After hitting the zombie jackpot with The Walking Dead, AMC is going back to the supernatural horror well once again with the creepy-crawly NOS4A2 — and to its credit, the series does boast a breakout performance from newcomer Ashleigh Cummings. It’s just too bad that nothing else about the show lives up to that performance. Instead, any flickering glimmer of quality gets smothered by a drab visual palette, sluggish plotting and a crushingly dour tone.
NOS4A2 — debuting Sunday, June 2 at 9/8c; I’ve seen the first three episodes — is unfocused from the start, straining to tell two very different stories. One features Zachary Quinto as seductive villain Charlie Manx, who lures neglected kids away to his magical “Christmasland” while feeding off their souls to stay young. The other features Cummings as Vic McQueen, a poor teen from the wrong side of the tracks who dreams of going to art school, but can’t afford it. Her blue-collar parents are always fighting: Her dad (played by Girls‘ Ebon Moss-Bachrach) even warns her, “Never get married, never have kids.” (Gee, thanks, Dad!) But we eventually learn that Vic might have supernatural gifts of her own.
The tone here from showrunner Jami O’Brien (Fear the Walking Dead) is dark and solemn, trading in TWD‘s action and gore for a Stephen King-esque eerie vibe. (Which makes sense: King’s son Joe Hill wrote the novel NOS4A2 is based on, and is an executive producer.) But it’s moody to the point of being morose, wallowing in ugliness for no apparent narrative purpose. (The children after Charlie sucks the life out of them are a gruesome sight indeed.) It’s the TV equivalent of a sullen Goth teenager, mistaking darkness for depth; even the visual style is flat and off-putting. Meanwhile, Vic’s family stuff is a melodramatic drag, and doesn’t mesh at all with the supernatural storyline. It takes far too long for Vic to get a handle on what her powers entail, and as a result, we spend far too much time watching a mediocre divorce drama that we did not sign up for.
NOS4A2 does offer up some evocative imagery here and there, like a rickety old covered bridge that only Vic can see and transports her across time and space. I also liked the kooky energy of tattooed mystic Maggie (Jahkara Smith), who uses magic Scrabble tiles — no, really — to predict the future. (What if she’s putting them together wrong, though? What if she can’t spell?) But the rules of this world are frustratingly hazy — so Charlie is a vampire, but not the blood-sucking kind? — and the hints we do get aren’t interesting enough to hold our attention.
Quinto is the big name in this cast, but he’s overblown here, verging on campy as he employs a creaky old-man voice to play a rapidly aging Charlie. Cummings really does stand out, though. She has a Jennifer Lawrence quality about her and brings a hard-won authenticity to her scenes, even when they don’t deserve it. (I don’t really understand why her TV mom has such an over-the-top Boston accent, though, and she doesn’t have one at all.) I look forward to seeing what she does next, because she’s definitely a diamond in the rough… but what’s around her is very, very rough.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: Despite a breakout lead performance, AMC’s NOS4A2 is a sluggish, morose horror story that’s more ugly than scary.
Didn’t even have to look at the byline. Saw the “D” and the logline in the email and knew it had to be another Dave Nemetz review. I don’t know of anything that he’s liked yet, but everything he hates, so far, I’ve liked. So it’s useful, I guess, in that way. Different strokes, etc.!
I was thinking the exact same thing! He obviously has very different opinions than I do so yes, it actually is helpful. I will definitely check this show out.
Also, I personally don’t think that saying someone has a Jennifer Lawrence quality is a compliment. Just my opinion.
What does “a Jennifer Lawrence quality” even mean?
Who the hell knows? Unlike Nemetz, I saw Cummings as miscast. More than enamored with her acting, I merely found her character as an irritant at worst, a plot-dragger at best…yet none of her performance would have gone unnoticed by the show’s director. The show missed the mark when it came to presenting the “Inscapes” of mind, a significant theme in the book. Finally, with the abundance of late-teenage talent, once again film makers dive deep into the well of non-Americans to portray deeply “American” characters; I was disappointed with their choice of protagonist.
I feel terrible but I thought the same thing!! Sometimes I think we’re awfully hard on Dave here…..but then I turn around and don’t give his opinion much weight so I’m as guilty as the rest.
Good. Cancel it and give Zachary Quinto a less typecast role.
I loved the book, so I am definitely going to watch this despite the poor review. One of the things I like most about the book is the character development. Joe Hill, like his father, takes his time setting up the scene and fleshing out his characters so the reader can really see them and know them. He also is a great storyteller. He doesn’t rush to the action or the conclusion. The entire story is the ride. You either enjoy the journey with all the unexpected detours and rest stops along the way or you don’t. I do. Can’t wait to see this adaptation.
I agree. The book is slow and fantastic, one of the most horrifying reads I’ve had. Joe Hill’s storytelling style is wonderful. I trust the show has a similar pacing. We don’t all need instant gratification to be happy.
How u know grade D about NOS4A2 is too slow..
Don’t tell us!!!!
Im looking forward to watch NOS4A2 new series show.. Shhhh
I like reading early reviews, but to be so negative is unfair. let the Watcher make those decisions. This is why I don’t read early reviews. Everyone has different tastes – neutrality goes a long way reviewers!
I am gonna watch.
Vic’s mom’s accent is not over the top, nor is it particularly Bostonian. A Haverhill (MA) accent
is the same as neighboring Lawrence’s, where I was born. Linda sounds just like she could be
my dawtah! BTW, my kids (bawn in New Hamshuh) pronounce all their “R’s”.
I think that the more glaring omission is that Vic doesn’t have ANY accent…..
At least not an Aussie one. Another glaring omission is how Vic’s mom looks like her sister–too young-looking to have an 18 year-old daughter.
I’m assuming this review is for the premiere episode and not the entirety of the first 3 episodes the reviewer says they watched? If so I had a lot of the same feeling about the first episode, but I also didn’t mind. Sure it laid heavier on the drama side, but there was enough in there to whet my appetite to make me want to see more. I’ve seen some slow burns turn to fire so I’m along for the ride. :)
I was fine till he snapped the neck of the kitty! Yes I know he’s evil but with animal abuse at an all time high even showing complete tourture and murder on social media the writer could have left that out!
I guess you aren’t a fan of Pet Semetary.
Question: Why do just the kids have fangs, and not Manx? Are they blood-suckers, unlike Manx? What are the rules here?
In Hill’s book, Manx sported a row or three of ill-fitting fang-hooks.
After watching all four episodes so far, I can say that I like the show. Yes it started slow but it has picked up. The main storyline has become about Vic. Yes, the parent thing is still there in the background but no where near as prominent as in the first couple episodes. I can not say it is creepy, but not all horror is. This is a horror that is in the dark category. It has an air of mystery and dark danger to it, not knowing who will be the next victim.
It really bothers me that this show is so slow, boring, and empty. It seems the Hill wrote a story (a bland one at that), and just stuck the Nosferatu (NOS4A2) name on it. Just because King and Hill share genetic material doesnt make this show/book good. I know its not edgy to dislike anything AMC/Hollywood throws our way, I’m tired of the dark for the sake of dark crap.
Worst TV show of the year . It makes no sense of what it’s trying to tell in the way of a horror story .
Seeing the other comments on here: I don’t know about the other reviews of this guy, but he is definitely on the point on this one. Very well described how the horror of Christmas Land and the incredibly slow and dragging storyline of the broken family almost feel like two different stories that don’t go together at all. If you want horror and action, you will be skipping a lot of scenes with all the family drama, cause they might be a nice backstory, but they bring absolutely nothing to the story except for stretching it on to 10 episodes.
And that is the problem with the series: Vic has everything she needs to defeat “Nosferatu” from the start, but the whole season is about her finding the courage (and reason) to do so.
I really liked the story arc in general and the idea of all of it, but it’s way too much shallow family drama and not enough horror-action…
I am thinking of dumping it,,, creepy with kids… and plot line going no where….
Don’t listen to that reviewer! This was a great season. Lots of buildup with characters being fleshed out and an awesome finale!
I hate how The episodes are full of nothing. Vic wasting her time getting drunk while leaving her son without a care in the world. When she finally gets her act together she always fails at every effort she makes to get her son back. Episodes are so frustrating.