Stephen King praises Mike Flanagan’s horror series as a "dense, beautifully photographed terror tale"

Mister Stephen King is the undisputed horror master, and when he refers to a television show as a “dense, beautifully photographed terror tale,” it’s not just a compliment—it’s a mark of distinction. That’s what King said about Netflix’s Midnight Mass, the chilling miniseries from contemporary horror master Mike Flanagan.

Flanagan is renowned for his work in redefining supernatural elements on television, and it’s safe to say that King will remain a fan of Flanagan’s deep and thematically rich series, considering King has defined the genre for nearly five decades.

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A master of horror endorses a modern visionary

Stephen King has always had an opinion on the films and series that are based off his works, and he has not been shy to share his thoughts. But I do not remember the last time he was so ecstatic about a horror movie not associated with his work. As you can see in a tweet by King himself, he showered praise on Midnight Mass, saying,

"MIDNIGHT MASS, on Netflix: Mike Flanagan has created a dense, beautifully photographed terror tale that climbs to a high pitch of horror by the 7th and last episode. I believe it starts in 10 days."

That tweet sent shockwaves throughout the horror fandom. King’s endorsement is often regarded as the primary measure of quality in a genre that is diverse and splintered. For Flanagan, whose career has already been defined by carefully wrought adaptations and retellings, the endorsement is especially important.

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Mike Flanagan’s rise through the shadows

Mike Flanagan has proven himself to a variety of critics. Netflix adopted him into the family after his forays into long-form character horror, like The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and The Midnight Club.

Flanagan became a household name with Netflix’s flagship works, which are exceeded only by his feature films, Hush, Gerald’s Game, and the ambitious Doctor Sleep. Even his work in feature films cemented his reputation with the Netflix audience. Balance deeply emotional narratives with psychological terror, and we have our next hit.

Midnight Mass, however, is unique in that it has the most originality. Unlike his previous adaptations of King’s work, this series was fully conceived in the mind of Flanagan. With the endorsement of King himself, this not only becomes a creative triumph but a deeply personal one.

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A love letter to Stephen King without being one

Even though Midnight Mass is not based on any Stephen King novel, the mark of King’s stories is unmistakable. Fans and critics alike have drawn strong comparisons to 'Salem’s Lot, King’s 1975 vampire novel, which focuses on an isolated town succumbing to supernatural horrors. Both stories delve into religious fanaticism, substance abuse, grief, and the fragile nature of humanity’s belief systems, which is omnipresent in King’s stories.

From the small, insular island community to the slow burn of dread and revelation, Midnight Mass feels spiritually connected to the King canon. The character of Riley Flynn can be compared to Danny Torrance’s fight against alcoholism in Doctor Sleep, while Bev Keane channels the religious zealotry of Margaret White in Carrie and Mrs. Carmody in The Mist. The photograph twist involving Father Paul Hill also pays homage to the legendary ending of The Shining.

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The King-Flanagan partnership continues to flourish

This is not the first time King has showered praise on Flanagan’s work, as both Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, which are two of the more modern adaptations of King’s works, were also received positively.

It is worth mentioning that Doctor Sleep faced the unique challenge of balancing King’s novel and the cinematic interpretation of The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, which is a film that King despised. Flanagan’s skillful construction of that divide paid off with a film that respected Kubrick while still reclaiming the spirit and intent of what King imagined.

Flanagan created even more elaborate pieces of art with Midnight Mass, taking on the roles of writer, director, editor, executive producer, and even creator. The intricate narrative he weaved within the show is a rich seven-part saga, filled with philosophical contemplations, deep character exploration, and thematically powerful subtext, equally as relevant to the base interplay of horror elements, breaking the bounds of traditional literature.

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Looking ahead: What comes next for horror’s new torchbearer?

Mike Flanagan is, arguably, one of the most essential voices in horror as it evolves. With the collaboration between the two giants of terror far from over, King’s endorsement of Flanagan’s adaptation of King’s works validates Mike’s creative direction alongside his new projects like Life of Chuck. This clearly indicates that one generation of horror storytelling is passed on to the next.

While King did not write the novel on the cover of Midnight Mass, he probably already had the best unspoken story in his mind, waiting to be unleashed— his unwritten masterpiece.