Fear Itself

Reviewed by:
Robbie Throckmorton

The Skinny: NBC revives (and sanitizes) Showtime's Emmy-winning Master of Horrors series in this 13-week anthology. Episode One follows four guys whose car breaks down while escaping after an arms deal gone bad. Fleeing to a far-flung settlement, they seek the help of three cute but creepy sisters and, of course, get a whole lot more.

The Good: We won't spoil the plot or monster (though it's obvious early), but fans of B horror should find plenty to like here. And while it's lacking in gore (it is NBC), there's plenty of suspense. Friday Night Lights' Jesse Plemons is fun as the dim-witted younger brother and Rachel Miner's and Mircea Monroe's chilly blank stares prove they're more than just eye candy.

The Bad: It can be overlooked, thanks to good pacing, but some of the performances are a touch laughable, due partly to the sometimes uneven script. Also, fans of the genre won't get anything groundbreaking in this cliché-riddled opener to the series. But if you're looking to horror with high expectations, you're the problem.

À la Carte Viewing: The beauty of this series is that you don't have to tune in every week to see plots and characters develop. That said, while we like what we've seen, there are sure to be some stinkers along the way. We recommend reading the preview each week before setting your DVR.

Watch, Ignore, or Read a Book Instead? We had hopes that it didn't quite meet, but it's not a complete letdown. Watch it—it beats an ax to the head. [SPOILER ALERT!]

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