Midnight Mass - Review
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- Опубликовано: 13 июн 2024
- This time I wanted to talk about a recent show on Netflix and the ways that it tackles topics related to religion and faith.
Sources/Suggested Reading:
Weber, Max (2012). "The Theory of Social and Economic Organization". Martino Fine Books.
Werbner, Pnina (2004). "Pilgrims of Love: The Anthropology of a Global Sufi Cult". C. Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd.
Holm, Filip (2018). "The Architecture of Pilgrimage: A study on the Ziyara Bogal and charismatic authority in the Tijaniyya. Master's thesis. Södertörn University.
All footage used in this video belong to Netflix.
#MidnightMass #Religion #Review
The moment when Sarah is shot and Monseigneur beats up the man who did it gave me so much inexplicable joy. The entire show Monseigneur had been so suppressed, forcing himself and his actions into a cage trying to cover his real desires and real fears with false beliefs. He became so invested in the tale of this angel but it wasn’t really about the angel, it was about his love for Mildred. His fear of her dying. Then to see Sarah die, and finally act with anger and express his true emotions, it gave this huge wave of relief. And as he kissed Mildred when the sun rose, it was as though he had finally given up all of the act, and he stopped trying to be perfect and make everything around him fit his ideal world. He went from being a picture perfect turn-the-other-cheek priest to a father and a lover.
I feel like in America, a balanced approach to religious differences has been ignored post 9/11. So having a show that has religion as a main theme without being pro/anti Christian/Islamic makes this one of my favorite shows on Netflix.
I love Mike Flanagan's work in general, because he takes so much more effort to make his characters three dimensional people than most horror writers. It gives the stories so much more tension because you empathize with their pain. In a story like this, with such controversial subject matter, that character-driven approach really makes it work. I know some people think the dialog goes on for too long but honestly I loved the philosophy.
Well said
Definitely!
I agree!
" you empathize with their pain" except for Bev, it was satisfying to see her suffer in the end. hahaha (yes, she's also a well written and effective character, she's the epitome of a character you love to hate)
@@mjjjuly I found a pity for Bev Keane. I mean we don't know her story, and Joe tells us she was always like that, even as Mrs Flynn says, she is no victim (past a certain point of choice as a adult), but still.
The fact that Father Pruitt/Hill simply turned away his allegiance and abandoned her after all he himself had enabled for her (even as she enabled him)... this is no doubt a repeated theme for this woman.
This last minute wheeling about to say "I am quit of you"... it reminds me of Shaytan in the Qur'an too, who himself fears the Creator. Sympathy via this show for him too.
I mean, in a cultural/historical framing inherited of dualism and Puritanism, which secular modernity completely takes on whether it can admit to or even see it or not, there will be those pushed over into the archetype that Bev Keane embodies.
If the non-dual in Erin's "That I Am" is to have any meaning beyond a moment of remembrance, then surely we must first see how Bev Keane, in her vain bright self image, "with too much Heaven on her mind" to paraphrase JCST Judas, is totally us. Some Tantric/non-dual immersion, referring to more recent videos of Filip and his friends, would be of great benefit to those of us like/diametrically unlike (we think) Bev Keane, inshaaAllah.
I like how Flannagan respectfully includes a mention of the Koran in Haunting of Hill House when countering a character's intellectual dogmatism , and then the scene in Midnight Mass regarding Islam was really nice to see as well
Which part in hill house?
@@alfvina Can't remember the episode - but when the mum mentions how she raises her kids to read, appreciate, and draw from all manner of texts including the Koran, Torah, Shakespeare. The scene highlights that all texts are educationally valuable to all humanity.
From an Islamic perspective I agree, because you don't need to solely view the Koran from a Muslim religious perspective. There are so many elements incorporated into the text such as Poetry, Philosophy, History, Mythology, Numerology, Science etc.
Post-9/11 the world seems to be dismissive of some of the beauty in these texts (sure, there are problematic issues, but where aren't they?). But Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass at least bring back some perspective and I respect Flannagan for that.
@@adkh5826 At the end of the day, it's all storytelling. Storytelling shapes the world unlike anything else. Religious texts have shaped society for thousands of years. It stands to reason that something like Shakespeare could have an effect on someone the same way any religious text would.
I really loved this show. I found Bev’s character was also really fascinating through the lens of cults and sense of religious superiority. She represented a very real figure, using the Christian religion to gain power, feel special and assert superiority over others in the community. Her complete abandonment of morality to pursue her ideology and her twisted relationship with Monseigneur and the people of the town made me furious but also intrigued. She literally killed a dog, helped hide a dead body, encouraged everyone to drink poison, said that the people who died deserved it because they didn’t have enough faith, and yet she still saw herself as morally superior to everyone else. I also felt that she was often the one in control rather than Monseigneur. He was a man blinded by his desperate need to find hope, but she had no excuse for the way she twisted and cherry picked the words of the Bible to try and convince people that being a vampire was somehow God’s will. Perhaps her character is so familiar that it’s not as insightful as some of the other themes in this show, but personally I just loved how spot on her hypocrisy was.
Yes especially finding a verse to fulfill whatever calamity that was happening. Fitting that she could not poison herself with the others. I wonder if she wanted to have a bail out method -sneaking out the back? Yet the show wouldn't have as much weight without her.
@@lukec.872 I absolutely agree. Her character made my blood boil but in a way I appreciate
As a individual that grew up in a very religious home.. that has now left the faith along with being ostracized from my entire family because of my lack of faith the character Bev is so much like my mother… that I not only cringed multiple times but found my self crying from probably years of abuse and some trauma that I was not aware that I had… that all being said this series is absolutely fantastic I cant recommend this enough
@@michaelfrye9864 Oh my god I’m so sorry you went through that. I’m glad you were able to make it out of such an abusive environment and choose your own belief/no belief. This show really is a masterpiece. I hope watching it and crying through it helped you come to terms with some of your trauma.
@@elizabethgrey6040 I found a pity for Bev Keane. I mean we don't know her story, and Joe tells us she was always like that, even as Mrs Flynn says, she is no victim (past a certain point of choice as a adult), but still.
The fact that Father Pruitt/Hill simply turned away his allegiance and abandoned her after all he himself had enabled for her (even as she enabled him)... this is no doubt a repeated theme for this woman.
This last minute wheeling about to say "I am quit of you"... it reminds me of Shaytan in the Qur'an too, who himself fears the Creator. Sympathy via this show for him too. Salaam.
i just finished the show last night, i have to admit that it brought a breath of fresh air into this Genre, specially for the vampire stuff, very beautiful and touching.
as an ex-muslim and currently not following any particular religion (spoiler ahead) the last shot when the sheriff and his son were doing namaz gave me a huge goosebumps.
Peace Brother,
I'm kind of ex-Muslim too, though I seem to have doubled down on the Qur'an, if away from Hadith.
The way Sheriff Hassan ruled Ali's choices was very noteworthy and typical these days I suspect. Fear of loss of identity and self, that guarantees it almost.
Peace.
My only major complaint about the show was that the "angel"/vampire was too obviously sinister looking, Pruitt should have caught a glimpse of the glowing eyes only for it to emerge as an actually angelic looking being. Sort of leaning into the idea of Satan appearing as an "angel of light"
Some of the "angels" in the bible, have a "horrifying" representation to mortals. What someone sees as sinister is a reflection of themselves.
Yea no they frame it pretty clearly in the movie: no one in the Bible has any reaction to an angel other than horror and fear, not even Jesus. Angels are not meant for human view
That is the whole point of the show, in my opinion. The people are so desperate for salvation, so desperate to belong in a community, that they are outrageously blind to how monstreous the creature is. When someone has the word for "angel", but not for "monster", then anything that slightly resembles either one of them is to be labeled "an angel". The contrast is stunningly beautiful and its purpose is clear.
It’s consistent with descriptions of Angels.
The lay person may see angels as beautiful and pleasing, but someone like Pruitt, steeped in the Bible and knowing it back to front, knows angels are terrifying looking. They strike fear in humans.
@@choch72
Hoomin: Holy Fuck
Angel: Be not afraid
I loved the more subtle theme about taking responsibility for your actions, too. Bev Keane is almost incapable of ascribing personal responsibility to anyones actions, even her own. That's why she always has a bible verse even when her plans fall apart at the end. She isn't comfortable unless she can imagine that she doesn't need to make any choices. Where as Riley can only continue after the accident by rejecting the divine narrative and accepting that what happened was his fault. He killed someone. There's no divine explanation. He needs to accept it and change. I'd be interested to see studies on how one's locus of control correlates with the nature of their religious belief.
This is incredible. I watched this show a few weeks ago and I was so excited when you made exactly the same point as I did about the faith and cults and where it can lead. I loved each second of this show and oh God, this was such a pleasure to watch your review on this show ! As always, your channel is incredible.
You're too kind!
@@LetsTalkReligion
Peace Filip,
When you spoke about the dynamics of cults and charismatics in the show, I believe you changed the "show facts" a bit to make it for Weber's narrative. Legends and myths played no part in his growing authority whatsoever until the very end, as most people had no idea about that time. It was all based on what was clearly happening in flesh and blood.
This is important because the question of how one defends oneself from cult attractions arises then. A cynical materialist that believes in no myths is just as likely to drink from Father Pruitts cup, maybe moreso in fact.
I like how Riley, who healed so much from Father Paul's guidance in a genuine way, managed to keep himself. He had no name and no self image to defend, and he would not agree to go along with lies of whatever form. The courage of owning his limits too.
Peace.
A show review is not the first type of content that I'd imagine coming from you however this makes me want even more!
Glad to hear it!
This is one of the most interesting and unique takes on the Vampire mythos I've ever seen, it gets points for it's plot and delivery alone for me!
What struck me about this show (and I wasn't the only one to notice) was the influence of Stephen King - specifically the 1980 TV movie 'Salem's Lot'. The design of the vampire, and a few other scenes, not to mention the enormous character buildup - but without the jump scare reveal of the 1980 vampire, which traumatised my 11 year old self and his 9 year old sister for life!
I think the vampire is a nosferatu reference and the wings of the painting the woman clothed with the sun and great red dragon. Haven't seen Salem's lot but Bev was all over my mind reminding me Carry's mom and the whole story is pretty Stephen king. Just before reading your comment I was telling myself this couldn't be done without the king.
I enjoyed you reviewing this show but I really wish you had done a deep dive on religious symbolism, the use of scripture through the show, etc. I know you didnt want to spoil it but I think once you gave that warning anything was fair game.
Maybe you could do another episode where you do a deeper dive on specific parts of the story
Didn't expect a show review from this channel. Thanks!
Can we get a Dune review?
I’d love to see him dig into the books too - there is a lot there. A lot.
Haven't seen the film yet, and the first Dune book has been hanging out in my bookshelf for a number of years without me reading it.
Perhaps once I get over that hurdle!
@@LetsTalkReligion I read the first Dune book but I don’t think its as good as the cult following makes it out to be. I was more interested in the Fremen and the Bene Gesserit. The whole political drama thing between Harkonnens and the House of Atreides wasn’t that interesting. I was hoping the Fremen would be actual Bedouin Muslims, but its more like cultural appropriation of Islam and Zen, as opposed to something resembling a real religion.
@@LetsTalkReligion Read the book first! Loved this review also, thanks.
Yesss plsss a dune review one day.
To me the fremen and the obvious muslim inspiration were quite cool.
Too bad the series never ended.
I was looking for some Netflix recommendations. Just didn't expect them from this channel😊. Jazakallah.
The density and complexity of character development in that series was remarkable.
It’s so refreshing to hear your praise of Mike Flanagan’s work. I’ve held the opinion that The Haunting Of Hill House is one of the most intelligent and affective horror shows / films ever. The way it uses the metaphor of a haunted house to explore the enduring consequences and bonding nature of early family / childhood trauma is brilliant.
Midnight Mass took me on a ride too. At first I was annoyed by the drawn out religious monologues but soon realized it was tapping into my own buried religious traumas and inherited “fear of god” conditioning and resentment - an agitation that is scary in itself. The whole vampire twist really “sucked” me in for the rest of the series and did not disappoint! Bravo!
Hill House is a masterpiece, much for the reasons that you mention. I think Midnight Mass reaches almost the same heights for me, but I think it'll have to gestate for a while before I can be sure where I stand on that.
Coming from you I will definitely be checking this one out. Dude do any content your heart wants your channel is gold.
Loved the show and i agree, Hamish Linklater was oustanding as the priest. And as you said, it wasn't against religion, but a critique against cults and fanatism.
one of the best series because i didn't see any English series showing real and authentic Muslims. that was so real of Hussain character being a dad to his son who was exploring Christian faith because of the surrounding people are Christian also because of " miracles" . very well written dialogues such as Hussain say " god wouldn't be unfair to do miracle on that little girl to walk and let Hussain's wife to die with cancer. god doesn't work like that" many monologues were good that Muslims are having many difficulties in western part of the world and i cried in one dialogue HUSSAIN that " i was helping to fight terrorist by working with police but they still think me as Osama fucking bin laden" . my favorite scene of the movie is at last both Hussain and his son praying before the sunrise prayer called fajr and died as praying. which made me cry even more because it's a honor for Muslims to die when praying.
as a Catholic I was worried the show would border too closely to disrespectful. my worries were unfounded as the show was very respectful without compromising on the story.
I really burned with dislike for Beth, and I felt like Fr. Paul really, truly believed he was doing good until just before the ending which made his death all the more upsetting. the scene with Riley and Erin on the boat will also stay with me for a very long time.
also poor Joe man :(
I thought it was great how they went after the literalism of the flesh and blood scenes from the NT. Good review man!
Oh My Goodness!! I love this show!!! Was shocked to see your review listed, never thinking I'd see it mentioned here. Binged it through twice. I am a theology & philosophy geek, and am so excited that you saw the genius in this work too!!! I was right it does speak on many levels in show stopping creative ironic ways!!! Going to check out the rest of Flannagans work I was so impressed.
i really liked it ! i thought the religious component made it very interesting, granted i don't know much about catholicism at all. i really liked the muslim sheriff, i kind of identified with him as a muslim and an outsider to the catholic church, and his child getting sucked into the whole thing was such a terrifying nightmare scenario.
The way the show makes you feel empathetic for Father Paul despite the horror he unleashes is incredible. He really never wanted to hurt anyone. He wanted to have a chance to be with his family again and to help the people of the island and deluded himself into thinking he knew how. Despite this, he proved to be their downfall. Dramatic tragedy at its best.
I watched this series after watching this review and it didn't disappointed me. It is great show & Want more of such stuff
I appreciate your work sir ,thank you 🌹
I love this!
I only listened to very little of the vid, and you sold it to me. I am going to watch the series, thank you.
Also, I would love to see more content of this sort - about religion in tv/movies/books/etc.
Your review has justified the show in such an articulative manner. Midnight Mass sits on a higher tier and in my very personal opinion (may not resonate with everyone) the best work of Flanagan so far.
I just completed midnight mass last night and here is one of my favourite youtube channels ( unexpectedly) with a review...😊
I was raised catholic, but my military experience turned me towards atheism for many years. Only recently have I been struggling on excepting that I really don't know anything, about anything. I have trust issues when it comes to "dogma". Midnight Mass was very thought provoking. I can relate on so many levels. Your channel does not seem centered on any one religion, more of a balanced and objective theological perspective that has had me subscribed to your channel for a couple of years now. I appreciate your approach to these matters. Keep up the great work. That includes your talent for the Oud as well. Bravo!
Honestly I had kind of the opposite response. I thought it was a very well made show and I have huge respect for Flanagan, but I felt like the nuance in his discussion of religion was too little too late.
The basic argument of the show seems to be dialectic, with "religion is exclusionary and harmful at worst, and deceptive/delusional at best" as its thesis, "religion is a good thing that helps people" as its antithesis, and "whether it is explicitly religious or not, we all need spiritual fulfilment in our lives" as its synthesis. The problem is that the show leans very hard into its thesis and away from it antithesis, which ultimately makes the synthesis feel weak, or even incomplete. The show reliably represents the real material good done by religious organisations or by explicitly religious people as sinister, and not just in the miracles but in more realistic things like the AA meetings, too. Whenever something comes along supporting the antithesis it never really feels genuine. On the other hand, when we do see "good" religious people, like Erin and Hassan, they tend not to be vocally religious. On the one hand, I agree that secularism and religious acceptance are important parts of being a "good" religious person, but on the other hand Flanagan basically cedes the entire territory of Bible quotations, hymns, sermons, etc. to "bad" religion. In a medium like tv, that's especially damning (npi) because "good" religion can start to seem synonymous with "less" religion. Riley is also worth noting, since he is the character who demonstrates the problem with the thesis: rejecting all things religious and spiritual has led him to a place of alienation and depression. Unfortunately, the show frames this badly, and it often seems like his problems come from having had faith in the first place, rather than from needing to find a healthier, more mature form of faith. Putting him in conflict with the priest, who is framed as sinister, also predisposes us to see him as right. The antithesis never ends up landing the way the thesis does, which ends up weakening the synthesis, because the show does so little to establish the actual value of religion and religiosity that Erin's final monologue seems more like cognitive dissonance than like revelatory experience. After what she's been through, Erin's character should by all rights be an avowed, Bible-bashing, mouth-frothing militant atheist, so her final monologue just doesn't seem like the natural conclusion to her arc.
I'd love to see more serious nuanced explorations of church trauma in popular media, but I don't think a horror series is the way to do it. Or at least not a horror series in which the monster is explicitly and exclusively on one side of a debate that's supposed to resolve in a synthesis.
This is a fantastic take. I found the show also utterly lacking in a cohesive thesis. And maybe, as an example, I took away almost the opposite feeling as you did, as I felt as though Flanngian wished to redeem religion as worthwhile, spirituality as the only salve to pain and depression. Which I found, not only not particularly nuanced, but a very familiar resolution that Christians or even deconstructed Christian’s hold. You are not complete without a belief in something bigger. It felt incredibly…preachy and what a boring conclusion and thesis for such an interesting story. Some of the monologues soared while other meandered like a c-class one man show. There are FAR FAR better movies, like “The Silence” that actually play in the realm of nuance, and don’t rely on our characters dumping their whole life story and motivations on us in one monologue.
Really enjoy your channel and especially love that lampshade.
I followed your recommendation and wasn't disappointed. Excellent review
I went into this thinking “I don’t like horror I think it’s fine if I get it spoiled” but now I want to watch it for the representation of all these religious ideas. And lmao of course the Swede likes modern day small town mostly realistic horror thrillers
Is that a thing? That Swedes like that very specific kind of stories?
@@LetsTalkReligion I've noticed a lot of Scandinavian movies & TV shows are like that, small town or suburban horror or murder mystery thrillers that get pretty gruesome & focus a lot more on the characters than similar American works (though a bigger focus on characters isjust a feature of European film in general)
@@LetsTalkReligion More of a Danish thing, I think, but there's definitely overlap!
Oh yes, you should do this analysis of religion in pop culture more often!
As always a job well done. Happy Holidays.
I did not expect THIS, but what a lovely surprise it is.
Thanks for recommending this show. I watched the first few episodes with my teenage son and it launched us into some great conversations.
One show I'd like to hear more informed religious studies analysis of would be HBO's The Leftovers. The first season especially seems deeply, yet subtly grounded in a hyper-Calvinist premillennial eschatology (and therefore is a sophisticated response to the Left Behind series), though the show branches out to other traditions by season 3. The show really manages to build empathy for characters who appear to have been abandoned by God to ever-increasing torment and despair.
I got excited when I saw you made this video.
It was a fantastic show. Thanks for mixing it in on the channel!
Loved the show, awesome you're reviewing it.
First, thank you for your wonderful contributions to the education about religions. I have a suggestion for a topic. The dates of different early Islamic sources/books (ibn ishaq, ibn hisham ..etc )are always in the debate when it comes to the History and historicity of Islam. I think it would be a very needed project to categorize early Muslim sources starting from the earliest sources showing what survive to the modern times of these books either in full or as quoted in other subsequent works. a project like this would put a more accurate perspective of different Muslim works and how close they were to the events they describe. also, it would be a very handy tool for researchers of early Islamic history and medieval history, in general, to look back to.
I hope there are more shows that warrant your review! They'd be worth watching.
I loved this show and all of Flanagan's other work but this one hit close to home. It plays on the idea of the Invisible church but turned us into vampires. It even mentions DMT and the female characters monologue at the end about what happens when you die was great.
I love Flanagan's work. And yes, the Haunting of House Hill is brilliant. Midnight Mass also brings in the fanatic enabler. Father Paul is, in some respects, manipulated by Bev. She's pumped on power and veers off easily into fanaticism. How many awful things does she do in Father Paul's name? She reminds me of Ma Anand Sheela's relationship with the Bhagwan Rajneesh.
Same didn’t know what I was starting to watch and this was the perfect way.
Yes, the discussion about the after life make great sense.
I was really excited to see you review this show, I finished it a couple days ago too - I would absolutely love to hear you review more pieces of pop culture especially if they have to do with religion! Your videos are definitely a joy to watch, especially now after just having started my theology studies in the university. 😁
I myself can't help but think the show started to feel a little sloppy plot-wise; it started off so serene and the conversations people had with each other were deep and meaningful, the Bible verses sprinkled here and there and the choir music gave the show such a profound and touching atmosphere and Hamish Linklater's performance was beyond skillful, but after the physical appearance of the "angel" it began to feel more of an action show than a horror one. Now the fault is mainly in my own expectations, but I was hoping that the angel would never be actually shown and that it would stay as a mystical and secretive being that no-one truly knows what it is - maybe Monsignor Pruitt only thinks it's a messenger of God, but in reality it's more like those fallen angels that set chaos on Earth upon reproducing with humans and the like, and that Pruitt would stay consistent as a character and true to his cause to "revive" the island throughout the show instead of sort of... falling apart towards the end when it's revealed that he wished to heal Mildred and keep her and his daughter safe, after that it started to feel more like a common love story than a deep, religious horror story.
But in its entirety it was 100% an enjoyable show to watch, there were multiple moments that it moved me to tears and I couldn't help but binge the whole show through, it was very addictive and kept me at the edge of my seat for the most part! And it left me with so much to think about, for better or for worse. 😅
My feelings too Emilia! I feel the pacing sped up too much as it got to the more explicit horror scenes, and that more could have been mined out of the theology of the "evil Angel" and the relationship between the 'miraculous' granting of worldly desires (youth, health, love) and the underlying spiritual vampirism at play. But the fact that I was wanting more just shows how successful the show really was in so many ways.
This is exactly what I thought!
I loved this show so much. I'm glad you came across it and enjoyed it too. It was sooooo well written shot and produced. Wish I could watch it again for the first time. LMAO I did have a pillow close by when I was watching tbh especially episode 2 when bowl was walking past the house the vampire was camping in.
Great review. I'm too scared to watch it on my own. I've shared it for the folks that would prefer to understand these topics in a visceral kind of way. I love to study these topics but tend to keep it cerebral and contemplate the real life versions I've encountered. Maybe one day I'll have someone to watch it with who can help scan it for scary bits for me.
It does get pretty disturbing.
Dear Friends,
Riley's atheism is the most beautiful I have ever seen. It arose out of the regret of not even breaking in a heedless destruction of the life of what in the last shots looks like a Native American blooded girl.
Colonialism's redemption, and Christianity's noble (in the end) self immolation for its own errors and pleasant delusions. Amazing writing.
Salaam.
very good review and insightful. what are your thoughts on Netflix's The Messiah? review?
I loved Midnight Mass for all the reasons you mentioned.While this is a great video, I would have loved to hear your thoughts on particular scenes, characters, and plot points. with no regard for spoilers.
I loved this series! So well-done and thought-provoking.
Yes! I agree! Could go on all day about this show!
While I fully agree with everything you said in the video (Midnight Mass might be one of the best things I've watched this year, together with the movie Bliss, and much of that for the reasons you praise it), both me and my wife came away from this video a little bit disappointed.
Don't take this as a harsh criticism, we're well aware that media review isn't the primary purpose of the channel and you still did well in that regard, but one thing we agreed on was that we had expected more discussion / analysis of the actual presentation of religious thought in the show. I would have loved to hear some of your impressions of the specific conversations between Father Paul and Riley, or between various characters and Bev Keane. While watching, I really enjoyed the various religious viewpoints presented in the show, how people relate to the church and the Bible, the role of violence in Biblical narratives, what constitutes an afterlife, and so on. I think you, being one of the most valuable resources on RUclips for information on religious thought, are in a fantastic position to dig into the nitty gritty of these conversations and provide context for what's being said on screen.
That said, I still really appreciate this video! There aren't that many online shows more fitting than Midnight Mass to be covered on your channel, and I thought your review of it touched on most everything that makes it great.
omg, i'd love to see you do a review of nina paley's sita "sing's the blues" and "seder-masochism"
I've watched all of Flanagan's series and most of his movies and I think that, by far, this is his opus magnum. Very very underrated piece.
As an excatholic, this show is one of the greatest and most important pieces of art I’ve ever seen
I loved the series .. thanks for covering it
At your recommendation I did see the first episode last night. You're correct. It's impressive. Thank you. I'm tired of jump scares and car chases.
I watched all 7 episodes in 2 days, without reading or listening to any info about it ahead of time, as you suggest. I was captivated from the start and then persuaded my husband, who hates horror, to watch, so I saw the whole series a second time the same week. I think it's excellent, and I think it speaks about the religious extremism in our political culture as well as staying only in the religious realm. And the show touches on other subjects as well, like climate breakdown. Just great all around.
I thought that motives behind the formulation of the movement also interwove relationships, island politics and power hierarchies. I didn’t see the priest as a character that was at the very origo of the ‘movement’. Instead, I saw his actions as ones that created opportunities for people on the island to go after their own goals.
A dwindling settlement, and active church represents a bygone time that some may want to get back. Some people held power on the island and saw the church as a way of accumulating it or safeguarding it-and so on. People were not only victims of charisma, but also their own vices.
The priest wanted to inspire people to see faith as he did, but he was also naive. I interpreted that the showrunnes intentionally represented his faith as that of an older generation-a bit out of touch with contemporary values and ideas. I saw him as a character attempting to manifest a vision of priesthood and faith that he had perhaps idealised when younger. In that way the priest’s story, for me, was one of not being able to let go and being lead astray as a result. Vampire stories often include thematically similar elements-people want to avoid dying and end up making a bargain with worse terms than they expected.
Generally speaking, I have to admit that I found the series to be drawn out. I feel like a few episodes could have been dropped, in which case we wouldn’t have had to spend as much time waiting for reveals we already knew were coming. I also hoped that there had been a bit more of a payoff at the end as, what ended up being the only major twist, was revealed quite early on by my recollection. Maybe something to do with the priest’s daughter for instance.
Some really great moments in there, but for me not quite enough to fill all the air time. I really liked the muslim-christianity juxtaposition and the questions that gave rise to, the priest and the devout teacher were performed very well. These things carried the show for me. The storyline with the town drunk was also interesting. The storyline for the protagonist and the pregnant woman wasn’t compelling for me which is a shame because a lot of time was devoted to it.
Binged all of it today just so i can watch your video
I doubt I would have watched it, but now I think I'll check it out. Netflix should use this as a review.
this is a good content and very well done
I'll probably get around to watching this at some point. But I'm done with Netflix and streaming sites in general at the moment, so it'll probably be a while.
I mostly agree with you about Flanagan's approach to jump scares. It's a cheap way of getting a reaction... Except... The Haunting of Hill House, has one of the best jump scares I've ever known in any work of fiction. Flannigan knows the beauty of a jump scare. He just chooses when to use them
Loved this.
Thanks!
Personnally I found it quite predictable but Flanagan is an excellent writer and the performances and the themes were do enjoyable that I didn't mind, the cinematography was great and the themes of faith were very thought provoking
It was an incredible series!
Loved this review. And the show.
I was kind of in awe of the writing. To see a horror show that was simultaneously an incredibly nuanced meditation on faith in its various displays, an exploration of cult dynamics, and a continuation of the Anne Rice 'vampire Jesus' narrative left me a bit speechless. A +++.
Cults are a topic greatly brought up in Korean dramas. I suggest Save Me 1 and 2, Children of a Lesser God, Children of Nobody, LUCA as a few dramas you could watch and review.
Loved the show, Glad it caught your attention
thank you, I will go back to it
I found this series quite compelling, well written and well acted.
Is funny how I just finished watching the show yesterday and now there is a review on it.
loved this series but i was expecting you to talk more about the fallen angels as the symbology with the golden eyes and the halo and pale like skins seemed a bit angelic was hopping you would dive more into the fallen angel lore
That seems like a job for a theologian!
Good video as usually! However I would have liked some comments on the view of angels (especially towards the end). Since I'm an atheist I would like to know if the interpretation of angels as being scary, terrifying sights are "correct" according to scripture or not.
It is definitely true that when people in the old testament encounter angels, it is not a pleasant experience. The power of God (expressed through the intermediary of an angelic figure) is so powerful that the person experiencing it is often left shaking with fear.
They never suck people's blood, though.
Amazing show, highly recommended.
Another series similar(?) to this, I think, is Daredevil. This series takes into discussion the very topics Daredevil is too scared to take up. I honestly feel Midnight Mass is a fulfilment of Daredevil. Apart from the fact that some the monologues are agonisingly long, this is one of the finest series I have ever seen.
Great insight into an awesome and unique series! I’d like to see more videos where you tackle pop culture and religion.
i did a video about the theological topics of midnight mass as well. and when my mother watched it, she was kinda upset because she told me that she does get that these topics are important to me, but she doesnt like it when religion is talked about like "we" do it in videos or even, one step back, how flannagan does it in midnight mass. i wasnt aware, obliviously maybe, how easy it is to make people be annoyed with "religion in media" even when, like with flannagan, someone actually does care about these things.
Thank you for this review! I binged this whole series in a day when it first came out. The end description of what happens to a soul after the body dies was beautiful and moving (yes, I understand it was a construction of the writer and none of us really knows what happens.) I NEED to believe that this is what happens as I've been wracked and tormented with this question since the death of a close family member not quite a year ago.
Sure, it's all a construction of the writer, but everything said can also be connected with religious and philosophical traditions that has a long and deep history. So it doesn't have to be less legitimate.
@@LetsTalkReligion Thanks for acknowledging that. I really appreciate it.
I love this series. I had goosebumps
Can you go over conference of the birds?
Nice explained
Una review hecha con amor
Please make a video on life and works of alfaraabi
“First of all, no that’s not me on the cover.”
Great positive analysis I literally finished watching it yesterday evening! Brilliant timing. I really enjoy the intertwining of religion, culture & fiction
a gem like Feria.
Thought it was an amazing show, no doubt about it. But definitely as a religious person I came away feeling like the show ultimately landed on the side of atheism and that the show doesn't treat religion as evil, but it does treat it as a coping mechanism. Left me feeling conflicted about my feelings about the show
You don't need to agree with the message of the director. That's fine. Flanagan grew up Catholic, and his life experiences brought him to atheism. That's his history, and it's very evident in his story telling, but he notably isn't one to tell you that faith is invalid.
I think Flanagan wanted to show more how weaponizing faith was dangerous. Riley's faith in atheism had some pretty toxic elements in the beginning, as how he treated the priest initially was unnecessarily rude, derisive, and dismissive. But he also shows the beauty of faith. Riley's mother's faith in God brings about a really poignant moment of sacrifice and the Sheriff's faith helps give him a moral backbone.
It's a complicated work, and it's supposed to leave you feeling conflicted.
Idk if I’d call what this show does “nuanced” at least in a vacuum… but it is definitely more respectful of religion than most movies and television trying to bring up the topic. I like that over the course show nobody is convinced by some grand argument to change their faith or view points and everyone exits the show with largely the same beliefs they entered with. Overall some of the characters are campy and ridiculous portrayals of hyper devout Catholics *cough* Bev (although as a Trad Cath I know many people like her) but I think this is the point. (Correct me if I’m wrong)… I’d definitely like to see Flanagan tackle this subject again. Also I’m not the biggest Kate Siegel fan but I find her character in this super preachy and overbearing but that’s probably just me.
Scary thing is monseigneur Paul' voice flow sounds a bit like yours, where is this channel heading exactly??🤔
Have not watched it, don't think will ever watch, can't stand any horrific scenes, but I am curious to know if it is to be considered another modern adaptation of the classical Faust theme?
I loved Midnight Mass!
You should Review the anime ‘Virgin Witch Maria’. It’s based on Christian lore and is surprisingly theologically and historically literate. ☝️
Yo, review time!!