New Stephen King–adapted show The Institute releases with record-breaking Rotten Tomatoes score

The Institute arrived without much warning. No major campaign, no teaser that took over the internet. It just showed up on MGM+ in early July, and a few days later, the reviews started rolling in. What caught attention wasn’t a viral moment or a sudden wave of buzz. It was the score. The show landed at 80 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, not long after it dropped. That alone was enough to raise eyebrows.

And it’s not just about the number. It’s what that number suggests. There’s a kind of quiet confidence in starting strong like that. Especially for a show based on a novel that didn’t have the same iconic status as some of Stephen King's other works. The Institute may not have arrived with a bang, but it didn’t really need one. It did something else. It settled in slowly and started to take shape in the minds of those who watched.

Two storylines, one undercurrent

The structure isn’t complicated, at least not in the beginning. There’s Luke Ellis, a teenage boy who’s clearly gifted. He has abilities he can’t quite explain, and before long, he’s taken from his home. No warning. No real explanation. Just gone. He wakes up inside a facility where other kids like him are being held. The place is called The Institute. It’s not a school or a lab. It’s... something else.

At the same time, in a different place altogether, Tim Jamieson appears. He used to be a cop, but now he’s just trying to disappear. At first, the connection between Tim and Luke isn’t obvious. The stories run on different tracks, like they don’t belong in the same show. But slowly, those tracks shift. They move toward each other in ways that don’t feel forced, which is probably why they work.

It’s quiet, and that’s the point

The Institute isn’t a flashy place. It doesn’t look like anything special. No blinking lights or high-tech rooms. Just cold walls and routines. The kids are watched. Studied. Some of them whisper to themselves. Others just sit still. The tension builds in the silence, not in the action.

Mary-Louise Parker plays Ms. Sigsby, the one who oversees everything. Her voice barely rises. She’s calm, always. Almost too calm. It’s hard to tell if she believes what she’s doing is right or if she stopped thinking about that a long time ago. Her stillness is unsettling. There’s nothing dramatic about her performance, but it holds. It lingers.

Some moments don’t even need dialogue. A glance from one kid to another. A flickering light. A repeated phrase, said under breath. These are the things that start to build. Not in a rush. Not all at once. Just... gradually. Like something creeping in from the edges.

Early praise for The Institute, with careful steps

When reviews began showing up, the reaction was measured but positive. That 80 percent score didn’t come from hype. It came from a quiet appreciation for what the show was trying to do. Critics mentioned the emotional restraint, the slow pacing, and the way it resisted easy answers. There was no attempt to shock or overwhelm. Instead, The Institute focused on discomfort, unease, and something that felt almost too familiar.

Compared to other King-based series, this one started with more control. Mr. Mercedes, for example, took longer to catch on. It had strong writing, sure, but it built its audience over time. The Institute landed more quickly. It knew what it was doing, and that clarity helped.

Not everything is explained

Some viewers may feel the show moves too slowly. Or that it avoids giving enough information. That’s fair. The pacing isn’t for everyone. But there’s something deliberate about that choice. The script leaves space between events. Scenes don’t always wrap up neatly. Not every motivation is spelled out.

That gap between what’s happening and what’s said creates tension on its own. It makes the audience do more work, in a way. And while that might turn off some, it draws others in. The show seems to trust that its viewers will stay long enough to let the story settle.

Release schedule and what’s coming next

The Institute launched with a two-episode premiere, followed by weekly releases. There are eight episodes total, and the plan is to wrap the season before fall. Nothing’s been said yet about future seasons, which could mean this is a limited run. That wouldn’t be a bad thing. Some stories are meant to be contained.

Future episodes are likely to lean more into the connection between Luke and Tim. The stakes will grow, not just in terms of personal danger but in what the Institute actually represents. It’s not just about a building or a group of scientists. It’s about systems. About the kind of quiet damage that happens when nobody pushes back.

A show that doesn’t need to shout

The Institute works because it doesn’t force anything. It moves at its own pace, with a tone that stays consistent throughout. That tone is heavy, yes, but not in a way that drags. It’s thoughtful. Careful. It gives the story room to breathe.

It’s still early, and things could shift as the show moves forward. But the foundation is solid. The cast fits. The atmosphere holds. The narrative may not offer big twists, but it offers something else: time. Time to sit with the characters. Time to think. And in this case, that might be enough.