The Season Wraps up With It’s Final Episode

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon, here back to give a spoiler free review of the tenth and final episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

After nine intense and dramatic episodes, the only real question left was if this series could deliver a satisfying conclusion. A lot of threads had been developed and a lot of drama had intensified over the show so far. The conclusion was a high bar to climb.

I don’t want to get into spoilers here, obviously, since this is a spoiler free review but I can say that the conclusion does measure up. I will say that parts of the episode were a bit slower than I would have expected but in the long run I think that just led to intensifying the drama.

While the conclusion was satisfying, I don’t think every story thread was wrapped up perfectly and there was room for improvement here. But as a show overall, this still gets an A+ for its ability to deal with horrors both real and imagined.

If you have not watched any of this show, do yourself a favor and give it a go because it has been one of the brightest spots of television all year.

Horrifically yours,

Slick Dungeon

The Intensity is Turned All the Way Up In The Penultimate Episode of the Season

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon, here back to give a spoiler free review of the ninth episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

The title of the episode probably gives you a good clue as to where and when the main events of this episode happen, especially if you know your American history well. With all that this show has delivered week in and week out I was not sure if it would be able get better.

It did. This episode is utterly nail biting, intense and superbly emotional. The family drama deepens and connections are made and resolved. Events that have been spoken of previously in the show come to light and are turned in stunningly surprising ways.

This show is absolutely a must see for any horror fan, especially if you have a strong stomach. There were a couple of episodes that I thought were not as strong as the others but overall this show is gripping television.

There is only one episode to go. If you have not watched Lovecraft Country yet, binge as fast as you can this week because the final episode is sure to deliver everything you would want in a horror show.

I can’t wait until next Sunday to watch.

Horrifically yours,

Slick Dungeon

Cosmic Adventure Replaces Horror for This Episode

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon, here back to give a spoiler free review of the seventh episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

After the stellar sixth episode, this one seems jarringly different. It’s not that this episode is bad. We do get more of the family drama, especially between Atticus and his father but the rest of the episode lacks any horror and seems almost whimsical instead.

On the one hand, that’s a nice breather from the intensity of this show and the acting remains brilliant. This episode centers around Hippolyta and shows off a seriously impressive range on the part of Aunjanue Ellis. It asks difficult questions about identity, race and social injustice all while showing how vast the cosmos can be.

On the other hand, this episode feels a little bit out of place, especially after the horrors of the previous episodes. I am sure that the plot from this one will tie up in later episodes but this one definitely feels like it has more of an adventure story feel than a horror story.

There are only three episodes left for this season so I expect the horror will be cranked up to eleven on those and I am definitely looking forward to watching them. I’m sure Hippolyta’s story is going to intersect but I honestly have no idea how that is going to happen.

It should be fun to see and let’s just hope that Atticus and company can survive and stay sane along the way.

Adventuringly yours,

Slick Dungeon

The Series is Bold Enough to Ask What Makes a Monster

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon, here back to give a spoiler free review of the sixth episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

What is a monster? Can a monster have human emotions? Can a human who has done monstrous things still be a human? These are the questions that the sixth episode of Lovecraft Country wrestles with. Not enough horror poses this question and those that do typically just ask it on the surface. This episode was masterful at asking this question and forcing the audience to truly think about it.

The episode itself is basically a flashback episode that relates to the larger story. It’s the only episode so far that does not take place in America but that’s all that I am going to tell you because I really don’t want to give this one away.

I think if this show is going to win Emmys in the future, it should be this episode that is considered. The acting here is fascinating and the drama is real.

I have thought a lot about why this show is so good and I think it is this; the show can let you see something horrific, a terrible monster that is objectively scary, and then moments later the show will let you see something from reality that is even scarier. Any show that can place reality as the real horror has done its job well because while we might have nightmares about the big scary monster, there is no escaping reality.

I have no idea where the drama will take us next but I know I am ready for the ride.

Horrifically yours,

Slick Dungeon

A Somewhat Disappointing 4th Episode But there is Still Plenty to Love in the Series

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon here back to give a spoiler free review of the fourth episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

The first three episodes struck an amazing balance between family drama, the accurate portrayal of horrific segregationist realities in America and impossible monsters, magic and dangers. The fourth episode gives us… mostly an Indiana Jones style adventure.

Don’t get me wrong, there is still horror here and there are definitely moments of history, family drama etc. But most of it really is like something you would see in Indiana Jones. I’m not going to give away any more than that except to say that the series still has amazing potential and I think it will recover from this episode but I expect that when fans talk about the series in the future, episode 4 will be the one they say they could mostly have done without. Of course, if you are a fan of the show, you’ll still want to watch this episode as there are things that relate to the overall story that certainly happen. I found one side story to be particularly interesting and I have no idea where it is actually going.

The main action leaves a lot to be desired but as always the actors portraying the action are the best part of the show. They have all been able to pull off what would seem to be absurd to most of us while still keeping the feeling of their emotions on screen as real as it gets.

I’m looking forward to the next episode very much but if the show does have a few episodes like this one, it won’t turn out to be quite the brilliant show I thought it was. Here’s hoping for a better one next week.

Horrifically yours,

Slick Dungeon

The Horror, the History, and The Surprises are STill Non-STop After 3 Episodes

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon here back to give a spoiler free review of the third episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

This episode finds our heroes back home in Chicago, but that does not mean that the horror has left them. This episode has some particularly grisly horror in it so strong stomachs are recommended prior to viewing.

The episode was very engaging when it came to the historical aspects and the particular blend of horror, politics and pop culture. The soundtrack is downright incredible and the acting continues to be superb.

My only criticism of the show for this episode is that some of the effects didn’t hold up as well as in the first two episodes, but I won’t go into detail about that because I don’t want to give anything away. I will also say that despite the production value of some of the effects, the story is still able to throw plenty of horror at the viewer. That should come as no surprise to anyone considering that this is a horror show. But the ability the show has to increase tension is incredible.

There are not a lot of horror shows or movies where I feel actual fear but this may be one of the exceptions. The fact that such awful racist history has always existed in this country and the fact that there are still people who espouse those beliefs is horrifying beyond measure. Therefore the fear this show is able to exude is so palpable one can reach out and touch it. The first two episodes proved that nearly anything goes in this show and the third episode is no exception to that rule.

It’s amazing to me how well this show fits in American history, cosmic horror, literature, and present day all at once. It’s shows like these that prove that deeper understanding of the truth can sometimes only be achieved through fiction.

This show would be nothing if we didn’t care about the character’s fates and the unraveling mystery. This episode was superb at making us care about people’s lives even as completely unbelievable things occur all around them. I know that there is not a better horror show on television right now but after three episodes I am starting to think that there is not a better show period on television at this time.

Horrifically yours,

Slick Dungeon

Delights, Surprises, and Horrors Continue in the Second Episode

Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon here back to give a spoiler free review of the second episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

The first episode set the tone with an intriguing blend of science fiction, the horrible reality of segregationist America and extremely gory cosmic horror that does not let up. It can be easy for a show to come out of the gate with an excellent pilot episode and then quickly disappoint in subsequent episodes. Sometimes a great premise does not carry through the initial setup. I’m glade to say that Lovecraft Country comes nowhere near to falling into that territory.

The second episode sees our three heroes in a different setting than where they started the series with the odds somehow stacked even more against them. The acting in this series is top notch, to say the least, and in this episode we get Abbey Lee as Christina Braithwhite. She is no stranger to horror/science fiction films and she increases the mystery without ever becoming ridiculous.

In this second episode there are some spots that I thought needed some explanation but that may come later in the series. Overall, this show seems like the best horror show to appear in years and if the third episode can be as strong as the first two, this will become a major horror must see.

Predicting what will happen next as you watch the show is nearly impossible and that’s saying something for anyone who is familiar with cosmic horror. The show has a very unique blend, up to and including the soundtrack. While I don’t want to give anything away here, I will say, I was surprised by the wide range of emotions that I ended up feeling while watching the episode.

If you have not yet seen the first two episodes yet, you should do that as soon as possible. I have a feeling that the next episode is going to get even better.

Cosmically yours,

Slick Dungeon