Sci-fi is a genre that sometimes features complex, technical stories and characters, which can make some hesitant to watch a new show. However, even if someone isn’t a fan, the series From cleverly hides its true genre, making it appealing to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, thriller, or supernatural story with horror elements.
MGM’s From is a sci-fi and supernatural horror series that feels like a mental rollercoaster ride. It will both intrigue and frustrate viewers as they become entangled in the show’s twists and turns. With Season 4 soon premiering, now is a great time to explore why the show is perfect, even if you dislike sci-fi.
From Explores Multiple Genres, Including Horror and Sci-Fi
Right off the bat, From unapologetically leans into its supernatural elements and hooks the audience with the promise of the show being a monster horror. It starts with a seemingly quiet town and its residents who go about their business until the sun goes down. Sheriff Boyd vigorously rings a bell around the town, telling everyone to go inside and have a safe night.
It isn’t until an incident involving a little girl who left her window open that viewers realize there’s something seriously wrong with this place. Of course, the setup is intentionally designed to intrigue the audience without revealing too much of the core genre or elements. The viewers learn that the impoverished residents of this abandoned town have figured out how to survive in such extreme conditions, which will likely make many wonder why the people don’t leave.
Unlike From’s usual quick and straightforward mystery-solving approach in the rest of the seasons, this small detail about the town is quickly revealed when the Matthews family arrives. It turns out that any poor soul who sees a broken tree blocking the road is cursed to be led to a town in the middle of nowhere, which will ironically become their eternal hell.
Anyone who enters the town can never leave unless they’re dead. Already haunted by the unrelenting fear of being trapped, the residents are further tormented by monsters that hunt them at night. If they can’t reach them physically, the monsters do everything from shrieking to emotional manipulation to keep the residents in a constant state of fear and anxiety.
These challenges were enough to keep me glued to the screen until I realized that the monsters and the town’s mystery were just the tip of the iceberg. As I moved into the second season, I realized that From had much more narrative depth than it initially appeared to have. Instead of becoming predictable with a mediocre horror plot and weak performances, From improvises at every turn, skillfully blending its horror themes with sci-fi tropes.
From Features One of TV’s Most Intriguing Mysteries
Boyd Stevens stands on the street outside a house and holds up a bell in FromImage via MGM+
It’s understandable why a high concentration of a single genre in a show might not appeal to everyone. Some viewers prefer a balanced mix, even if they aren’t especially fond of a particular genre. For example, those who dislike sci-fi might avoid anything that hints at futuristic plots and post-apocalyptic settings, but they’d be making a big mistake by missing out on From.
Unlike shows like Dark or Severance, which depend entirely on technical details, From focuses on making viewers discover the true essence of the mysteries that haunt the series. I was very tempted to keep questioning myself about the true nature of the monsters and the town itself. After leading me to believe that maybe everything was part of an elaborate scheme by some people in the past who might have accessed dark magic or cursed abilities, From throws a curveball that makes me rethink all my theories.
For example, when Jim was building the radio tower, and Tabitha was digging for the phone wire in her house, the atmosphere suddenly shifted from horror to analytical. I felt completely confused because, at that moment, I realized that these technical details didn’t entirely match the supernatural elements. It almost felt like the town wasn’t an anomaly; rather, its construction seemed deliberate, more like a physical manifestation of an evil mind.
What if someone intentionally built this place? What if the monsters are actually people from the town who have been somehow mutated? Why else would there be electronics in town that only work for certain people, with wiring that extends deep into the ground? It didn’t seem like ghostly activity to me, and that’s when a light bulb went off in my head.
It was never just typical monster horror or even supernatural. Its story was carefully crafted to attract viewers from all backgrounds, even those who don’t usually enjoy horror or sci-fi. It skillfully keeps you guessing, and by the time you realize that this is intentional, you’re too deep into the story to stop.
From Is More Than a Lost Replacement
Image via MGM+
I understand why even sci-fi fans might be hesitant to fully embrace From, considering how Lost left too many mysteries unresolved. Since fans see From as a great extension of Lost’s main ideas, some might think it will follow the same pattern and fail to answer their complex lore questions. However, I believe both sci-fi enthusiasts and skeptics could be surprised by how From shifts opinions with clever genre changes.
I thought nothing could top Julie’s big reveal, but I was completely wrong because the From Season 3 finale finally answered one of the series’ most burning questions. Fans had long guessed that Tabitha hadn’t just stumbled upon the Township randomly. There was a reason why only she could see the Ghoulish Children, or why she felt a strong connection to the place.
After uncovering the mystery of the Bottle Tree, it is revealed that both Jade and Tabitha are actually the reincarnated souls of the original residents who were present when the monsters first appeared. These monsters were once humans who sacrificed the town’s children to an unknown entity in exchange for immortality. Jade and Tabitha were the parents of one of the girls who was sacrificed and believed to be ‘cursed’ to keep reincarnating until they correct their mistake.
This revelation simply blew me away because, once again, it shifts From’s story from sci-fi to supernatural. The birth of the Smiley monster and the ritual they must have performed lacked a scientific or realistic basis. Still, that doesn’t explain the town’s obscurity, the trees that teleport people, or the ability to walk through time.
In my opinion, even a dedicated sci-fi skeptic would be powerless against From’s towering pile of mysteries, each more unpredictable than the last. Just because the show relies on a trope that’s been overused doesn’t mean it should be dismissed. Anyone skipping From is missing out on a rare, nerve-wracking experience that keeps viewers walking a tightrope of suspense, with just enough intrigue to prevent them from ever turning away.
Release Date
February 20, 2022
Network
Epix, MGM+
Directors
Jack Bender, Brad Turner, Alexandra La Roche, Bruce McDonald, Jeff Renfroe
Harold Perrineau
Boyd Stevens
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Tabitha Matthews