#horrors

I watched the third season of "The Terror" [3 weeks ago] and I want to say that I don't really understand why so many people are vehemently criticizing it. I haven't watched seasons 1 and 2, so I wasn't comparing it to the earlier ones, and given that the project itself is an anthology, that doesn't make sense in my opinion.

Each season was created with different goals. Judging by the announcements, the first two told stories about the past, while the third is the most modern and relatable to us in terms of time and setting. So even at the level of concept, time, and location, each season seems to work differently and is based on its own source material: the 3rd season, subtitled "Devil in Silver", is based on the novel by Victor LaValle, who also participated in the development alongside the second showrunner Chris Cantwell.

A bit more name-dropping: Karyn Kusama — the one who directed "Jennifer's Body" and many other things — directed several episodes here. And Dan Stevens once again proved that playing unhinged characters is his forte [personally, he reminded me here of his character from "Legion"].

As for the season itself, in short, I would call it a darker, gloomier, and more modern adaptation of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Apparently, LaValle was inspired by that novel when writing his own.
The main character here is hot-tempered and unable to solve problems except with his fists — the complete opposite of McMurphy, but otherwise the atmosphere and social subtext are similar.

Only in "The Terror" there is mysticism, monsters from the ventilation, strange tunnels in the walls, and a devil tormenting people from the inside literally.
In addition, the season criticizes law enforcement and society for indifference and ignoring not only problems but also a lack of basic humanity. And in my opinion, it draws an implicit parallel between rats and the residents of New York.

"Devil in Silver" is simply an atmospheric mystical drama, in my opinion no worse than the latest Stephen King series. The season has everything necessary — the horror of darkness, mysteries, suspense, blurring the lines between reality and insane fantasy. The characters are ambiguous, and the finale can hardly be called a complete happy ending. Only 6 episodes of 42-45 minutes each. You can turn off your brain nicely on the weekend.

#reviews