Yo…
Happy Halloween!
I’ma start all salty.
People Magazine recently released The Sexiest Man Alive 2024 categories. (Yes there’s categories. I didn’t know that either. Sexiest First-Time Dad: Robert Pattinson beat Justin Bieber. Who saw that coming?)
One of their carnal categories is Sexiest Podcast Host! And yo, I didn’t even get a nomination. What the rude? The Kelce Brothers took home that prize.
The Oscars often nominate movies that’ll never win Best Picture. Add me into the mix. Help the humble!
If we’re being honest with each other I didn’t know that was a possibility until like 10 minutes ago?
And yet old fires ignite new dreams.
You better believe I’ma be wearing tight pants and wearing a tuxedo t-shirt for future interviews. I’m claiming Sexiest Podcast Host for 2025. Spoken into this univese.
Now let’s move From dreams to nightmares since today is Halloween. Where’s all the free candy at?
Are you watching From on MGM+?
You know how Seinfeld is a show about nothing? From is a show about everything. (And nothing? Perhaps.)
Imagine going on a road trip; maybe with your family or riding a Greyhound bus with strangers. And this road you’re on is strange…you might be lost.
Only now you come to a tree in the road and the way forward is no longer possible. Trying to get back to the highway proves impossible because you’re stuck in this circular loop that brings you to a bizarre town…everyone on From is trapped in this weird town.
They were all stopped (perhaps even selected?) by that ominous tree in the road.
And now there’s no way home. And no way out.
Worse, a nightmare rudely intrudes on reality as horrific creatures emerge from the surrounding forest…of course only when the sun goes down.
After much contemplation…I’ve concluded:
From is Lost meets The Walking Dead…only set in an escape room.
On January 10, 2022 Stephen King tweeted: “I just saw the first episode of From. I was absolutely riveted. True edge-of-your-seat stuff, believable and scary as hell.”
Later, King added another From tweet: “I’m three episodes in. Wonderful concept, beautifully handled. Is it possible these people are dead and don’t know it?”
Oh, see…fascinating theory. At the time Stephen King was writing about Season 1.
Currently From’s third season started on September 22, 2024. It’ll conclude on November 24, 2024. #SetTheVCR for true:
From: Season 3 (Anytime / MGM+ & Paramount+ Canada)
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The residents of a small town struggle to find a way out when mysterious unknown forces keep them from leaving.
On Valentine’s Day 2022 I wrote in a #SetTheVCR post hopefully From is strong enough to find the right audience so it gets to Season 2. What’s not to love?
“The series unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest – including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down.”
Fresh! I’m a (blood) sucker for these types of trapped sci-fi horror mysteries.
Impressively, From has now made it all the way to Season 3:
And now following Season 2’s classic end of season cliffhanger, escape has become a tantalizing (for the first time) possibility.
With Season 3 the true nature of the bizarre town is coming into focus (and this has me worried. Nerd Prayers up the reveal is dope. Avoid the mistakes TV shows like Lost made.)
Plus the townspeople are going on offense against the myriad horrors surrounding them. Can’t play defense forever, right? Especially when the bodies stack up.
That’s the value of horror…fear is foolish. Navigate your fear and find a way to fight back!
From was strong from Day 1. Even though I dunno why the show is called From. (Is it because everyone is "from" somewhere else? I don’t think it’s that simple.)
Season 2 struggled a bit…there was a significant reduction in quality. The ratio of red herrings to breadcrumbs was out of whack. With these types of shows it’s a difficult dance to know what to conceal and what to reveal. What to distract and what to attract. I found Season 2 struggled.
Season 3 has so far corrected that. And it’s all aboard the horror train…destination, well…who knows.
On June 15, 2023 Stephen King tweeted:
“If you’re a horror fan and not watching From, you should get with it. Scary shit.”
You know…I wonder about that...From has clear Stephen King elements.
Does King notice those King-ish elements? When you’ve created so much powerful pop culture is there a noticeable church and state division: can King participate in pop culture which like From has been heavily influenced by his work?
Is that why he digs the show? Or is a cigar just a cigar?
I asked actor Ricky He who has played Kenny Liu on From for all 3 seasons. More so in Season 1…there’s eerie small town Stephen King vibes.
Ricky nodded and said: “Yeah, Stephen King’s a fan of the show. He’s tweeted about it. And I’ve since read The Long Walk, which I which I really enjoy.”
Woah, that’s a deep cut: The Long Walk. That rarely comes up in King conversations.
(The Long Walk was the first ever novel King attempted. Carrie was his first published novel but not the first novel he ever wrote. Also Long Walk has never been adapted into a movie and that’ll change in 2025. This Summer it began shooting in Winnipeg. Starring Mark Hamill and directed by Francis Lawrence. A group of teenage boys compete in an annual contest known as "The Long Walk," where they must maintain a certain walking speed as they march they march along U.S. Route 1 starting at the Canada-Maine border or get shot. It’s a King novel so I’m leaving a lot out.)
Back to Ricky who plays Kenny. When Season 1 opened Kenny is Boyd’s deputy and right-hand man. Kenny lives with his aging parents in this horrific township.
Ricky takes me through Kenny’s heartbreaking journey over the 3 seasons he’s been trapped in the nightmarish town. I point out to Ricky that Kenny’s fortunate in that he’s trapped in the town with his parents but also with his culture.
That’s a rare experience considering what everyone else has to endure.
And though Kenny started off as Boyd’s deputy their relationship is evolving…Ricky drops a fantastic comic book analogy that neatly sums it all up. Oh, man I wish we did this interview in person so I could give him a high five. So cool.
In the attached My Summer Lair conversation yes there are Season 3 spoilers. Ricky and I unpack a handful of key moments. (Although maybe they don’t mean anything…)
What is happening in From? 2 and half seasons later that question hasn’t been resolved.
When Stephen King From tweeted: “Is it possible these people are dead and don’t know it?”
Fascinating. That’s one From theory. Others?
Is it…
A dream?
A simulation?
A conspiracy?
An experiment?
All of those things at the same time?!
From me to you; this is Must See TV.
Thanks so much for Ricky He for visiting My Summer Lair. Happy Halloween everyone! And yo, son: where’s all the free candy at?
More horror for this Halloween?
From the My Pal Sammy archives here are 3 scary newsletters:
Poop Tunnels & Bloody Elevators: This Is King On Screen from August 18, 2023.
Horror movies and Stephen King adaptations via King On Screen a documentary directed by Daphné Baiwir. Includes a My Summer Lair interview with the director.
RUN! Slenderman is Coming For You... from September 22, 2022.
These days the monsters don’t slink in the shadows. Like Slenderman they’re obviously online and popular enough to crossover into real life. A Slenderman contemplation.
Don’t Let The F-U-N in Fundamentalism Fool You! from Febuary 24, 2023.
I’m super stingy with online trust because it’s an environment where everything is so artificial. It’s like going to a strip club and believing you’ve made a special connection with one of the ladies or that you have good game. (You didn’t…)
Enjoy your Halloween. Thanks for reading.
Wearing Depends Because FearPee Is A Real Issue…
Sammy Younan
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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair podcast: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
Meet Kenny: He Lives In FROMville: #SetTheVCR