TV shows like FROM don’t build suspense only for the sake of eliciting fear. Instead, they tell unique stories built around believable characters, with meaningful dialogues that resonate with viewers. While horror shows should always deliver good scares, pursuing that without a fine story often guarantees futile storytelling. FROM’s acclaim isn’t just because it is a scary show, but one that feels real to the audience. The horror mystery anchors a genuine sense of tension propelled by a great story and good performances from the cast.
The television series created by John Griffin for Epix, now MGM+, premiered on February 20, 2022, to enthusiastic praise from critics and the audience. It returned for Season 2 in April 2023 and continues to thrill fans with its tale about residents of an uncanny town in the middle of the United States. They are mysteriously trapped in the town where they strive to live a normal life while facing the night monsters and searching for an escape. Although FROM has abundant moments of originality, it is thematically similar to several shows, including the following.
1. Lost
The similarities between FROM and Lost extend beyond both shows having the same executive producers. Lost has tropes akin to FROM and also stars Harold Perrineau who plays Boyd Stevens in the latter series. Based on these facts, it is fair to suggest that the MGM+ series seeks to recapture Lost’s charm. But at the core of their elements, both shows are different. Lost premiered in September 2004 and aired on ABC for six seasons which concluded in May 2010, with a total of 121 episodes. The show created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof revolves around the survivors of a plane crash who must work together to survive a mysterious island.
2. The Last of Us
HBO’s The Last of Us ranks among the best TV shows like FROM. The post-apocalyptic drama follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they journey across the United States after a global pandemic that leaves civilization in ruins. Based on Naughty Dog’s 2013 action-adventure game of the same title, the series premiered in January 2023 to rave reviews and was immediately renewed for a second season. While The Last of Us fundamentally tells a different story, its character depth and monsters bring FROM to mind. It also conveys a genuine fear of being trapped with no escape as the pandemic is global with zombie-like creatures roaming the earth.
3. Midnight Mass
Like FROM, Midnight Mass has a solid narrative drive rooted in a compelling story that keeps viewers engaged. The supernatural horror miniseries was released on Netflix in September 2021 to favorable reviews. Created and directed by Mike Flanagan, Midnight Mass tells the story of an isolated island community that experiences miraculous and supernatural events following the arrival of a charismatic young priest. The miniseries received many nominations for coveted awards with Mike Flanagan, James Flanagan, and Jeff Howard winning the Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay. It has 87% approval ratings on Rotten Tomatoes with an audience score of 78%.
4. Wayward Pines
It’s quite easy to see why Wayward Pines is classed among television shows like FROM. The premise of the sci-fi drama series centers on a mysterious town where inhabitants are trapped. The series premiered on Fox in May 2015 and aired 10 episodes for its first season which received positive reviews. Fox renewed the show based on Blake Crouch‘s Wayward Pines novels for a second season in December 2015. Season 2 received mixed reviews and only managed a 43% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a significant drop from Season 1’s approval rating of 78%. Fox opted to cancel the show in 2018 after much deliberation for Season 3.
5. The Society
Netflix’s The Society tells the story of a group of teenagers who returns from a canceled field trip to discover the mysterious disappearance of other residents of their wealthy town. While they grapple to make sense of the mystery, they must as well forge and run their own society with no contact with the outside world. The teen drama created by Christopher Keyser received warm approval following its release on Netflix in May 2019. The series aired 10 episodes for its first season and was renewed for a second season in July 2019. However, Netflix canceled the show in August 2020 due to COVID-related issues.
6. Under the Dome
In Under the Dome, a mysterious force descends on a small town and cuts its residents off from the rest of the world. While attempts are made to break down the transparent dome, the residents must embrace their fate and make the best of their diminishing resources. This premise makes the sci-fi mystery drama series one of the shows like FROM, although the storylines are significantly different. Based on Stephen King‘s 2009 novel of the same title, the series developed by Brian K. Vaughan premiered on CBS in June 2013 and aired for three seasons which concluded in September 2015. While it ran, it mostly received good reviews, especially the first season.
7. The Midwich Cuckoos
Unlike other TV shows like FROM, The Midwich Cuckoos doesn’t evoke the fear of being perpetually trapped and disconnected from the rest of the world. Yet it delivers a good scare with its unique story about a small town in England subjugated by an alien presence for an entire day; after which it was learned that many of the town’s women are pregnant. Created by David Farr, the horror drama based on John Wyndham’s 1957 sci-fi novel of the same title premiered on Sky Max in June 2022.
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