Rating: 9.5 / 10
Midnight Mass is an ensemble drama and supernatural horror, a seven-episode limited series available on Netflix.
You’d be forgiven to mistake Midnight Mass for an excellent adaptation of a Stephen King novel, except that the story is, in fact, an original by Mike Flanagan—the person who also created and directed The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. Both Hauntings are excellent TV shows, but Midnight Mass is something else again. Mike Flanagan has outdone himself and produced a masterpiece.
The story is set in the present day on a fictional island, Crockett Island, an isolated islet where miraculous events start to occur, events which renew the small community’s religious fervour as well as deepen existing personal divides. At the centre of the mystery is Father Paul, a newcomer. There is something strange about the charismatic young priest, something a little off. Will the miracles that happen after his arrival prove to be for the better of the residents of Crockett? Unsurprisingly, the answer is no.
It’s impossible to have a great show without good writing, and Midnight Mass has exceptional writing. Clichés are avoided. Tropes are made the writers’ own. Contrivances are kept to a minimum—only one nips at my brain, a decision made by characters regarding a particular group gathering. I wonder if people would make this choice in real life. That said, motivations were explained well enough for me to forgive the contrivance in the moment. It was the decision I wanted the characters to make, after all. There is another instance where I thought the actions of a character led the way to a too-convenient conclusion, but by the end I understood that said actions were completely in character. The conclusion remains convenient, but there is a kind of ironic genius to how it all plays out.
The plot is clever. I found the mystery to be engaging, and the reveals and resolution to be surprising and horrifying. In a strange way, Midnight Mass is a kind of origin story, in that the essence of the mystery is an emerging concept to the characters in the story, like if they encountered Santa Claus when the notion of Santa Claus didn’t exist in their world.
The characterisation is strong. Crockett Island is stuffed with interesting people. There is the disgraced prodigal son, his forgiving devout mother, his unforgiving fisherman father, his altar boy younger brother, and his childhood sweetheart who’s now a teacher and expectant mother. There is the zealous and polarising Christian community leader. The hated town drunk. The island handyman. The weak mayor, his wife, and his disabled daughter. The gay doctor and her ageing mother who suffers from dementia. The Muslim sheriff and his son who struggle to fit in. And of course, there is the enigmatic priest, newly arrived to replace Monsignor Pruitt, Crockett’s longtime minister who is recovering off-island after a long trip to the holy land.
The character development is outstanding. It’s a big ensemble cast and yet, I feel that most everyone gets their time in the sun to struggle and change for better or worse. Their arcs have impact and I was invested, surprised, and satisfied with their journeys. I empathised and cared as I got to know the characters better, and I also deeply, so very deeply, hated a particular character that I wanted to strangle them personally.
The dialogue is delightful. Characters feel authentic, speaking like you and I might, but they also engage in extended conversations that feel like orations—dramatic, poetic, and philosophic—often made even more thought-provoking and compelling by carrying a double meaning. This balance between ordinary and extraordinary works a charm in a supernatural horror. It elevates the value of the genre above merely scares and gore.
And Midnight Mass has a lot to say. The show explores a multitude of themes—faith, grief, regret, redemption, family, suicide, racism, alcoholism, death, the afterlife, self-righteousness, love—and all these themes are explored meaningfully, with wisdom and insight. It’s impressive that the show packs so much in its episodes while still remaining nail-biting and binge-worthy. Another noteworthy feat is that the writers managed to write a show about religion, with Christian, Muslim, and Atheist characters, in such a way that all three groups can watch and enjoy the show and be not afraid (offended). It’s a fine line to walk and I think the writers deserve to be commended.
The pacing of Midnight Mass is slow. A slow burn, as they say. Is it too slow? Not for me. I was only ever engaged. The quality of writing sustains interest, but so do the atmospheric setting, the art of the filmmaking, and the skill of the performances, not to mention the mystery and horror.
I’ve never quite seen a place like Crockett before. A tiny, wind-blown island. It’s lonely and creepy, with old buildings in need of repair and a fishing industry in decline. But the harsh land is quite beautiful too, alive and breathing in its own way, like it’s another character to complete the ensemble. It’s fascinating to watch.
The standard of the filmmaking is top-notch. The cinematography and camerawork, the direction, the editing, the sound and score, the casting, the art direction, the sets, the makeup and costuming, the special effects (which you don’t notice)… every discipline did a great job. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic single-shot sequences and the long, slow-zoom takes that allowed the actors to really perform and live their characters.
The acting is brilliant. There is not a single weak performance. In lesser hands, the oft lengthy dialogue may have been too ambitious, but every actor delivered, keeping me spell-bound. In particular, Hamish Linklater and Samantha Sloyan gave career-defining performances for which I hope they receive award recognition.
Midnight Mass works as a character-driven drama, but does it work as a horror? I think so. Absolutely. It’s not a slasher-type horror with gruesome deaths every episode. If that is all you’re looking for, the show is not for you. The horror in Midnight Mass is a slow-boil, relying on mystery and atmosphere, but lest you be worried, there are spill-the-wine jump scares and blood and carnage too. Just you wait.
For me, Midnight Mass is not only the best Netflix show of the year, but the best show period. I can’t stop thinking and talking about it. Of course, I run the risk of over-selling the show and spoiling people’s first-time viewing experience. In truth, the less you know before watching it, the better, but I was compelled to exorcise Midnight Mass from my body by writing my praise down. The show will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it sure as hell is my cup of tea.
The Amber Restorative 