The Mist S01E02 - Withdrawal (2017)

Review

So Adrian, Kevin, Mia, and Bryan are still hanging at the Police station after Connor took off, the team decide they will make a break for it and head to the mall to hook up with Adrian's family. Meanwhile Connor crashes into a moose, of all things, but makes it to the church. Adrian's crew exit the Police station, grab a handy car, and get the show on the road. In an interesting decision Mia is driving, because she is a junkie facing withdrawal and all, and she immediately crashes the car after avoiding some carjackers. The team also make the church, which then offers some interesting meet and greets.

Over at the mall, Gus the manager is getting everything into lockdown mode as he determines they need to keep whatever is out in the mist in the great outdoors. Eve, Alex, and Kimi Lucero go upstairs to lock up a couple of doors, assume those are to the carpark, and discover a body in a hallway simply oozing with mist. She informs Gus, right about the time some random named Clint mentions an emergency radio, which just so happens to be in the security office, in the admin wing, which is down the hallway chock full of mist and not yet seen dangers. Eve is elected to go get the radio, but on the bright side Clint agrees to accompany her; we discover darker motives are happening. Arrowhead is the word kids, hold onto your knickers we're going in.

If anything episode two of The Mist throws three ideas onto the table and gets us more familiar with our leading characters, and underlines just how good the soundtrack is. Folks if expecting a fast moving show then you are in the wrong franchise, the delights being delivered in this one are being slowly revealed, though I have to say we are still rocking out as the tension keeps on tracking like a close test match.

Society is breaking down like a wad of paper in a rain storm, there's some reading between the lines, but those who should be in charge aren't really stepping up to the plate. Gus Bradley, the mall manager might talk the talk but when it comes to decisive action he kind of melts into the background and finds someone else who can do the business. Similarly Connor, who is meant to protect and serve, does a runner at the first sign of trouble but is the big man when things are back on level ground. Basically Connor is the arsehole that you hope won't last more than a few episodes, and preferably who meets something really nasty in the mist. So expect new leadership to merge, which might not be quite what the survivors may want to deal with, there's already movement at the church, you just can't keep a good fundamentalist away from crazy in the arse ideas after all.

Excellent second episode that works off the plot lines and characters established in the first episode.

We are now two episodes into the first season and besides the mist being pervasive we still have no idea what might be lurking out beyond closed doors. Our groups of survivors are currently content to hole up and wait for the authorities to arrive, with the odd person deciding it might be a chemical leak or some cock up by the military. People are aware of the danger they are in but not what it actually is. With the body count starting to mount up over at the mall panic can't be far away. So can't wait for the first creature feature to kick in, characters are going to lose their stuff big way. Perhaps the only issue we have is the interpersonal dramas might head on down zombie trial and leave very little space for the nasty. Still it's kind of cool being well ahead of the characters and just waiting for something slimy and tentacled to unleash onto our screens.

Thankfully things kick into plot gear during this episode to keep us on the Stephen King path to B grade monster awesomeness and it's all about Arrowhead. Clint is clearly trying to contact whatever Arrowhead is but totally underestimates Eve, who can kick arse with the best of them. But not only does Clint fall victim to Eve, but also might have had an encounter with something unseen in the mist. Interestingly Clint seems to have been a member of a four person group, and we can account for two others. Jay, our raping quarter back and son of Connor, is washing his hands late at night when he notices two disposable members of Clint's team have committed suicide by the ever popular hanging. For fans of the original King novel and Frank Darabont's 2007 movie, this scene is a direct tie in. Clearly whatever is happening mist wise the Arrowhead folk aren't staying up to catch the special features.

What I did note during this episode was the above average music score being used. Giona Ostinelli lays down the notes with resounding effect, heightening the tension and forcing the atmosphere up a notch. I was on board throughout and was bopping along to the soundscape Ostinelli was laying down. There was this overwhelming oppressive atmosphere due to the score that kept me wide eyed and bushy tailed throughout.

Withdrawal keeps the standard of the first episode going in emphatic style. So things are moving slowly but the pieces are definitely being positioned on the board for later in the season. At this stage of the season we are talking things being tense rather than scary, though the atmosphere was keeping me on edge as I expected something to come at us from out of the mist at any moment. The best we get is a moose, but there was the odd indication that things were lurking in wait. If you don't mind taking things down the slow lane then you are in for a great time with The Mist, highly recommended folks, dial into this one before too much longer.