Stephen King's The Institute turns into a compelling limited series
Ben Barnes shines in MGM+'s adaptation of the 2019 novel.
Photo: MGM+
Stephen King’s chilling imagination and engrossing words have been Hollywood catnip for decades now, ever since Carrie became a hit in 1976 (with Mike Flanagan poised to offer his take on it as a TV series in 2026). His myriad horror and thriller stories—usually rooted in emotion and taking place in vividly described settings—tend to suit the visual medium well. In 2025 alone, The Monkey has already graced the big screen, while The Running Man and The Long Walk will be arriving soon. Plus, HBO’s It prequel series is slated for the fall. All of this to say, MGM+’s The Institute, based on King’s 2019 novel of the same name, is a modest entry into this year’s lineup in comparison. Still, the drama stays true to the spirit of the author’s work as a well-balanced mix of harrowing and hopeful, even when bogged down by its runtime.
The series, which hails from Justified writer and producer Benjamin Cavell, lifts directly from the novel. It also extracts the creepy vibe of King’s It and The Body, and aims for the broader appeal of Stranger Things (a Netflix phenomenon that itself borrows plenty from King’s books). After all, the main focus here, too, is on a bunch of teens plotting to escape their horrible reality, relying on a couple of moral adults to aid them. Underneath a hodgepodge of inspirations lies an efficient tale of resilience and community, with a healthy dose of supernatural and sci-fi stuff sprinkled in. What The Institute lacks in a strong overall ensemble and a taut pace, it makes up for with Jack Bender’s slick direction.
This eight-part series chronicles two distinct storylines. In one, brooding ex-cop Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes) ends up in a small Maine town (a King staple) after missing a flight. He sticks around and takes on the quirky job of a night knocker. Essentially, he’s an unarmed security guard deployed on the streets after hours. While making his rounds, Tim befriends the kooky old lady whom everyone else has stopped taking seriously. Through her, he hears rumblings of something suspicious going on in the infectious diseases lab on the outskirts of town. A compulsive do-gooder by nature, Tim can’t stay away and must find out the truth, even if he doesn’t know what exactly he’s investigating or who he’s supposed to save. A hypnotic Barnes loses himself in the character, offering a refreshing change of pace from recent villainous roles in Shadow & Bone, The Punisher, and Westworld.