Five good reasons why ‘The Mist’ will get cancelled

Photo Credit: The Mist/Spike, Image Acquired by Spike

Fans of Stephen King are probably not having a great time right now. First the ‘Dark Tower’ series is getting ripped and now ‘The Mist’ isn’t living up to expectations.

There are a variety of problems with the show. Most problematic, however, are the characters. There just isn’t a single interesting, strong character. It’s an entire ensemble cast that needs a heavy hitter to carry a scene here and there. Here are the fine main reasons why The Mist is destined for cancellation.

Alex is a horrible lead.

Alex (Gus Birney) is uninteresting and boring. Maybe it’s just Birney’s acting? She is not even a wet blanket. She’s a moist blanket. Her character is the definition of non-Kathy Bates misery. There is a reason the creature in the mist didn’t want her. It’s because she is already lifeless. Indeed, she shows less range than Kristen Stewart in any of the Twilight movies.

She requires someone else to support her in nearly every scene. In one scene with her, a little girl who may as well have been wearing a red Star Trek shirt, and the CGI mist monster, she was the third best actor. And the mist monster didn’t even have a line. Even in the accompanying picture she is literally being held up by another character, her over-bearing mother. Speaking of which…

Eve Copeland is unbearable.

Yes, Alex has a mom almost as annoying as she is. Eve (Alyssa Sutherland) is all paranoia, all fear, and it’s because she doesn’t want her daughter to be the same as she was in High School? Eve…we get it, you’re overprotective because you were indiscriminately promiscuous in your teens.

There are more pressing matters at hand than worrying about your daughter’s virtue. Oh, ya know, things like mutant leeches, smoke monsters that take lives (but not your daughter’s), moths that self-replicate in human chest cavities and explode like trachea volcanoes, mystery creatures that can skin a dog quicker than the Predator, and monsters capable of ripping off human jaws for fun. That is slightly more concerning than a 170lb High School Quarterback with questionable throwing mechanics.

WHERE.ARE.THE.MONSTERS?

The Mist was originally terrifying because there were never before seen creatures capable of killing humans in seconds. For example, there was a giant crab monster that clipped people in half like coupons. Similarly, dog-sized spiders shooting acid webs that peel off human skin is absolutely terrifying. Instead we are getting a bunch of bugs that are far too similar to those in Starship Troopers. Would you like to know more?

If this show were targeted towards people who get grossed out by Fear Factor that would be great, but it isn’t. This is a Stephen King novella that should be terrifying not only because of humanity’s reaction and the psychological aspects of fear, but also because of the monsters. Even if it’s just a portion of the monster that works. I understand the CGI budget for The Mist must be considerably less than the movie, but tell me the following gif from the movie doesn’t make you want to lock all doors and seal all leaking cracks with cement.

Again, WHERE.ARE.THE.MONSTERS?

Enough with the sociopolitical angle.

More from Entertainment

• 10 Thanksgiving movies on Disney+ for your holiday watch list
• Strictly spoilers and results 2023: Who is leaving on Strictly Come Dancing Week 9?
• CMT Smashing Glass performers honoring groundbreaking women in music
• Jamie Lynn Spears joins I’m A Celebrity season 23: Who else is set to appear in the British reality series?
• Strictly spoilers and results 2023: Who is leaving on Strictly Come Dancing Week 8?

Adrian (Russell Posner) is gay. Fine. We get it. He’s gay. But when there is a killer mist dropping monsters out of nowhere, ripping off jaws, and making people go psychotic, is there really going to be a situation in which (SPOILER!) he gets into a bathroom fight more one-sided than Drago vs Creed, and then has sex with the guy who just delivered the beat down? That’s more unrealistic than Steven Seagal still pretending he can do action scenes. The angle is being pushed far too much. All things considered, much of Adrian’s story arc should be dumped, with excess time yielded to monster development or the military angle.

When character story arcs have no real relevance to the actual story, it does nothing for character development. The character development should coincide with the story somewhat, not act in spite of it. Similarly, an audience is more likely to have emotional involvement if the character is working toward a resolution.

Can there be any more clichés?

Photo Credit: The Mist/Spike, Image Acquired by Spike

There are so many problems with this show. Did it really need every possible cliché in horror? Do we need a drug addicted criminal who knows how to hot-wire cars? The jock who allegedly commits sexual assault is already covered. Let’s go ahead and assume his father is the belligerent town sheriff who defends his son despite the law?

Now we need a religious figure who questions faith. Check. How about a token mayor of the mall who sets up a contrived lottery to walk into the mist covered hallway to recover the only radio in the mall? Check. I wonder if one of the main characters will get selected? (eye roll) If they make one of the black characters go check the fuse box in the dark, I’m done.

All that’s missing is a guy whose overly altruistic and benevolent nature supersedes common sense in a post-apocalyptic environment. Disregard, Kevin Cunningham (Morgan Spector) is filling that roster spot. He is the milquetoast, sympathetic guy who always survives in post-apocalyptic situations even though it’s not realistic.

Next: Catch up with 'The Mist' before it is cancelled

In conclusion, a lot needs to be modified if this show wishes to succeed. It’s time to seriously revamp the cast and the direction of what made The Mist originally scary.