The 96% RT Horror Series Stephen King Fans Must Watch

While more Stephen King shows continue to dominate the TV slate, fans of the author’s work will also enjoy an unrelated horror series that is one of the genre’s top current entries. In addition to direct adaptations of these works, Stephen King’s seminal horror novels of the ‘70s and ‘80s like Carrie, The Shining, Salem’s Lot, IT, and The Stand can be found as influences on many of today’s hit horror shows.

That said, only a few direct Stephen King TV adaptations could be considered masterpiece horror series. HBO’s The Outsider remains one of its top horror shows, but outside of series like Mr. Mercedes and Castle Rock, some recent adaptations of his work on the small screen have been quite divisive or failed to garner the same widespread appreciation as the King novels they’re based on, like The Stand or Under the Dome.

As such, finding more great shows that reflect the tone, themes, twists, and brilliance of King’s horror novels may require stepping outside his adaptations. Some of TV’s best current horrors are stories that feel like they come directly from a King novel, but are actually original stories with heavy King inspirations. That’s the case for MGM+’s top horror release, which is essential viewing for fans of Stephen King.

From’s Premise & Tone Are Very Similar To Stephen King Stories

While it’s not actually based on a Stephen King story, MGM+’s horror show From certainly feels like it. The hit series follows a group of strangers who become mysteriously trapped in a town while traveling, with the location being haunted by nocturnal creatures and plenty of other supernatural horrors.

The notion of strangers being brought together in a specific location to form a new society amid so many horrifying unknowns is very reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Stand, which also shares poignant themes of the battle between good and evil. Additionally, From’s characters being inexplicably trapped in a town bears similarities to King’s novel Under the Dome.

Furthermore, From’s terrifying monsters that attack the residents at night have drawn comparisons to the vampires of King’s novel ‘Salem’s Lot. Additionally, the monsters seemingly feeding on the residents’ fears, desperation, and loss of hope is similar to the concept of IT’s evil entity Pennywise.

The dark, supernatural tone of From mirrors the mood of many iconic Stephen King horror stories, with From’s Boyd Stevens also experiencing several of the community and family-driven conflicts and attitudes of protagonists in King’s hit novels. It shouldn’t be too surprising that From should draw so many comparisons, however, as the series is executive produced by Mr. Mercedes, Under the Dome, and The Institute director Jack Bender.

With an overall Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% from critics across its first three seasons, From stands out as one of the most critically acclaimed and consistent horror shows on TV. With From season 4 also on the way, the show is the perfect horror fix for Stephen King fans looking to expand outside adaptations of the author’s work.

Stephen King Himself Has Approved Of From

Image made by Yeider Chacon

If fans needed any more convincing to watch From, all they have to do is look to Stephen King himself. King praised From back in 2023 on Twitter, calling the series a “wonderful concept, beautifully handled.” He doubled down on his support for From that year when recommending it to his followers on Twitter:

“If you’re a horror fan and not watching FROM, you should get with it. Scary sh*t.”

While King hasn’t been directly involved with From, his continued support of the show is among the highest praise that a horror project can get. As the show goes on, its similarities to Stephen King’s work will likely only increase, making it a great TV refuge for fans of the author.

From

8/10

Release Date: February 20, 2022
Network: Epix, MGM+
Directors: Jack Bender, Brad Turner, Alexandra La Roche, Bruce McDonald, Jeff Renfroe
Writers: Vivian Lee, Kristen Layden, Brigitte Hales