The golden era of sci-fi was packed with brilliant mystery box shows like Lost, Fringe, and Twin Peaks. Even in the era that followed, compelling additions to the sci-fi genre, like The OA, Dark, and Westworld, mastered the art of mystery box storytelling. Somewhere along the way, however, most mystery box TV shows lost their appeal, burdened by the heavy weight of their own unanswered questions.
While a handful of mystery box sci-fi shows, like Severance, still understand how the subgenre works, others struggle to resolve their piling mysteries. Fortunately, there is one sci-fi horror masterpiece that embraces the classic mystery box format of iconic sci-fi shows like Lost and Fringe. While at it, it also ensures that viewers keep getting micro-doses of worthy payoffs to stick around for more.
The show in question, From, premiered on MGM+ in 2022. Four years later, From is already four seasons and 4 episodes in, with one last installment set to end its run. It is a rare mystery box sci-fi thriller that has shown no signs of slowing down even after 4 installments. Every season of From, so far, has arguably been better than the last, establishing it as a masterclass in mystery box storytelling.
From’s Mystery Box Storytelling Perfectly Aligns With Its Existential Horror
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Most mystery box thrillers initially thrive because they set up one compelling mystery after another. This formula, however, soon forces shows to dig their own graves when they struggle to give viewers some semblance of resolution. Lost, too, faced the same issue towards the end. From, in contrast, establishes concrete rules and internal logic from its early moments.
It introduces horrifying creatures that fall into a strict behavioral archetype. They only show up at night and use deception to target their human victims. From even introduces “Talismans“ that protect against the nocturnal monsters, giving the human survivors a form of immunity. Even the central Fromville town’s topography has a fixed closed loop structure where anyone who drives by will end up returning.
While expanding its lore, however, there are times when From, too, gets a little too bizarre. During these moments, the show’s saving grace is its existential horror. In traditional storytelling, solving mysteries brings more order and certainty. In From, even the act of seeking more knowledge is forbidden. Human curiosity is treated as a sin in the series because it only leads to more destruction and doom.
From even adopts Lovecraftian undertones that further enhance its existentialism. The show’s core premise and its setting’s inescapable design serve as a reminder of how doomed humans can be when facing forces beyond their comprehension. Since cosmic ambiguity in itself is a narrative device, the lack of answers in From often becomes a thematic device in its own right.
Hope Is Always A Double-Edged Sword In From’s Mystery Box Drama
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Watching From can sometimes get increasingly frustrating when its characters find some semblance of answers before being led to more chaos. For instance, there is a whole hopeful arc where the characters manage to build a radio tower to contact their world. It even triggers a response before a storm ruins their plans, and they hear a sinister voice on the line.
As frustrating as this constant cause-and-effect approach may sometimes seem, it adds to the show’s bleak portrayal of how fleeting hope can be. Like From‘s main characters, viewers, too, experience the highs of finding a new potential escape. However, just when things start to improve, a new twist pours cold water on all hope and expectations.
With these constant highs and lows, From ensures viewers go through a roller coaster of emotions throughout its runtime. It is almost impossible to not be at the edge of your seat while watching the sci-fi horror series, explaining why it is an absolute masterclass in mystery-box storytelling.
From is a series revolving around a mysterious American town that ensnares newcomers. Its new and old inhabitants attempt to maintain order while looking for an escape, all the while contending with haunted nighttime threats and perils from the surrounding forest.
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