Chapelwaite

On episode 4 (but IMDb won't let me rate it yet for some reason) where it seems the show begins to really pick up. Haven't ever read any Stephen King, and I've liked some of his previous TV adaptations, some not so much. In this one, so far, things have been layered on to the drama/mystery very nicely, creating a very dark cool & creepy atmosphere.

No complains about the acting/dialogue from me at all yet, some people will complain about anything though.

Very very much looking forward to how it proceeds!

After seeing the first 4 episodes, I am happy to report that "Chapelwaite" is one of the most satisfying gothic horror series I have seen in some time.

I was worried about how Emily Hampshire would make the transition from comedy to drama after "Schitt's Creek," but she is truly excellent. From her narration monologues, with just the right amount of breathiness, to her scenes with the impressive Adrian Brody, Hampshire has been a joy to watch. Even her occasionally awkward body language is perfectly suited to her character.

Not just the 2 stars, but the entire cast, are extremely strong. Not a weak link in the bunch.

I especially like the consistent somber, and grim, tone throughout, and the way "Chapelwaite" languishes over these brooding moments to capture the mood. For those who like a ton of gore and a rapid pace, this may not be for you. However, there are enough scary moments to keep you locked in.

I also think that it is a plus that this series tries to be socially conscious, as well. Let's face it, "The Crucible" was an attempt to equate the Salem witch trials to McCarthyism, so it is not out of place to include social commentary in the story-telling. And no, they don't hit you over the head with it, either. Where it comes into play, it makes sense.

Bottom line....this is a fun series for anyone who liked to settle in with a good old-fashioned horror tale. While I read "Salem's Lot," (one of my favorite King works), I had never read the "Jerusalem Lot" short story that this was based upon. So I do not have to spend any of my critique worrying about how it may have deviated from the script. I am just judging it on its own terms.

For anyone who has ever curled up with a good scary, gothic horror tale, punctuated by vampires, specters, and a touch of madness, you are in for a treat.

Only 3 episodes in so will update later.

Huge fan of the original novella and author-and not disappointed in the effort so far. Slow burn into madness is the perfect pace for this Lovecraftian gothic nightmare. I think the house could have been better treated as a character itself-it is a little plain and has no discernible menace. Indeed much of the landscape which is so rich usually in King's books hasn't really been given much graft. But Brody and the rest of the cast have given the characters a wonderful brooding interpretation.

It's best to ignore the review bombs by whinging, bed-wetting incels claiming 'wokeness', being upset by what a character says does not a review make...I have a feeling they haven't read much literature, studied film or studied any actual history beyond reddit and 4chan. If they are to be believed...apparently Hawaii doesn't exist (it does), there were no African Americans in Maine during the 1800s (there were) and women didn't have aspirations, go to college or weren't authors (They did and were. Colleges for women were first established in 1831 in the US . The story is set in 1850). Fairly puerile critiques of a fantasy horror show only 3 episodes in but hey, talent-less losers, unable to create anything themselves gotta be talent-less losers.

There's plenty said already about this series' negative and positive aspects so rather than repeating them for the sake of sharing my own views, I'll simply add that there's barely enough story to cover 6 episodes, let alone 10.

There's large sections of unnecessary dialogue and the pacing is just far too slow. It would be fine if there was enough plot going on but there isn't. I think it was a big mistake to make this story 10 episodes. It really feels as though there was a management decision to make it a 10 parter when there simply wasn't enough story there.

Episode 7 for example contained 20 minutes of completely unnecessary dialogue before anything actually occurred. The rest of the episode was good. It was a chore to sit through at times. It does make one un-invest in the story and characters. Just get on with it. It's all building to a rather predictable confrontation and yet we must wait so long for it.

Personally, I felt that the first two episodes were the best when we didn't quite know what was going on. Once the reality of the story is uncovered it lost much of its intrigue as this has been done many times before, going back to King's original Salem's Lot.

Well made but is visually consistently gloomy to the point of being silly.

Adrien Brody's confident but one note performance was not enough to hinge the series on. There's really no other characters of note to care for unfortunately.

Worth watching and might feel fresh if you haven't seen a lot of films of this type before but its certainly nothing new.

Midnight Mass, which was released at approximately the same time and covered some similar ground and is also slow and wordy in parts, is far more interesting, with less episodes and is better made. Recommend that one over this.

Failing that, check out some classics like Near Dark, Interview with the Vampire, Dracula from 1992 or even Fright Night from the mid 80s, which is a lot of fun. No need to watch 10 episodes when you can watch several films and be hugely entertained.

At least they didn't freaking sparkle.

Finally someone who understands the spirit of the Stephen King books has arrived. I was very happy when I saw the name Adrien Brody as an actor in this project. My impatience increased when I found out that he was the producer. The quality of Adrien Brody shows itself in the first two episodes.