TV Show Review – Midnight Mass (2021)

The arrival of a charismatic young priest brings glorious miracles, ominous mysteries and renewed religious fervor to a dying town desperate to believe.

Overview

Platform – Netflix

Release – 24 September, 2021

Runtime – 7 Episodes [miniseries; each episode approx. 60 minutes each]

Genre – Drama/Horror/Thriller

Review

NO Spoilers

A show with the tagline of ‘Be Not Afraid’ just means one thing – there’s something to be very afraid of. It usually goes just like that, right?

But what exactly is the scary part when we talk about such things? The ghosts, the demons, the monsters? Is it the fear of the ‘unknown’? Maybe something else entirely? Or is the real reason to be afraid of us humans ourselves… especially with the things that we are capable of doing…?

Well, while searching for something to binge watch, I happened to come across this show totally at random. And since I was looking for something not too lengthy, this was right in contention. I was a little bit skeptical at first as I’m NOT AT ALL a horror fan. Trust me when I say that I’ll have nightmares for at least a week if I happen to watch anything even remotely horror. And by horror, I mean the “proper, real horror” stuff, the likes of the ‘Conjuring’ universe, and things with ghosts, ghouls, etc. Needless to say, I haven’t watched any of that, except the one time my colleagues dragged me to watch ‘The Nun’ (2018) on the big screens. To say that I was having sleepless nights after that would be an understatement (I also somehow managed to watch ‘It’ (2017) and ‘It Chapter Two’ (2019) out of sheer curiosity and hype… and again, I was having trouble sleeping at nights for a long time!). But having said all that, I’m still OK with things like vampires, demons, monsters, slasher films, etc. having watched quite a few of those. They don’t quite have the same impact on me for some or the other reason. You get the point, right?

Anyways, after checking out the premise and the trailer for the show, I was actually a bit excited about it for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the reviews were pretty much positive (doesn’t affect my decision with respect to any form of media as such, or any other thing for that matter, but it helps to know what other people thought of it in general). Secondly, it didn’t give me too much of a horror vibe, but seemed more of a drama/mystery/thriller type of show with religious and supernatural elements, taking place within a small island community. What’s not to like about it all, eh? I was already digging it! And lastly, the posters did their part of hyping me up as well (some of them are included below!). So, without thinking too much, I just went for it straight away.

What’s it all about?

Here’s what the info. on Netflix reads like –

A twisty ensemble drama with supernatural thrills and slow-burn scares from the creator of “The Haunting of Hill House.”

But here’s a “little” bit more to get you all going (thank me later!) –

Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), heavily traumatized by a certain tragic incident four years prior, makes a return to his hometown of Crockett Island, a fishing town off the mainland coast. The community on the island, numbering just over a 100, is still dealing with the aftershocks of an oil spill that has crippled the fishing industry in a significant manner. Slowly, Riley starts adjusting to the way of life on the remote island, while eventually getting to know more about its people, their natures, and their histories. But he is not the only one whose arrival is the turning point in the lives of the islanders. Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater) is on shore soon enough to act as a temporary substitute for the local and quite beloved predecessor who is presently unwell. But the newly arrived priest is carrying a very dark and ancient secret with him… a secret which follows him all the way to the island, and which is going to turn everyone’s life upside down very soon… forever.

A bird’s eye view of the island as seen in the show

The viewers are eventually introduced to the small town/village, and we get a picture of how the community is spending their days on the island. One by one, the characters are brought to the front, and we follow Riley as he starts settling into his new way of life. The island’s population, consisting of a majority of devout Catholics, are still somewhat adjusting to the newly appointed Sheriff – Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli), a devout Muslim. The religious aspects of the show (which consists of a good chunk), are not only due to the Mass, but also due to the differences in the ideologies of the people practicing the two aforementioned religions. Not to forget Riley, who is an atheist, adds a different angle and viewpoints to the whole thing.

And well, as soon as the new priest, Father Paul Hill, steps foot on the remote piece of land, strange things start happening on the island. As the preaching and the Mass are resumed with him in charge, the people sense that something out of the ordinary is taking place. But is that something a blessing in disguise… or a nightmare waiting to happen? And to add to the whole drama, there is someone… or something… that is keeping a watchful eye as the events slowly start to unfold. There is an air of mystery and suspense to the whole thing, covering the island and its people in intrigue and fear alike. What is happening on the island? Why are the people suddenly a bit… changed? Are miracles truly possible after all?

And as the Mass continues at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm among the townsfolk, things start to happen… mysterious things… things without an explanation… things that are not supposed to happen at all…

What really impressed me?

  • First off, the whole plot was actually pretty good. I enjoyed it immensely.
  • The acting was very good throughout the cast. Special mentions for Hamish Linklater, Samantha Sloyan, and Rahul Kohli who play Father Paul Hill, Bev Keane, and Sheriff Hassan respectively. They were the standout performers for me.
  • The soundtrack and the BGM were very good too. Each episode has 2-3 songs each, which not only go well with the scenes, but also invoke the feelings and the emotions from the viewers. That last scene of the last episode was actually very well portrayed in correspondence to this point. Truth be told, I had goosebumps through the whole of that particular scene.
  • There are some pretty strong dialogues/monologues with respect to religion, God, faith, life, death, etc. throughout the show which will make you think twice before you move on. Again, that last episode was just amazing with one monologue in particular.
  • Lastly, there are some nice shots of the island itself. The community is very well portrayed too, and gives off some amazing vibes of a small town/village and its people.
Posters for ‘Midnight Mass’ (both are great!)

What could’ve been better?

  • The only issue for me was that the pacing got significantly slower in the middle episodes. I get that drama is part of the show throughout its length, but it was a little less interesting for me personally in that period. Apart from that, no complaints at all.
More posters for ‘Midnight Mass’!

Some quotes/dialogues

The more that we know, the less we bend. The more brittle we become, the easier to break.

Father Paul Hill

Something’s happening here. And I can’t pretend it isn’t.

Annie Flynn, Riley’s mother

Wisdom. The wisdom to know the difference between the things we can change and the things we can’t. And the things we shouldn’t.

Father Paul Hill

As mentioned before, there are some pretty good, and likewise, strong dialogues/monologues/discussions present in the show, especially when it comes to religion, God, faith, life, and death.

Some more posters! (both are pretty cool!) [credit for R – Chelsea Lowe]

References present

  • A ‘Se7en’ (1995) movie poster in Riley’s bedroom (an amazing movie by the way, if you haven’t already seen it; and what an ending as well!).
  • Other minor references include that of ‘Aladdin’, and the reality TV show ‘Shark Tank.’

Fun facts!

  • Interestingly, the title of each of the 7 episodes is that of a book in the Bible, with the episodes consisting of a scene referring to that particular book/episode.
  • American actor Hamish Linklater won the ‘Critics’ Choice Super Awards’ award for the ‘Best Actor in a Horror Series’ for his role of Father Paul Hill (very much deserved in my opinion!).

Final Thoughts

Honestly, I was very much surprised at how good this miniseries turned out to be in the end. I wasn’t at all expecting it to be this well made, but I enjoyed it thoroughly! So, credit where it’s due. Also, very glad that I went ahead and watched it in the first place (turned out to be a pretty good decision in the end!). I would recommend that you surely give it a go. It’s not at all that lengthy, and the whole narrative that a remote community of a small town/village start experiencing supernatural events, with an added element of religion to that, certainly makes for an exciting watch to say the least!

Rating: – 9/10 (Worth watching!)