The Midnight Club [Netflix]

The Black Oil

Another novel adaptation from Mike Flanagan's hand.

See you on October 7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBhyUxRzANY&ab_channel=Netflix

Slydice

I don't know Mike Flanagan's hand so that feels extra teasery.

pixelburp

Mike Flanagan?

I'm 100% in.

Funny how the trailer doesn't name-drop Midnight Mass; I guess marketing decided that one was too "controversial" that it might harm the promotion.

Drumpot

Enjoyed Hill house but Midnight mass was one of my favourite shows of the last few years. Interested to see what Flanagan cooks up next.

pixelburp

New trailer for this; certainly looks more YA focused than Flanagan's other works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3cCROeOQLQ

pixelburp

Another trailer appeared, guess they're starting to ramp up to next Friday's release.

https://youtu.be/X2BEI88HpFM

cdgalwegian

Supernatural horrors were never of interest to me, but I've noticed over recent years they've become more psychologically nuanced, Flanagan's directorial sensibilities a case in point with the superb 'Midnight Mass'. Flanagan only directing the first two here, but with his fingerprints all over this, a definite 'must watch'.

gmisk

First episode was a very solid start, good introduction, moving things along nicely, it really looks the part.

The lead is really good not seen her in anything before. Nice to see some Mike Flanagan regulars in the cast.

pixelburp

Caught the first episode. Decent, though the presence of the teen cast gives it a much different energy from the other Flanagan Netflix projects. There's a flippancy that the other shows simply didn't have. The horror was mostly of the jump scare variety, which I'm not immediately down for - and the lampshading of this by a character doesn't absolve their use either.

cdgalwegian

With such high Flanagan-based expectations (which for those psychologically minded should be a no-no, i know), first episode was a huge let-down, even if YA(wn) context is factored out. But this being the set-up, a lot of slack needed to be given. The second episode was much better, spoiled mainly by the Irish actress who made the whole thing feel like a preachy play.

The conceit is of stories being the pulling together of an anthology of morality plays, with the added one of a background story which we are being drip-fed. A lot of the dialogue is clever, and the background story is starting to become intriguing, so hopefully the interest impetus is enough to carry it on, but at this stage I'm doubtful.

archfi

I'm sorry to say this was pretty awful after first four episodes.

cdgalwegian

With Scamacca not being as clinical as he is touted to be in front of goal, we're awfully lucky to be level. Fabianski's boo-boo was allowed by Zouma's standing off to allow the goal; Kehrer doing his now trademark launching himself at defenders' feet, the Bowen peno which we were really lucky to get (all credit to Dawson for drawing in stupid repeat offending defense).

Hammers threat increasing as game has gone on in fairness though.

cdgalwegian

oops, wrong thread

The Black Oil

@cdgalwegian, have you gotten lost on the way to Soccer?

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119721503#Comment_119721503

Come on the Hammers! 😜

pixelburp

A bit of a narrow, hyper-specific record to break, but episode one has the most number of jump scares for a single episode of television. Explains a lot - there was a point where I kinda went WTF? Is this show taking the píss?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99P-wlF24WY

Gunner5

Really didn't like this. Felt so contrived and stop start.

readyletsgo

Really enjoy Mike Flanagan work over the years, but this, just didn't really work for me.

Mainly the Irish wan, she was a total head melt in all scenes, way too narky in every scene that it gets exhausting, but I get it, shes dying.

Watched it all, and the last two episodes I was mostly not payment attention. I did enjoy some of their stories though.

Although I will say, Samantha Sloyan was brilliant, such a different character from Midnight Mass, very well cast there.

The Black Oil

Flanagan is a busy guy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_of_the_House_of_Usher_(miniseries)

gmisk

Only watched the first three episodes. I am enjoying it, third episode was the strongest. Some genuinely decent scares.

The lead girl is really good.

It definitely skews a bit younger than Flanagans other stuff.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119721623#Comment_119721623

Actually your contribution to the thread summed up this show nicely.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119726269#Comment_119726269

Not a single one of those 'jump scares' were scary

I watched it with my wife who is usually extremely squeamish with jump scares and she wasn't the tiniest bit scared

Akrasia

I watched this whole thing. It was awful. Rubbish turgid nonsense.

Dawson's creek with pretend ghosts that don't go anywhere. Are you afraid of the dark except at least they're self contained 30 Min vignettes that don't make you waste 10 hours to get to the worst most irritating and pointless ending ever, which is 50% exposition and 70% empty dialogue hammering home the same old message repeatedly until the SD card in the camera ran out of space.

The vignettes were written for children so they didn't need to be in any way original or interesting, and the absolutely worst thing about this stupid show is that it didn't end. It's a fuckin show about endings, and the ending was a stupid cliffhanger of the laziest possible kind.

So sloppy and lazy and unsatisfying. There won't be a second series because the first was terrible and nobody will have watched it, so I wasted 10 hours without them even attempting to give me a reward for struggling through the bilge pumped final 3 episodes.

1 star because I'm in a good mood

Gunner5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119732866#Comment_119732866

Absolutely agree

pixelburp

Hmmmm: only watched Episode 2 last night and I've quickly cooled on both the format and execution. The partial anthological structure didn't interest me from the outset, with the specific story very mediocre and not exactly selling me on further episodes listening to half-baked "spooky" stories. The characters are only OK and not especially interesting or have got their hooks into me.

But the Irish girl was an especially a big blocker to enjoyment: even if other characters called her out on her attitude, as the audience I've found the whole Fúck You and Your Feelings energy incredibly hard to swallow. It was way, way too much, and the actor cranking it all up to 11, the whole time not working for me.

FortuneChip

Just finished this tonight.

Really poor. Kept hoping for something interesting, and before I knew it, I'd gone too far to not close it out. Shame Flanagan didn't.

A bunch of narcissists telling "interesting" stories that are not-so-subtly self-reflections.

There was one line in the last episode where Natsuki says "I have to tell you my story" Why?

Whole show felt pointless.

I should have just watched Midnight Mass again...

cdgalwegian

After 2 episodes, I was hoping the background story might have gathered intrigue with a clever resolution, but obviously not. As a Dragon's Den investor might say "I'm out".

Homelander

Surprised people found this poor. It's certainly no Midnight Mass but I really enjoyed it and found it compelling throughout, though I was disappointed to discover it ends on a cliffhanger.

Good characters, good performances, strong dialogue, and I enjoyed the interwoven tales from the titular club. Yeah, it's more young adult, but it's no less accessible in my opinion, and certainly not for children.

I binged this and The Watcher in recent days, and I thought Midnight Club was excellent, The Watcher a load of oddly-compelling nonsense.

JP Liz V1

The Midnight Club cancelled at Netflix

pixelburp

Not surprised. Interest seemed to flatline quickly and the YA angle was a huge crutch in the couple of episodes I watched.

Also wonder how much has to do wit. Flanagan and pals heading off to Amazon.