With two seasons available to stream on Hulu, Blumhouse moved into the TV space with their seriesInto The Dark. Each episode is around 80 or 90 minutes and takes place on a holiday, from Christmas to Halloween to St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day. The characters are dealing with serious and sad things, from loss to trauma to changing friendships, and each movie-sized episode has its own vibe, tone, and feeling reminiscent of different horror movies.
With 24 episodes to choose from, there are some that stand out the most, and these five episodes are the most creative, exciting, and enjoyable to watch.
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Pooka! (Season 1, Episode 3)
ManyBlumhouse horror movies are underratedand there are several episodes ofInto The Darkthat are just as good. “Pooka!” is a terrifying and moving episode, starring Nyasha Hatendi as Wilson Clowns, who is trying desperately to make it as an actor. He thinks that his life has changed for the better when he becomes cast as the mascot for the popular children’s toy Pooka.
There’s a lot going on here, as Wilson realizes that Pooka is taking over his life as the mascot gains a life of his own and starts behaving strangely. The different threads of the story come together in an awe-inspiring and breathtaking way with a truly stunning ending, as Wilson realizes why he has met Melanie (Latarsha Rose) and his neighbor Red (Dale Dickey).Into The Darkmight remind fans ofAre You Afraid Of The Dark?and has the same fun yet terrifying vibe.
New Year, New You (Season 1, Episode 4)
“New Year, New You” is a stand-out episode ofInto The Dark.Co-written and directed by Sophia Takai, known for the2019 remake ofBlack Christmas, the episode tells the story of Alexis (Suki Waterhouse), Kayal (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and Chloe (Melissa Bergland) who have stayed good friends over the years. They have varying opinions on their old pal Danielle Williams (Carly Chaikin), who has become a famous social media influencer. When everyone gathers at Alexis’s childhood house to celebrate December 31st, Alexis’s real reason for inviting Danielle becomes clear.
The episode, which has the tone and vibe of a cheesy but entertaining made-for-TV film, deals with the theme of becoming a brand new person in the new year and also pokes fun at those in the health and wellness space who become too obsessed with eating clean and judge other people for not manifesting their hopes and dreams. Theplot twist is unpredictableand the ending is perfect.
School Spirit (Season 1, Episode 11)
When Erica (Annie Q.), the smartest and most studious girl in school, gets Saturday detention, her fellow students are shocked but they won’t let her presence stop them from drinking and having fun. “School Spirit” feels likeThe Breakfast Clubmeets a slasher film, which works perfectly and should interest fans of thebest teen horror movies.
Instead of includingfrustrating slasher movie cliches, “School Spirit” is fun, has a perfect setting of a high school, and has an enjoyable twist. Erica is one of the most interesting horror characters as she isn’t who she seems and she keeps people guessing, which makes the entire ride more enjoyable.
My Valentine (Season 2, Episode 5)
Season 2’s “My Valentine” is part music video, part slasher movie, and right away, viewers learn that Valentine (Britt Baron) has fallen into a dark and deep depression after her former boyfriend and manager, Royal (Benedict Samuel), remade pop singer Trezzure (Anna Lore) in her image. Valentine and Trezzure look exactly the same with long blue hair… and they sound the same too. Because Royal stole Valentine’s songs and made Trezzure famous.
Like thebest horror movies taking place in one location, this episode is all at a club, as Royal and Trezzure show up to supposedly chat with Valentine about not performing the music that she actually wrote years earlier. The songs are fun, particularly “The Knife,” and Royal’s evil villain persona allows the show to delve into topics like sexism, toxic masculinity, and the perils of the music industry.
Crawlers (Season 2, Episode 6)
Each episode ofInto The Darkis about a holiday, and the season 2 episode “Crawlers” is about St. Patrick’s Day. The episode has the tone, vibe and feeling of an old-fashioned creature feature, as a college town becomes overrun with aliens.
The episode turns stereotypes on its head as the town’s drug dealer, Shauna (Giorgia Whigham) is female, which doesn’t happen often in pop culture. The episode is a really fun story about monsters, but it also takes a careful look at the darkness hidden inside a long-term friendship, as Misty (Pepi Sonuga) was assaulted by a frat boy and her supposed best friend Chloe (Jude Demorest) has been anything but supportive. Like thebest horror movies about creatures, “Crawlers” will keep people guessing at every turn.
