The Mist is 2017 science fiction horror thriller created by Christian Torpe, starring Morgan Spector (Split), Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), Gus Birney, Danica Curcic (Silent Heart), Okezie Morro, Luke Cosgrove, Darren Pettie, Russell Posner, and Frances Conroy (American Horror Story).  Based on the Stephen King novella of the same name, the premise follows people in a small town which is overtaken by a strange mist with supernatural capabilities that kills most of the citizens who enter it.

Plot:  The story is set in a small town that is enveloped by a strange mist.  The citizens soon discover that the mist is supernatural in nature and those caught in it are killed.  The series is split into several major stories.  One involves a father trying to get back to his family.  The second follows survivors in a church and another follows survivors in a mall.  Now, for fans of the novel or the film, you’ll probably be disappointed.  There aren’t any giant interdimensional insects running around this time, but it’s still pretty interesting.  I really like the father braving the mist to find his wife and daughter.  There are two side stories that I found interesting but is never concluded, one following the origins of the mist and Bryan’s storyline as well as Mia’s storyline.  Admittedly, the side stories can be pretty predictable and even mediocre at times.  However, if you can dismiss your expectations of seeing a more fleshed out movie version, this series can be really appealing.  The storytelling isn’t bad by any means and there’s a significant focus on the characters and their relationships, and that’s where the story shines. It does takes it’s time gradually revealing more about the characters and what the mist is.  (4 out of 5)

Characters:  Honestly, the characters are interesting but not memorable.  The main characters are the Copeland family Kevin, Eve, and Alex, Alex’s friends Adrian, a soldier named Bryan, drug addict Mia, an older woman named Nathalie, mall manager Gus, and Sheriff Connor and his son Jay.  Honestly, I did like the Copelands.  I connected with their story the most. Kevin is a pretty likable guy and he’s definitely our hero of the series.  It’s cool seeing that he’s dealing with the threats of the mist while Eve and Alex are dealing with the human threats. Adrian was just plan weird.  Bryan was a pretty interesting character as well and it sucks that we don’t get to see his backstory.  Mia was alright but kind of a bitch.  I kinda wanted her to get killed off.  Now one of our human antagonists is Nathalie, the sweet old lady who’s indoctrinating the scared citizens into believing the mist should be worshipped, similar to Mrs. Carmody from the film version.  She’s actually kind of likable if you don’t take her too seriously.  The second is mall manager Gus, who’s kind of likable in the beginning but as the series progresses he reveals himself to be a completely manipulative asshole.  Of course, there are other characters, most who’re well-rounded and well-written.  (3 out of 5)

Cast:  Despite the characters, the cast and performances are just great.  Really thought the cast just gave it their all.  The main cast includes Morgan Spector, Alyssa Sutherland, Gus Birney, Danica Curcic, Okezie Morro, Luke Cosgrove, Darren Pettie, Russell Posner, and Frances Conroy. The supporting cast includes Dan Butler (Frasier), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Detachment), Romaine Waite (Star Trek: Discovery), Irene Bedard (Pocahontas), Christopher Gray, Greg Hovanessian, Erik Knudsen (Continuum), and Alexandra Ordolis (Reign). (4 out of 5)

Visuals: Honestly, the show looks good.  The Mist is thick and maintains a dreary atmosphere.  There are some moments where the CGI is more than little obvious.  The creature and supernatural effects look good though there are some exceptions.  Really liked the various locations that the story was set in. (3 out of 5)

Score/Music:  Really enjoyed the musical composition for the series.  It was great with building suspense and the rising tension.  Felt like it maintained a pretty intense atmosphere.  Thumbs up to composer Giona Ostinelli. (3 out of 5)

Writing:  The writing isn’t bad and Christian Torpe in my opinion took the concept into a new direction. Is that bad? No.  It’s just a little different and that’s good. Many of the Stephen King tropes do rear their head especially with the characters.  The show is slow but it does maintain a strong atmosphere of suspense.  The biggest aspect of the writing is how it’s adapted from the novel.  What you’d expect is a group of people stuck in a mini-mart surrounded by a mist fill with inter-dimensional creatures.  The writing changes this premise and expands it to a town.  I do appreciate how the series focuses on how fear can drive a person to do horrible things, how people can be manipulated through their fear, and how dangerous people can become with a mob mentality.  The pacing is slow but I love the suspense that it builds and the stories that are presented.  Despite the horrific things that are happening there is a strong focus on the characters.  There’s a problem that I’ve noticed and it’s the consistency which the mist kills people.  Of course, the main family seem damn near immune due to their heavy plot armor.  The writing’s good but far from great. It’s heavy on the suspense and horror, but it does manage to fit a lot of human drama in the mix that doesn’t feel overwhelming.  (3 out of 5)

The Verdict:  In the end, The Mist is a good horror series despite diverging from the source material.  A lot of people don’t like this series because we get a supernatural mist killing people instead of giant inter-dimensional bug creatures and that’s a sound argument.  However, we’re looking at this as a series and it has a lot to offer.  There are plenty of characters to love and hate, an interesting story with a lot of twists, and the writing is complex.  The Mist gets 3 out of 5.