Where to watch it: Netflix
How strongly I recommend it: 10/10
It was my intention to begin this review by posting a trailer for Midnight Mass above, however I feel that if any series exemplifies and rewards the tennent of going into something cold, without knowing a thing about it, then it is Midnight Mass.
To provide the briefest summary possible, Midnight Mass begins with Riley, a former venture capitalist, who returns to his hometown of Crockett Island after having served four years in prison for killing someone while drink driving. His return to the island coincides with the appearance of a charismatic young priest, Father Paul, who is temporarily replacing the island’s elderly Monsignor Pruitt, who has left the island to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
As word spreads of Father Paul’s rapturous sermons and performances of seemingly genuine miracles, his influence grows, and it sets the residents of Crockett Island on a collision course with the supernatural, and possibly evil, as Father Paul’s motivations and plans for the small community are slowly revealed.
Like the rest of Mike Flanagan’s work, Midnight Mass does not rely on the modern, ‘Blumhouse Productions’ horror conventions of cheap, non-stop jump-scares and a paper-thin story overly reliant on ham-fisted exposition. It instead takes its time, expertly building a tone and an atmosphere laden with dread that is sustained consistently across each episode, masterfully communicating that beneath the veneer of this idyllic little American fishing island, something truly evil is lurking. Everything the characters do and say contributes to moving the story forward, developing them as characters and exploring the show’s themes.
Another amazing feat that Midnight Mass manages to pull off is how it deals with the supernatural horror elements of the story. Unlike what we see in nearly all bad, modern horror media at the moment, the characters of the series always react and deal with the otherworldly in an incredibly believable way. They try to discover the truth, they communicate with each other effectively and, believe it or not, actually make sensible decisions in dangerous situations. Rest assured, you will not be shouting at the screen in frustration at any point.
The best example I can think of that really showcases Flanagan’s genius writing is where the horror of his story actually comes from. Yes, there is a supernatural horror element, and yes it inevitably invites comparison to other classic American, gothic horror, such as the works of Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft.
But to do this would be more than reductive, as the true horror of Midnight Mass comes from the sad realities of the human condition itself, the very things that we all face just by being here on Earth, by being alive in the first place; the fact that, no matter what we do, where we go, whether we are good or bad, rich or poor, you, me and everyone we love are all going to die. What then is it all for? Where do we go for answers, and what if, god forbid, there aren’t any?
One stand-out scene that exemplifies Midnight Mass’s concerns with the above has Riley and his childhood friend Erin sitting on the sofa in Erin’s front room, discussing what happens after we die. The scene is made up of only two, uninterrupted shots, where the camera slowly dollies in on Riley, as he explains the proven, scientific realities of what happens as our bodies shut down and what our brain does as we die and then it does the same with Erin, as she explains her Christian belief of going to Heaven and being reunited with your loved ones.
The masterstroke Flanagan’s writing achieves is that it gives equal weight to both of these, as it does with all mentions of religion. The themes the show presents are not so much a condemnation of religion outright, but rather showing the power of religion, how it can be abused and why we turn to it in the first place.
One of the main reasons I love Midnight Mass so much is for its depth. Like many of the great TV shows of the last 20 years (I’m thinking of The Sopranos and The Wire), Midnight Mass deals with several heavy themes including, but not limited to, faith, the dangers of mob mentality and groupthink, and the often murky realities of morality that can’t always be separated into good and evil, sin and forgiveness.
It also features characters as deep as the ones you’d find in the pages of a great novel. Not only this, but it manages to cram all of this into only 7 perfect episodes. It is safe to say that Midnight Mass is an example of the best a miniseries can be: Not too long, not too short, and essentially functioning as an incredible, perfectly paced, 7-hour film.
To briefly mention the acting, as words can’t really do justice to how good it is, you’ll just need to watch the performances, the standouts for me include the following:
- Zach Gilford as Riley, who brings real humanity and relatability to a character that has done something unforgivable, has lost everything and is struggling to find any form of redemption.
- Kate Siegel as Erin, who has also returned to the island as an adult, pregnant and preparing to face motherhood alone, with only her Christian faith to guide her.
- Rahul Kohli as Sheriff Hassan Shabazz, whose role as not only a lawman, but also a single father and Muslim make for some amazing scenes featuring the discussion of understanding between different religions and the struggle for unity and peace in the community he is tasked with protecting.
- The real show-stealer though is Hamish Linklater as Father Paul Hill, one of the show’s main focuses, who’s captivating performance is one of the main reasons I am recommending Midnight Mass as strongly as I am.
I fear that I have already given too much away, but hopefully this has convinced a few people to go and watch the show, in which case my holy mission is complete. Go forth, my flock, and spread the good word. Without preaching any more to you, I will simply finish by saying just go watch Midnight Mass. Discover its mysteries. Live with its characters. Drink in its world. Be not afraid.
You might also like…
- Redlettermedia have this amazing video on what makes the series so good. It’s (relatively) spoiler-free too, so if you’re still not convinced, go check it out. (Although if I were you, save this until after you watch the show. It makes a really nice post-watch analysis and companion piece.)
- Mike Flanagan’s other work, most of which can be found on Netflix: I can personally recommend the films Hush and his adaptations of the Stephen King novels Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep.