Summary
- The acting shines, especially Deborah Ayorinde’s performance as Dawn, but the season lacks overall engagement.
- Pam Grier is underused, and the visuals impress, but the story drags and lacks a strong central focus.
- Despite high production value,
THEM: The Scare
fails to deliver on the horror promised, leaving audiences wanting.
THEM, the divisive horror anthology series, has returned to Prime Video for season 2 with a new chapter entitled The Scare. Created by Little Marvin, the series features Deborah Ayorinde, who returns in a new role as Dawn Reeve, an LAPD detective tasked with solving the brutal murders committed by a mysterious and evil presence. While the show boasts several praiseworthy aspects, the story’s overall significance seems to be missing. 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.
The new story centers on LAPD Homicide Detective Dawn Reeve, who is assigned to a new case: the gruesome murder of a foster home mother that has left even the most hardened detectives shaken. Navigating a tumultuous time in Los Angeles, with a city on the razor’s edge of chaos, Dawn is determined to stop the killer. But as she draws closer to the truth, something ominous and malevolent grips her and her family…
- The cast’s performances uplift season 2’s story
- The Scare’s visuals really pop
- THEM: The Scare is severely lacking in the horror department
- Pam Grier is underutilized in her role
- The season lacks commitment to the story
Clearly influenced by horror powerhouses such as Jordan Peele and Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story, THEM: The Scare attempts to showcase innovative and artistic horror, but falls short of being as captivating as its inspirations. Although THEM’s first season had many scary moments, it still lacks the unique qualities and meaningful contributions that would solidify its place in the underappreciated Black horror anthology genre. Despite its efforts to deliver scares, THEM: The Scare ultimately fails to provide the horror it promises, questioning the show’s purpose in an increasingly competitive landscape, which has some of the best anthology TV shows.
The Acting & Production Are Masterfully Executed
But they aren’t strong enough to elevate the story as a whole
THEM: The Scare’s acting performances are a major highlight of the eight-episode season. Deborah Ayorinde shines as Dawn Reeves, presenting the traits of a passionate, intelligent LAPD detective with a soul. She is a compassionate woman who clearly cares about her job, a refreshing change from the usual jaded detective tropes often seen in television and film. Luke James, who plays Edmund Gaines, brings an intriguing and earnest intensity to his role, making his character’s arc a mystery that’s enough to keep engagement high, albeit sometimes to the point of frustration.
While the season capitalizes on the talents of its cast, there is one notable exception: Pam Grier, who appears as Dawn’s mother, Athena. While it’s always a delight to see Grier on screen, her character is underutilized, and it’s disappointing not to see more of what she could have contributed to the story. Despite this, her presence is enough to add some much appreciated charm to the story.
One of the most important aspects of any horror story is the visuals, and THEM: The Scare excels in this department. The lighting and camera work create several standout moments that resemble the top-notch cinematic visual elements often seen in Hollywood’s best horror movies. This is no surprise, as acclaimed horror director Ti West, known for his work on the X Trilogy, returned to lend his expertise to the direction of some episodes, after having directed several episodes in THEM season 1. However, despite these stellar moments of acting and production, they weren’t enough to bring the overall season together.
THEM: The Scare Moves Too Slowly To Be Terrifying
The underlying point of the narrative isn’t strong enough to hold the tension
Despite its concise episodic format, THEM: The Scare is unnecessarily drawn out, struggling to connect its various narrative threads in a timely manner. While the visuals, nostalgic 1991 setting, and acting performances provide a level of entertainment, the central point of the story remains elusive for far too long. As the season progresses, it’s easy to question the purpose of the narrative. Unfortunately, the promising recipe that is THEM: The Scare seems to be missing a crucial ingredient — the titular “scare.” The overall story simply doesn’t match the other commendable aspects of the show, leaving tension unsupported and expectations unfulfilled.
