Some Stephen King novels are so dense that a series adaptation makes more sense than a two-hour film. For The Institute, an expansive novel published in 2019 featuring an ensemble of diverse characters, the executive producers behind Mr. Mercedes and The Stand did just that. One of the new show’s chiefs, Jack Bender, also EP’d the hit series From, lending the series a unique Lost-like vibe that’s palpable across all eight episodes. It drops on yet another streamer, MGM+, on July 13, and features seasoned stars in addition to a fresh young cast.
As with most book-to-film adaptations, it’s quite all right if you haven’t read the source material, as the TV version of The Institute kicks off right where the novel does. There’s a good chance that readers will favor King’s text over this so-so adaptation, but there are certain highlights, like a villainous Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) and the cliffhangers that punctuate virtually every episode.
Telepathy or Telekinesis?
Are you a Yankees or a Red Sox fan? An innie or an outie? Left or right-handed? These are all amusing enough questions, but within the confines of “the institute,” there’s a more daunting distinction among the young prisoners: Are you “TP” or “TK”? These stand for “telepathic” or “telekinetic,” and our subjects have at least one of these gifts. But there’s a catch: Once the powers-that-be who run the institute are able to track down a gifted child among the public, that kid is mysteriously whisked away from civilian life, only to awaken some time later in a dark, cold and sterile environment — a.k.a. their new home.
“The institute” lacks any sort of warmth from its adult caregivers. Or should we say supervisors? Overlords? Whatever they are, they’re by no means friendly. The staff’s day-to-day work entails locking up and tying down these helpless youths for one overarching purpose: to see how gifted each child truly is, for the sake of some grand, mysterious mission. And if that means inflicting agonizing pain on their young subjects? The adult characters in The Institute seem to have lost their morals long ago. We learn all this through the character of Luke (Joe Freeman), whose journey begins in civilian life and devolves into a sorrowful existence at “the institute.” His supportive parents were aware of their teenage son’s gifts. So why would Luke suddenly wake up inside a terrifying laboratory?
There are others like Luke inside the facility who help him get his bearings, like the friendly Kalisha (Simone Miller) and cool guy Nick (Fionn Laird). They’re all stuck in the lab indefinitely, it seems, and try to enjoy their free time snacking and playing games. But once villainous staff member Tony (Jason Diaz) drags them into their daily tests and hooks them up to terrifying machines, it’s all hell from there. One of the nasty facilitators who watches these grueling tests from her cushy office is Ms. Sigsby (Parker), whose name is reminiscent of the wicked Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Neither villainous character actually thinks what they’re doing is wrong: Ratched thought she was saving souls, while Sigsby thinks she is saving the world by pushing her young subjects to their breaking points. Even if the bizarre facility is onto something (which is a big “if”), how low will they stoop in tormenting their very human test subjects?
Two Lost Souls
To balance out the grimness, The Institute introduces a second protagonist named Tim (Ben Barnes), an ex-police officer who has just entered town to start anew. What unknown life is he leaving behind? Details will come with future episodes. Barnes delivers a charming performance — the series’ strongest, next to the villainous Parker — as he unearths dark secrets about the town and its ties to the facility. He has an ally in Annie (Mary Walsh), a local woman whom the Stephen King-conceived town tries to shun as she rants about sinister goings-on. Tim is the only one who entertains Annie’s leads, gradually inching closer to the daunting facility and fellow protagonist Luke.
Meanwhile, the bickering between Sigsby and fellow institute mangers Stackhouse (Julian Richings) and Hendricks (Robert Joy) becomes muddled and even incoherent at times, especially since an unnecessarily lengthy amount of time is wasted on these heated verbal exchanges. There’s obvious unrest among the staff when it comes to their end goals, but viewers will want to get back to the kids themselves. They’re the more interesting characters for the most part, save for moments when the series sheds light on Sigsby’s troubled social life — and a shocking hobby that gives her pleasure at night. The reliably solid Parker is a hoot in her wicked persona.
Stranger Things comparisons are inevitable here, although the tones of each project are different enough that it’s hard to fault The Institute for this — especially given that it comes from Stephen King’s brilliant mind. King chose to enlist as an executive producer on The Institute, which he didn’t have to do. That’s a good sign, but do enough viewers know about MGM+? They better get going — the service has a vast catalog. And while The Institute may not be its finest selection, it’s intriguing enough to muster a second installment down the line.
The Institute will premiere July 13, 2025 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MGM+.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
