Midnight Mass

This series could have used more monologues...

I really enjoyed it for the most part, it goes all the way instead of having some cheap abrupt 'clever' ending. Some of the reveals happen earlier than I anticipated which was nice. The atmosphere of the small island town and the characters; especially the priest and that cunt sidekick woman were really good. My only criticism is the constant prolonged monologues that have no cuts. I can see what he was trying to do but they go on a bit too long, it draws attention to itself and disrupts the flow of the show from time to time. Overall I'd give it an 8/10.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. We watched the first episode last night after dinner and ended up powering through the whole series in a good old fashioned Netflix Binge.

Very much an introspective series with lots of monologues (that will be mined for auditions for years). Had a major family death a couple weeks ago and the monologues about what happens when we die really got to me, but in a cathartic way.

The acting was too notch and I love the way Flannagan plays with camera angles and edits in his series. Yes he keeps writing amazing parts for his wife, but so long as she keeps delivering I am fine with this nepotism.

This was garbage. Typical Netflix; anti-christian, science and gays save the day. They even found time to fit in an "poor Muslims getting discriminated" plot. Too bad too, because they had the makings of an excellent horror setting.

I actually viewed it as very pro-Christian inasmuch as it's a love-letter to Flanagan's memories of growing up as an altar boy as well as holding a mirror up to faith. The only character that's anti-Christian is, ironically enough, the character that likes to think of herself as a Jesus Warrior. Even the devout atheist, Riley, is sympathetic to Erin's notion of God and death.

Every episode was aligned with a biblical chapter and in each there were literal and allegorical references to the core material.

This show suffers from the same flaw as every other Hollywood production that involves a Church. The director and actor have clearly never stepped foot in a catholic Church.

Its goddam ridiculous. Its like if someone who didnt speak Spanish or ever heard any Spanish, tried to write and direct dialogue en espanol. Lacking any actual knowledge of the language, they just insert a bunch of foreign words cobbled together from other languages. "Sounds spanish to me!"

Meanwhile actual Spanish speakers watching the show are like wtf is that?

Some readers are wondering what I'm on about. After all, this show for once used actual old-school Hymns and actual Bible verses. And that is true. Usually TV shows make up Bible verses that sound nothing like anything found in the Bible. That part was good. I was initially hopeful.

Then the priest started his "sermon". Oh lord.


If they had instead had the priest fall to his knees and start reciting the Aloha Snackbar, it would have been a more accurate depiction of a catholic church service. He could have worn a goddam yarmulke and conducted the whole service in Yiddish and it would *still* have been a more accurate depiction of Catholicism than that fucking service.


What the actual fuck, hollywood. Ya know, there are plenty of videos of catholic services if youre afraid you'll burst into flames for stepping into the actual church to do research. This isnt some secret ritual you're not allowed to see. You're actually welcome to come check it out, in churches across the country, every Sunday.

So what is the fucking excuse for this gibberish?

(Otherwise - really enjoying the show)

Episode 5 was great. Now, onto the last 2 episodes.

This show is awesome despite its issues. it just feels like every one of the main actors is giving it 110%, along with the writers.

We bitch about characters whose motivations dont make sense. The main character in this... they set up his backstory so well, that his end made perfect sense. Exactly how he'd want to go out. And it was a good plan! If only she'd listened...

I think one more episode to go, hope they dont fuck the ending

Aldarion said:

This show suffers from the same flaw as every other Hollywood production that involves a Church. The director and actor have clearly never stepped foot in a catholic Church.

Its goddam ridiculous. Its like if someone who didnt speak Spanish or ever heard any Spanish, tried to write and direct dialogue en espanol. Lacking any actual knowledge of the language, they just insert a bunch of foreign words cobbled together from other languages. "Sounds spanish to me!"

Meanwhile actual Spanish speakers watching the show are like wtf is that?

Some readers are wondering what I'm on about. After all, this show for once used actual old-school Hymns and actual Bible verses. And that is true. Usually TV shows make up Bible verses that sound nothing like anything found in the Bible. That part was good. I was initially hopeful.

Then the priest started his "sermon". Oh lord.


If they had instead had the priest fall to his knees and start reciting the Aloha Snackbar, it would have been a more accurate depiction of a catholic church service. He could have worn a goddam yarmulke and conducted the whole service in Yiddish and it would *still* have been a more accurate depiction of Catholicism than that fucking service.


What the actual fuck, hollywood. Ya know, there are plenty of videos of catholic services if youre afraid you'll burst into flames for stepping into the actual church to do research. This isnt some secret ritual you're not allowed to see. You're actually welcome to come check it out, in churches across the country, every Sunday.

So what is the fucking excuse for this gibberish?

(Otherwise - really enjoying the show)

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Well no idea bout spanish, but from what i remember (used to go to church with my family 20 years ago), the mass that was portrayed was pretty much the same as the one i used to go ( im italian btw, so yea catholic). The prayers used, the hymns sang the sermon (sermon was pretty much on spot, i do remember priest rambling for 30min) and the prayers used after sermon were exactly as the one used here. Now i have no clue bout american catholic mass, since from what ive seen there are plenty different groups and lot of different "churches", but what i can tell from an italian EX catholic, is that i reconized pretty much everything they were doing, and what they were doing were pretty much what i used to listen at when i was a kid wasting a hour on sunday with my family.

Regarding the show i enjoyed it.

nyn said:

Well no idea bout spanish, but from what i remember (used to go to church with my family 20 years ago), the mass that was portrayed was pretty much the same as the one i used to go ( im italian btw, so yea catholic). The prayers used, the hymns sang the sermon and the prayers used after sermon were exactly as the one used here. Now i have no clue bout american catholic mass, since from what ive seen there are plenty different groups and lot of different "churches", but what i can tell from an EX catholic, is that i reconized it pretty much everything they were doing, and what they were doing were pretty much what i used to when i was a kid wasting a hour on sunday with my family.

Regarding the show i enjoyed it.

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No, I agree -- all that stuff was a good representation of the Catholic service.

Just not the sermon. Catholics don't shout and get excited during the sermon. The sermon is a sedate, almost academic discussion. It is also a minor part of the service in the catholic church compared to Protestant churches.

The director clearly thought Catholics and Southern Baptists act the same. This priest was channeling a Southern Baptist. No catholic priest gives a sermon like that.

Aldarion said:

This show suffers from the same flaw as every other Hollywood production that involves a Church. The director and actor have clearly never stepped foot in a catholic Church.

Its goddam ridiculous. Its like if someone who didnt speak Spanish or ever heard any Spanish, tried to write and direct dialogue en espanol. Lacking any actual knowledge of the language, they just insert a bunch of foreign words cobbled together from other languages. "Sounds spanish to me!"

Meanwhile actual Spanish speakers watching the show are like wtf is that?

Some readers are wondering what I'm on about. After all, this show for once used actual old-school Hymns and actual Bible verses. And that is true. Usually TV shows make up Bible verses that sound nothing like anything found in the Bible. That part was good. I was initially hopeful.

Then the priest started his "sermon". Oh lord.


If they had instead had the priest fall to his knees and start reciting the Aloha Snackbar, it would have been a more accurate depiction of a catholic church service. He could have worn a goddam yarmulke and conducted the whole service in Yiddish and it would *still* have been a more accurate depiction of Catholicism than that fucking service.


What the actual fuck, hollywood. Ya know, there are plenty of videos of catholic services if youre afraid you'll burst into flames for stepping into the actual church to do research. This isnt some secret ritual you're not allowed to see. You're actually welcome to come check it out, in churches across the country, every Sunday.

So what is the fucking excuse for this gibberish?

(Otherwise - really enjoying the show)

Click to expand...

Watched it with a couple of Catholics here in Massachusetts (one Irish American from Southie, one Italian American from Revere) and they had the opposite reaction. Mike Flannagan was born and raised in Salem so perhaps his (and their) experience was substantially different from yours?

ah if u refer bout that, i kinda agree too, but also gave it in to the fact that the priest was being altered by the virus maybe? i mean on the first one he did when he got into the island he was pretty tame if im not mistaken.

reavor said:

Yeah, the show had a lot of strengths, but the usual SJW crap snuk in and brought it down a few notches.

Spoiler

the death of the main character was stupid. here watch me comit suicide in a moronic attempt to convince you to run. oh, I guess you're just going back to the island anyway.

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Youre missing it. His death made perfect sense.