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Into The Dark (2018)
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Hulu’s Into the Dark has a wickedly simple premise. Each month it releases another roughly hour and a half episode from a different director. That’s it! There’s no need for plot, character, or even universe consistency, the episode just has to fit somewhere into the world of horror. Since Into the Dark launched last October, the streaming service has worked around the clock to create a scary alternative to every major holiday. Want a scary movie for Halloween? Thanksgiving? Christmas? New Year’s? Valentine’s Day? Into the Dark has you covered.
Because there are next to no stylistic rules to this series, created in partnership with Blumhouse Productions (the company behind The Purge, Happy Death Day, and Paranormal Activity), Into the Dark installments can range from bloody B-level camp, to innovative psychological horror. That means this series has a lot of room to create some of the most interesting creepy movies on streaming. It also means there have been a fair amount of wild swings, and even wilder misses in this series’ short run. Just as with horror movies themselves, not all horror episodes are created equal.
That’s where we come in. Below is Decider’s take on Into the Dark episodes, ranked from worst, to best. Get to streaming, but try to remember to keep the lights on while you watch.
'Into the Dark: The Body'
Paul Davis’ take on a Halloween night gone wrong tried to play with a lot. Sometimes it wanted us to cringe in real horror at the idea of a sociopath dragging a dead body through the streets of LA. Sometimes it wanted to be a horror comedy romp filled with bloody kills. At least in its third act, it wanted to be an epic, female-driven revenge fantasy. Instead of committing to any one of these good things, The Body was a frustrating mess of none of them. It was a good call casting Aurora Perrineau (Truth or Dare), David Hull (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and Ray Santiago (Ash vs. Evil Dead), who are all the best parts of this episode. The rest though? There are better options out there.
'Into the Dark: Flesh & Blood'
Flesh & Blood‘s roots are so connected to a classic mystery story it almost feels unfair to call it a horror installment. Directed by Patrick Lussier, the episode follows a young woman (Diana Silvers) who has to face Thanksgiving after her mom’s death. As the holiday continues, she becomes less and less certain she’s safe in her own home. The central mystery of the episode is good enough to be entertaining, and Silvers and Dermot Mulroney give solid performances. That being said, the episode leans too much into B-horror schlock.
'Into the Dark: Pooka!'
Hulu, Blumhouse, and Into the Dark get major “what the hell” props for their Christmas production. Pooka! is a Christmas tale that follows the just-weird-enough-to-work ethos. Director Nacho Vigalondo’s episode follows an unemployed actor (Nyasha Hatendi) in need of work. His desperation leads him to becoming the anonymous person behind the Pooka! mascot, a popular toy that says selective phrases in either a naughty or nice tone. Slowly, the costume and the character starts to overtake Wilson’s life, leading to one deeply unnerving mental collapse. Structurally, Pooka! isn’t the strongest horror installment on this list. Once you know where it’s going, the episode loses some of its charm. However it stands as Into the Dark‘s first must-see installment.
'Into the Dark: Down'
Who hasn’t stepped onto an elevator and briefly panicked about getting stuck? Down takes that rational fear to its emotional limits by exploring two co-workers (Natalie Martinez and Matt Lauria) whose claustrophobic nightmare turns into a budding romance. But this is Into the Dark we’re talking about… Things don’t stay happy for long in this Valentine’s Day special. Director Daniel Stamm’s episode is highly ambitious in its narrow scope, entertaining due to its central couple, and genuinely thrilling. It’s a good hour and half of horror.
'Into the Dark: New Year, New You'
There’s a lot of worry in the world of horror about creating art while still delivering something with mainstream appeal. In that regard, an anthology series on a streaming service should feel like a pro-risk endeavor. So far, only Sophia Takal’s episode has taken advantage of Into the Dark‘s experimental nature, and New Year, New You is all the better for it. Starring Carly Chaikin, Suki Waterhouse, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Melissa Bergland, the episode follows four best friends as they get together for New Year’s Eve. But as the night progresses it become clear the theme of their party isn’t resolutions or even their jealousy over their friend’s viral success. It’s about secrets. New Year, New You‘s dazzling performances paired with its unsettling Halloween-esque camerawork turn a happy premise into a barbed and uncomfortable scream about the toxicity of social media and unrealistic expectations.
