Stephen King’s New Horror Show Splits Fans And Critics After Premiere

Stephen King’s latest horror series is off to a rocky start with viewers and critics. The Institute, based on his 2019 novel, just premiered its first two episodes on MGM+ this past Sunday, July 13. But early reactions are pretty mixed.

The story of The Institute follows a teenager named Luke Ellis who has telekinetic powers. After being kidnapped, he ends up trapped inside a mysterious place called the Institute, where he meets other kids like him. Together, they try to find a way to escape while strange experiments are done on them.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, critics have given the show a 71% rating from 14 reviews. But the audience score is much lower at 58%, based on fewer than 50 ratings so far. This shows that regular viewers aren’t as impressed as some critics.

The reviews highlight the divide. Some critics say the show captures King’s dark style and creepy tone, but others feel it drags too much. Fans watching at home seem even more unsure, with many saying the show doesn’t really grab them after the first two episodes.

The Institute could still win over audiences as more episodes come out, but for now, reactions are pretty mixed. As one reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes put it, “It’s not bad, but it’s not great either.”

“The Institute” can feel refreshing when its throwback style meshes with its timeless principles. Unfortunately, ordinary ideas aren’t enough in a show lacking anything extraordinary whatsoever.

Ben Travers

The Institute isn’t a perfect series, especially as it stumbles to its conclusion. Yet, it will undoubtedly keep the attention of audiences desperate to uncover the mystery at the center of the story.

Aramide Tinubu

The Institute is the TV equivalent of a good beach read, though you’re better off looking for a copy of King’s original, which was a much more effective page-turner.

Matt Roush

Still, if you regard “The Institute” as a kind of YA novel about resistance and revolt, and a metaphor for the way young people have been sacrificed by the old to feed their agendas and wars, it has some legs.

Robert Lloyd

It’s simple and polished and occasionally involving, but, like the book itself, it comes across more as a pu-pu platter of King tropes and archetypes rather than a fully developed or evolved spin on the formula.

Daniel Fienberg

Created by Benjamin Cavell and directed by Jack Bender, who both also help run the show. It’s based on a book by Stephen King from 2019.

The show started on July 13, 2025, on MGM+ and has eight episodes. The main actors include Ben Barnes as Tim Jamieson, Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis, and Mary-Louise Parker as Ms. Sigsby, among others.

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