TV Series ‘From’ Brings Horror Both To & From Insanity

‘From’ is a television series created by John Griffin and produced by Jack Bender (of Lost) for MGM in 2022. I just recently discovered it, and I wanted to share my initial thoughts on it, as well as an overview of the story.

About the Series

Let’s examine some of the core elements of this show.

Story

A family is driving in their RV on what presents itself as an awkward ‘last hurrah’ and meets a downed tree encircled by crows. The family is then forced to reroute themselves and find themselves thrown into a town that seems discarded by the world. From there, the family collides with fate and ends up in a world where monsters are real.

When the sun goes down, the world and its denizens have a true terror that walks among them.

Setting

The show presents itself in a dystopic Middle American town that has been washed over with despair. The world seems abandoned and forgotten yet well-lived and refortified with foolish hope that comes from humanity’s urge to keep living. We see a town that resembles an area adjacent to a nuclear test site, forcing the residents out; now settled by destitution and depravity. However, when the sun goes down, the town’s true residents make themselves at home once more.

Taking borderline ‘Cosmic Horror’ elements and blending them with classic horror, the terror of the monsters comes from their presence and atmosphere.

Mood

Right off, the show’s theme of Que Sera Sera by PIXIES sets the mood perfectly. There is an overarching sense of uneasiness, like a child who lost their parents in the supermarket. This is all juxtaposed by the sense of community that the show presents, a coming-together in the face of adversity sort of affair. While at times the sense of community and togetherness almost feels far-fetched (people don’t get along very well do we), it does work well for the show, and who is to say there aren’t other forces at play that brought the ensemble together the way they are?

A Look at the ‘From’ Season 1 Trailer

The official trailer from the 94% rated show:

Discovering ‘From’

This show was brought to my attention via a Tweet from (the absolute legend) Ben Templesmith. It seems fitting, as the creature design truly must have taken inspiration from the abominations he created in 30 days night.

Now I'm on to marathoning FROM. ( 1st season is on Amazon prime ) No idea why I hadn't heard of it before. Good ominous horror with a bunch of mysteries. pic.twitter.com/oxBx2py3y4

— 𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵 (@Templesmith) April 15, 2024

Sidenote: If you are not familiar with the art of Ben Templesmith, I highly recommend checking out his website: https://www.78squid.ink/ – He is truly an amazing artist, and funny as hell man. I once shared a few drinks with him after he thought my Chef (boss), who I attended a convention with, was my personal Chef. You gotta love it when a misunderstanding leads to pints with a celebrity you idolize.

Your Thoughts on ‘From’

Have you seen the TV Series ‘From’? I would love to hear your thoughts on the series so far! While I have only just begun to watch it, I am truly impressed with the dynamic writing and overall design. There have been some moments where I felt the acting was ‘hokey’, but nothing enough to pull me out of the viewing or away from the experience. I also found the acceptance of the characters to be incredibly high with the situation, I think doubt and disbelief would lead to many more ‘survivors’ to accidentally meet a grisly fate more often.