‘The Institute’ Review: Mary-Louise Parker Leads MGM+’s Creepy but Forgettable Stephen King Adaptation

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Stephen King’s 2019 novel, titled “The Institute“, spans approximately 600 pages, yet it feels light in content – reminiscent of King’s early works under the Ordinary Kids with Extraordinary Abilities subgenre. The book is effortless to read, though its impact may fade quickly, offering a contemporary perspective on a well-trodden storyline. However, it never manages to stand out as something unique or noteworthy enough to be compared to King’s top-tier works.

Regarding its interpretation, MGM+’s eight-episode series loosely follows the storyline from the book, keeping some elements open for potential future seasons. In essence, it provides an approximation of what the original material warrants. It’s cleanly presented, sometimes engaging, but much like the book, it seems more like a medley of Stephen King’s typical themes and characters rather than a fresh or advanced take on his style.

This series is orignally penned by writer Benjamin Cavell, whose recent adaptation of “The Stand” was quite open to interpretation, leading to reports of a new version. The director is Jack Bender, who has worked on the less-recognized “Mr. Mercedes.” Given their past works, it’s not surprising that “The Institute” aligns well with Stephen King’s themes. From the New England backdrops (effectively portrayed by Nova Scotia) to King’s frequent use of specific phrases – expect to hear terms like “night knocker,” “gork,” and “shots for dots” repeatedly – the series feels authentic, though it may lack clarity at times.

Although Cavell maintains the authenticity of King’s voice, it’s the second time in a row he’s discarded, not always beneficially, King’s preferred storyline structure for his adaptations.

Here, we’re given two parallel storylines, 

Tim Jamieson (played by Ben Barnes) was previously a Boston police officer who lost his position under sensationalized circumstances. Now, he’s working in the small town of Dennison River Bend, Maine, as a “night knocker” – essentially an updated patrolman reminiscent of a gentler era, promoting a more community-oriented approach to policing.

In Minneapolis, prodigious 14-year-old Luke (Joe Freeman) was all set to depart high school for MIT when he was unexpectedly kidnapped and ended up at The Institute, a fortified establishment situated near the Dennison River Bend. Overseeing this facility are Ms. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker), a stern administrator, and Stackhouse (Julian Richings) and Hendricks (Robert Joy), the head of security and head of science respectively, who keep a close eye on things. The Institute serves as a testing ground for children with unique abilities.

Besides being exceptionally intelligent, Luke also possesses weak telekinetic abilities. He’s about to team up with a group consisting of kind-hearted Kalisha (Simone Miller), defiant Nick (Fionn Laird), and Avery (Viggo Hanvelt) who has an unusually strong power. Sigsby is overseeing a questionable program that involves intrusive medical examinations, harsh treatments, and manipulations, supposedly to amplify these children’s hidden talents. However, the motive behind this program remains unclear and rather confusing, as it doesn’t seem to make sense either in the written narrative or on-screen.

Even though I was led to believe that the survival of our world depends on us, the players, and our collective power, it ultimately seems like it’s leading nowhere significant.

In the book, Stephen King initially presents Tim, along with his simple background, during the early chapters, but later, he vanishes for an extended period, focusing on the inhabitants of the Institute who are subjected to tests and mistreatment as they plan their escape. This allows the storylines to converge. However, in the television series, Shira Haime’s narrative combines the Tim and Luke stories right from the beginning. This makes sense because Barnes is one of the most well-known actors on the show, but it seems counterintuitive since Tim is rather dull. Despite Barnes’ charm, he isn’t naturally engaging; there are several episodes where events at the Institute are suspenseful and captivating, while Tim is merely walking a 2.3-mile loop, taking away the momentum whenever he appears.

The series isn’t able to handle a lack of excitement because The Institute was intentionally designed to be somewhat underwhelming or anticlimactic. Stephen King’s usual style in this genre involves gifted characters battling cold government institutions or insincere spiritual forces within a horror setting, but this has been replaced by more common superhero origin stories with heightened abilities and stakes. However, The Institute feels like an independent film compared to various X-Men adaptations or shows like The Umbrella Academy, Gen V, or Supacell. The characters in The Institute have minor telekinetic or telepathic abilities, but instead of relying on flashy special effects, the tension comes from the general danger faced by children – not quite as intense as Squid Game using a baby as a prop, but still emotionally taxing – and the unsettling portrayals of adults in positions of authority.

Parker’s character is exceptionally chilling and peculiar, yet we only scratch the surface of understanding Ms. Sigsby, despite the series providing her with numerous quirks that serve more as eccentricities than plot devices. Although she delivers a commendable performance, “The Institute” elicits unease more convincingly from Joy and Richings’ acting, or Jason Diaz’s unsettling portrayal of an Institute secondary staff member. However, the show never transcends being merely creepy; it fails to reach the levels of truly terrifying or disturbing.

To achieve such an intense portrayal, it’s likely that The Institute would have had to trace the subtle hints or clues (the breadcrumbs) left by Cavell. Topics like family separation immigration policies and a spate of missing children are alluded to, but they aren’t extensively explored. Instead, The Institute seems to emulate the essence of The Zone of Interest, where a grotesque entity – one with smokestacks that occasionally release ominous black smoke – is situated on the outskirts of a tranquil town that suspects some atrocity occurs there, but chooses to ignore it and live in denial.

The Institute consistently fails to evoke emotional depth or a sense of awe-inspiring visuals. The Institute’s facilities are minimalistic and somewhat outdated, mirroring a financially constrained government project and a television series that lacks visually captivating elements. The most striking visual aspect associated with the young cast members is the glowing red ear tags they receive upon arrival. As for the actors attached to these tags, they perform competently, particularly Freeman. However, after eight hours of viewing, it’s hard to perceive a unified ensemble, which can be disappointing if you’re hoping for more than a shallow emotional investment like “These children shouldn’t be experimental subjects!

When I brought up “The Institute” from MGM+ to a coworker, there was a moment of pause before he said, “I believe I’ve read that.” A similar low-key reaction might be expected for a series that doesn’t deliver consistently enough to spark excitement, yet fails to build enough tension to cause disappointment.

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2025-07-08 20:24