Bobby_Bowman

A Slow Descent into Narrative Oblivion: A Review of From

The first season of From teased an evocative, tightly woven horror mystery, placing viewers in a world where dread was not just implied but vividly realized. The sinister creatures that prowled the night served as the fulcrum of the show's terror, evoking a primal fear of the unknown. While the execution was not without flaws-an uneven pacing and some superficial character work-it managed to maintain an atmosphere that was palpably tense, engaging, and occasionally frightening, as a horror show ought to be. However, as the series progressed, it appears the creative team became entranced by its own sense of mystery to the detriment of its storytelling, resulting in a sharp and disappointing decline.

The horror elements that once defined the series have been relegated to the periphery, replaced by an incessant preoccupation with aimless dialogue. Instead of building suspense or deepening the mythology, the show devolves into scene after scene of characters exchanging repetitive, uninsightful conversations. Rarely do these interactions move the plot forward, provide meaningful character development, or reveal new facets of the story's world. The monsters, once the menacing cornerstone of the show, have been stripped of their terror, reduced to background ornaments in a narrative that seems to have lost interest in them.

Perhaps the most egregious flaw is the show's inability to breathe life into its characters. By now, audiences should feel an intimate connection to the individuals whose lives are at stake in this enigmatic nightmare. Instead, they remain flat, hollow archetypes, devoid of complexity or nuance. Motivations are left underexplored, relationships are shallow, and backstories remain frustratingly opaque. The result is a cast that feels incidental to the plot, as if they are merely vehicles to deliver the endless stream of dialogue.

The pacing, too, has become a glaring issue. What once promised a steady buildup of tension has turned into a plodding series of inconsequential events. The narrative inertia is so pronounced that the show often feels less like a horror thriller and more like a poorly written soap opera, albeit one with a respectable budget. The production values-while competent-cannot mask the lack of creative vision.

One cannot help but wonder if From suffers from the malady that afflicts many serialized mystery-driven shows: an initial spark of inspiration without a clear plan for sustaining it. The once-promising premise now feels like a student project stretched far beyond its capacity to deliver, betraying its own potential.

From serves as a cautionary tale of squandered promise. The show began as an imperfect but intriguing exploration of terror and survival, only to devolve into a meandering exercise in narrative stasis. What could have been a thrilling and memorable entry into the horror genre now risks being forgotten, remembered only as a series that, much like its characters, found itself lost with no way out.

First of all. I read here so often people comparing this abomination of a show to the great LOST. You can hate the ending of LOST, you can not be too much of a fan of some development of it, but comparing it to it is just not right. LOST is a masterpiece of a show. It is one of the best shows that ever hit the screen. Dislike what you want but don't tell me this backstories and flashbacks over seasons weren't captioning. Jack as a surgeon longing for the love of his dad. Sawyer who took the name of the murder of his mother etc. Kate. Sayid. Desmond.. Charlie ... that show was incredible.

Now this is just terrible. Episode 9 of 10. I skipped through it. Mostly it's just scene after scene after scene where two or three people stand somewhere and talk boring stuff about their annoying problems. Th balance is totally lost. It's really like a show with Asperger's or something. To point it almost makes me angry to still give it a chance every week. Worst writing. Bad acting and no plot. Nothing happens. No plan of doing f anything g really. Just people being sad or mad for no reason. I hope it gets canceled honestly. Sorry for the actors. Please give it the coup de grace. It has lost its flow in season 1.

What am I watching at this point ? They stuff so much nonsensical and uninteresting stuff in there and completely abandon what was interesting in the beginning of that show. Fatima stabs someone. Drama. Old yelling woman comes in and then blah blah. Cut, next couple of people going blah blah. 95% of that show is an insult to my brain. I feel like we won't see a fourth season and it's probably for the better. Sad it is. Season one was already far from greatness but it delivered on the horror and was really scary at times. None of that is left. Only the same all the time. Nonsensical conflicts and pointless dialogues. I am tired of this. They brought some new characters in. What have we learned about them ? Absolutely nothing.