Midnight Mass

I'm unbelievably late to the party, but I finally got around to watching Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass, and it was incredible. It's quite different from Flanagan’s regular ghostly ventures, but the deviation makes it that much more special as he dives into a set of new thematic territories. As seen in his other shows there’s still a focus on family, loss, guilt, and forgiveness, yet it’s shown in a much different light. It strikes a perfect balance of freshness and thematic familiarity. The characterizations, the performances, the visuals; it all plays into a truly coherent horror series that shows a deep care for its characters and the world around them, as well as serving as a love letter to the genre. I'm not fully certain whether Midnight Mass is an actual five-star series, but four stars just seem way too low. Some of Flanagan's absolute best work.