New episodes of The Institute air on MGM+ on Sundays at 9 p.m.
By Elazar Abrahams
I went into The Institute with the lowest possible expectations, mostly because I had never even heard of the streaming service it was on. What the hell is MGM+, and how do I even sign up for it? I still don’t know. But against all odds, this turned out to be a pretty decent show.
Based on Stephen King’s novel, the series follows Luke Ellis, a gifted kid with telekinetic powers who’s kidnapped and locked inside a mysterious facility full of other psychic children. The place is clean, creepy, and run by smiling adults who insist they’re helping humanity. Of course, something darker is going on. The tone is classic King: moody, uneasy, morally murky. It feels like a throwback in the right ways, and while the show doesn’t reinvent anything, it captures the slow-building dread you’d hope for.
What stands out most is the cast of kids, who give surprisingly strong performances. Joe Freeman carries the emotional core of the show as Luke, and often out-acts the adults around him. Mary-Louise Parker makes for a cold and believable villain, and Ben Barnes plays an ex-cop whose separate storyline slowly converges with the Institute plot.
The direction is competent, if uninspired. There’s nothing flashy about the production, and visually it falls in line with a lot of mid-budget streaming thrillers. Still, it manages to build tension and keep things moving. The story doesn’t rely on jump scares or cheap twists, it leans into atmosphere and character, which works more often than not.
You’re not missing a cultural moment by skipping The Institute, but it’s a solid supernatural drama with just enough substance to hold your attention. If you find yourself mysteriously subscribed to MGM+, it’s worth checking out. Just don’t ask me how you got there.
I give The Institute a B-.
TV and City 