When it comes to horror television, Mike Flanagan is one of the few people that can give you something to talk about. Make no mistake, his feature films are impressive. There’s an emotional tone that the writer/director always seems to get right, and hisStephen King adaptationsare good enough to put him beside Darabont as someone capable of portraying the impossible. His relationship with Netflix is solid, and it has allowed him to create exceptional content in film and TV.
The Haunting of Hill Houseis already a modern classic.The Haunting of Bly Manorwas good enough to keep him on the map. ButMidnight Massproved he could also make an original show based on his own ideas. The beautiful story about a remote island facing the unimaginable is also an emotional take on the several shades of unconditional love and how redemption can be represented by the unacceptable.
However, Flanagan’s miniseries is definitely not for everybody. The religious element is deep and heavily relevant to the plot. Even the score will remind you of going to church with your family. Flanagan is set on designing a setting that’s authentic enough to make you feel like Crockett Island is home. But home can also be corrupted. An isolated community whose only law seems to come from religious values that haven’t changed much in decades.
Then again, as serious as the show gets, it’sstill a creature feature. The creature in question is a vampire, but Flanagan never calls him that because nothing is simple about his approach to the classic horror genre. It’s much less evil in nature, but it’s still a show where rules apply. But without further ado, let’s go back a couple of years and see the cast ofMidnight Mass, one of the best horror miniseries in recent TV history.
Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater)
InHamish Linklater’sbest performance of his career, he plays Father Paul Hill, the religious figure who has made Crockett Island return to church. He has the ability to cure the sick and disabled, but then he can also return from death itself. Hill has a horrible secret that becomes the miniseries' horror device, and the reason for the more skeptic to feel like there’s something wrong in St. Patrick’s Church. Audiences may recognize the actor from his previous work in Fargo,Fantastic Four, andBattleship.
Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford)
Riley is a black sheep. He returns home after serving some time in prison because of a fatal accident he caused. He’s skeptic, angry, and doesn’t believe religion will save him, like his parents do. Played byFriday Night Lights’Zach Gilford, Riley’s redemption comes after he reunited with his childhood sweetheart and realizes there’s more to Father Hill than people are able to watch. His death is heart-wrenching.
Related:How Friday Night Lights Revitalized Itself Halfway Through Its Airing
ThoughFriday Night Lightsis arguably Gilford’s most popular project, audiences can also see him inCriminal Minds: Evolution,The Purge: Anarchy, and Flanagan’s other seriesThe Midnight Club.
Annie Flynn (Kristin Lehman)
Kristin Lehmanplays Riley’s mom, Annie Flynn, a wife and mother whose religious values make her think Riley only needs to come home and attend church. Besides her husband, she represents a forgiving mother who will do whatever’s necessary to make her son welcome, except give up her beliefs. Lehman’s performance is staggering. The actress can also be seen in the seriesThe Killing,Altered Carbon, andPoltergeist: The Legacy.
Kate Siegel (Erin Greene)
Erin is the representation of the balance between Riley’s forthcoming rebellion and a town that she totally accepts the way it is. Erin is a runaway who understands Riley and connects with him on an emotional level (they’re high-school sweethearts), but she also attends church and has probably the most ironic profession: schoolteacher. As usual,Kate Siegelshines in the Flanagan-verse and especially in a monologue sequence that stands out as one of the best in the miniseries. Audiences may recognize her from her work inGerald’s Game,The Haunting of Bly Manor, andThe Haunting of Hill House.
Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan)
Samantha Sloyanis no stranger to the Flanagan-verse. Her roles are always a sample of her dramatic skills. But inMidnight Mass, she outdoes herself. Bev Keane is the best character in the show, portrayed by the best actor in the show. Keane is also a teacher, but with a religious upbringing that brings her closer to being a nun, than an objective guide to children. Her reverence to Father Hill is strong in the beginning, but then it becomes obsessive to the point of being unconditionally devoted and harmful to others. Sloyan also appearedinThe Haunting of Hill HouseandGrey’s Anatomy.
Ed Flynn (Henry Thomas)
Ed is a hard-working father who reunites with his son under stressful circumstances, but at least he does. When Riley admits he’s an atheist that doesn’t accept the religious instigation of his parents, Ed reacts. Badly. His only escape is a reconnection to Riley’s mother, which occurs as Crockett Island “connects” with Father Hill’s secret.Henry Thomasagain shows why it’s a good thing Flanagan has picked him for his latest works. Thomas is also inGerald’s Game,Doctor Sleep, and both iterations ofThe Haunting.
Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli)
Hassan is supposed to take care of people in Crockett Island. But ironically, his religion is not… acceptable. He’s a Muslim cop who starts investigating strange events related to St Patrick’s. The relationship with his son Ali becomes strained after Ali starts accepting the Catholic faith as the only.Rahul Kohliis outstanding in the role of the Sheriff who’s forced to be cold-hearted whenever necessary, and inMidnight Masshe has one of the best performances to date. The actor was previously inThe Haunting of Bly ManorandiZombie.
Sarah Gunning (Annabeth Gish)
Sarah Gunning is played byAnnabeth GishinMidnight Mass, and she represents great balance in the conflict. She’s the town doctor who’sas skeptical as a scientistcould be when the extraordinary events related to the church start happening. Unfortunately, she can’t bring herself to be absolutely objective because she’s forced to take care of her mother, who begins healing inexplicably after meeting with Father Hill. She doesn’t believe in miracles, but surely that has to be what’s happening to her mother, right? Gish is also known for her work inThe Haunting of Hill HouseandSons of Anarchy.
Mildred Gunning (Alex Essoe)
Alex Essoe, one of the best performers in modern horror, plays Mildred Gunning, an old lady suffering from dementia that’s been disconnected from the rest of Crockett Island. Only her daughter Sarah, the town’s doctor, has contact with her. When Mildred starts inexplicably getting younger, she becomes one of the key pieces that uncovers Father Hill’s secret of eternal life. Essoe was previously inThe Haunting of Bly ManorandDoctor Sleep.
Related:Best Horror TV Series to Watch on Netflix, Ranked
Joe (Robert Longstreet)
Robert Longstreetcould easily have the best performance of the miniseries, but Sloyan’s too good to give up that spot. He plays Joe, the town’s drunk guy whose best friend is his dog. He’s a parasite who’s always in prison and who has never recovered after leaving the governor paralyzed when he shot a gun while under the influence. He only feels hate, but Father Hill’s presence is powerful enough to make him change his mind and become a follower. Longstreet is known for his work inThe Haunting of Hill HouseandHalloween Kills.
Ooker, Warren, Ali (Louis Oliver, Igby Rigney, Rahul Abburi)
Ooker (Louis Oliver), Warren (Igby Rigney), and Ali (Rahul Abburi) are the teenagers of the town who can get in trouble easily, but then again, they’re altar boys. They will be forgiven. Ooker misbehaves, Ali stands up again his father, and Warren is Riley’s brother who’s curiously smarter than other people in town.
Leeza, Wade, Dolly (Annarah Cymone, Michael Trucco, Crystal Balint)
This is the Scarborough family, and they portray Crockett Island’sperfect image of a family. Leeza (Annarah Cymone) is paralyzed from the waist down after a stray bullet incident, but faith is high enough that Leeza will recover. When she does, they become powerful servants to Father Hill’s mission and cause. Wade (Michael Trucco) is the mayor of Crockett Island and Dolly (Crystal Balint) is a devoted mother and wife.
You can streamMidnight Masson Netflix
