Becoming The Muse

The Institute

The Institute is a supernatural horror television series written by Benjamin Cavell and directed by Jack Bender with Stephen King as an executive producer. It is based on a 2019 Stephen King book of the same name. The 8 episode series premiered on MGM+ on the 13^th of July 2025.

The premise of the story, follows Luke a 14 year old intellectual prodigy, just about to leave high school to start classes at MIT, who suddenly finds himself recruited to join an elusive institute, known simply as The Institute.

The Good

The show has a mystery box feel that is reminiscent of Stranger Things and its from the same director that gave us From and Lost…

The Institute has an interesting premise, which you puzzle out as each episode progresses, trying to figure out where everything is going and the children’s performances, add to the tense atmosphere giving it a psychological horror edge.

The breakout star of the show, Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis brings a mixture of charm, intelligence, intensity and vulnerability which showcases his range, marking him as an actor to look out for.

Memorable characters include Tim Jamieson‘s Ben Barnes a former cop turned drifter turned night knocker though overly qualified for that role. Julian Richings as Stackhouse a chilling character who seems capable of unspeakable things and then there’s Mary-Louise Parker who plays the nonchalant Ms. Sigsby whose poker face is hard to read and you cant tell if she wants to have you killed or offer you a slice of your favourite cake.

While I havent read the series is based on it has been praised its respect for the source material.

The Bad

Despite it being a faithful adaptation, it played a cautious game and held back in delivering the intensity and nuance that one would expect from a Stephen King adaptation. The premise has promise and hints at being so much more, yet doesn’t build on its potential.

The resultant pacing feels all over the place spending time on story arcs that don’t make an impact on the plot, while leaving several underdeveloped subplots, unless they are saving for second season.

I don’t know what 14 year olds look and behave like, but the casting of the child actors didn’t quite work.

The Ugly

To achieve its horrific atmosphere, the show gratuitously uses its child cast in unsettling ways, without sufficient narrative justification, except for the shock factor, thus comes across as exploitative.

The series has some scenes of graphic violence and torture which can be upsetting.

Final Thoughts

The Institute is a visually competent but morally murky book to series adaptation. A psychological thriller with a dystopian undertone, featuring some standout perfomances and moments it falters with the weight of its ambition.

Have you watched this series is it something you would watch?