Prime Video’s Them: The Scare has arrived with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Is this the next must-watch series on streaming?
We like to highlight new and, even more so, under-the-radar shows worth a watch. But Them: The Scare is a little different.
It’s the second series of a show, the sequel to 2021’s Them: Covenant. And while the new instalment has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score at the time of writing, the original has a much less impressive 58% freshness rating.
The new season also has a completely different setting. Them: The Scare is set in the 1990s, and stars Deborah Ayorinde as Dawn Reeve, an LAPD detective on the hunt for a murderer.
The first season was set during the 1950s.
You might consider Them a more political take on the kind of horror anthology series made popular by American Horror Story, with a focus on institutional racism.
The only bad news here is Them: The Scare review’s aren’t quite as glowing as that “100%” score might suggest.
Ready Steady Cut gave Them: The Scare a 3/5 review, and was moderately positive:
“Them occupies a weird middle ground of wanting to be arty but mainstream, frightening but thoughtful, aware but not preachy. It has always lacked a strong viewpoint beyond the obvious – racism is bad, racist people are awful – and a coherent way to filter commentary through the mechanics of the horror genre.
Screen Rant’s review is less keen, and suggests Them just isn’t quite scary enough:
“Them: The Scare appears to be caught between trying too hard and not trying hard enough, resulting in an experience that is not only lackluster, but not scary.”
Mama’s Geeky gave us one of the most positive write-ups of Them: The Scare and, unlike Screen Rant, really does think it’s an effective chiller.
“One of the most terrifying seasons of television this year. Audiences are sure to spend most of their time watching on the edge of their seats, covering their eyes when the horrific visuals pop up,” it says.
Don’t come expecting a 5-star smash, but fans of horror anthologies should try Them: The Scare out. It’s comprised of 10 episodes.
Will Them hold onto its perfect Rotten Tomatoes score? We doubt it, given it’s currently only used on five reviews. However, it’s one to check out given it does seem a legit upgrade over the first season.
