TV Review: The Midnight Club (2022)

The Midnight Club created for television by Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong

A group of 1990s teens live at Brightcliffe Hospice. The hospice is for the terminally ill and is a former estate home. Ilonka (Iman Benson) is the newest arrival and the viewer's entry into the Brightcliffe community. Doctor Georgina Stanton (Heather Langenkamp) runs the hospice with few rules, allowing the teens their own agency in many ways. The teens, in a small form of rebellion, meet at midnight (after "lights out") in the library where they light the fire, drink stolen wine, and tell each other horror stories. Also, they have a pact that when any of them die, they will come back from the afterlife and give some sign that there is an afterlife. Ilonka readily joins in. The old house is a bit spooky and some of the teens see ghosts or other malevolent entities, sometimes seeing the halls in their older days with gas lamps instead of electric lights. Maybe it's their meds, or maybe the place is really haunted. Ilonka did some research before coming and found out that a 1960s patient was miraculously cured, so she hopes that she can find out what happened and maybe get cured herself.

The show is a blend of the Brightcliffe narrative and the hodgepodge of teen-told horror stories, most of which have some relation to the teen's actual lives, usually before they came to Brightcliffe. The format is interesting but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The first stories the teens tell are amateurish to the point where the other teens point out the ridiculous bits and inconsistencies. Unfortunately, the ridiculous bits and inconsistencies are mirrored in the larger story, making the chilling moments less effective and less believable. The writing overall is not satisfying, especially by the end.

At first, Ilonka is an interesting and sympathetic character. As the series goes on and she makes a lot of dumb decisions and odd reversals of attitudes, her character becomes annoying and unlikeable. The other characters keep saying how smart she is, but most of the twists and surprises are easily guessed long before Ilonka has a clue. The actress does the best she can with the material, a thankless and unsuccessful task. The rest of the cast is just okay, so there's nothing great on display anywhere.

The series comes to an open-ended conclusion, leaving room for another show. I have no interest in continuing with the story. It does not succeed as a chiller or as a human interest story.

Not recommended.