Monsterland

Really good concept... but annoying how you can go from an episode that keeps you thoroughly engaged from start to finish, then the next will bore you to tears.

I thought this series was supposed to be horror but it's not really in my opinion. Each story is unique (mostly) and some are much better than others. My least favorite was the Texas one. That one was a dud. However a couple of them were so interesting. The one that really creeped me out was the one with Taylor Schilling. Her character was interesting, mysterious and ultimately unforgettable. The breakout star was Miss Dever who equally frustrated me but then gained my compassion. She's a young star who is on the rise right now and is one to watch!

The first episode of season one struck me similarly to my seminal reaction to the first X-Files episode. And I was excited with this prospect. Even without Molder and Scully.

However, after watching half of the first season something has become apparent. The performances, production design, cinematography, and general mood are great. The scripts are spotty though. They tend to end abruptly, leaving the conclusions unresolved or "open-ended." And as a viewer I feel that this is a let down, or indicative of lazy writing.

These meandering storylines are allowable for a few, errand episodes within a season, however, it seems to be a series pattern.

None-the-less, I'll continue watching because there are some satisfying pay-offs within this series. You just have to wade through the murk.

A ton of these reviews lament the script writing, however, few actually seem to realize it is adaptation of a short story anthology, North American Lake Monsters y by Nathan Ballingrud. I have not read the anthology which seems to be much more favorably reviewed. The show was good just poorly marketed. The previews and and retitling definitely do not fit the show. It also seems the source material may have alluded to more actual monsters where the stories selected here were mostly metaphorical.

"Hulu's", "Monsterland" series is one strange, different, and interesting far out anthology which includes tales and stories set in different locations, yet it involves ordinary folks and their grim daily problems of life. Some episodes were strange and hit and miss other episodes were well written with twist and good as they took a spin for truth and revenge. The stories also blend into the characters lives as they crossed paths with evil killers, supernatural forces, ghosts, haunted demons, cursed legends, religion, angels, and gothic fable cursed characters like evil witches and wolves. Overall the series may not be everyone's cup of tea still it's a watch if you like suspense, drama, and twist and how it relates to ordinary people in real life as it shows the connection to the paranormal and strange!