character.

There are over 20 recurring main characters that reside within the town. Each have their own backstories and plays a vital role in the series. The addition of a wide array of main characters give “From” a lot to work with in its ongoing plot.

Review: 5/5

3. Setting

The setting of “From” adds to its eeriness. The show takes place in a typical small town in middle America. It’s more of a rural area with wide open fields and dense wooded areas. In the middle is a township of small homes that are relatively close together. Further away atop a hill is a giant mansion that acts as "Colony House".

The two main locations for residents are Colony House and those who live within the homes in the township. Those who reside in Colony House live in a communal space and share most of their belongings. There are rooms inside for those with partners, while others share couches or floorspace. Resources like food, clothing, and drinks are shared, and each resident has a vital role in sustaining the colony.

Those who choose to reside in the houses in the town live as most of us do in our daily lives. They eat at the diner for meals and return to their homes by dark. Most of the people who live in the houses in town are families or couples. Livestock that just "shows up" live in a fenced farm near the township.

Later in the episodes, viewers find out that there's more outside of the small town than previously realized. Further out in the forest, there are trees that are covered in giant cobwebs, a weird tree that has dozens of bottles tied to its branches, an underground cave-like tunnel system with weird symbols on the walls, a field full of hundreds of old cars, holes in trees that transport you to odd places, a dungeon in the middle of woods, and a far-out lighthouse tower.

The setting of “From” certainly adds a familiar feeling that most viewers see as a "normal"-looking town, which gives it that creepy atmosphere that horror movies often give. Creepy symbols and abandoned areas combined with the densely-wooded areas that surround the town, add a closed-in feeling that mimics the idea that the townspeople are stuck with no way out.

Review: 5/5

Stream Seasons 1 and 2 of "From" on MGM+!