The Institute: Greta & Gerda seem a bit too familiar, here's why

Scene from The Institute | Image Via: Spyglass Media Group
Scene from The Institute | Image Via: Spyglass Media Group

The Institute was released on 13th July 2025 and has already become quite an intriguing horror show within the genre. There is a distinct level of eeriness and unease that can only be found in Stephen King's works. He has etched a genre of his own, especially for horror lovers.

This TV show, which is inspired by the novel of the same name written by him, has been brought to the screen in a nuanced manner. For many years, Stephen King’s works have graced both the big and small screens equally. Each time comes with a set of uniqueness that we have never seen before. However, sometimes, there are subtle connections.

If you have watched The Institute and felt Greta and Gerda a bit too familiar, then you are not the only one. The familiarity raises questions and makes us wonder about the subtle connections that can be found if we just look closely at some of the other Stephen King movies.


Why do Greta and Gerda seem familiar in The Institute?

If Stephen King’s works draw you, then you must have watched The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick. Well, the reason why Greta and Gerda seem familiar to us is because of the Grady sisters in the movie. Greta and Gerda might seem a bit older than the twins from the movie, but the subtle familiarity remains.

The Shining | Image Via: The Producer Circle Company
The Shining | Image Via: The Producer Circle Company

Greta and Gerda are just like the other kids in The Institute. There is a consistent air of eeriness surrounding them, which can also be felt while the Grady sisters appear in The Shining.

In the book The Institute, there is also mention of how the main character Luke finds Greta and Gerda similar to twins from an old horror movie. Stephen King is a master of creating unsettling atmospheres.

He often reuses archetypes that resonate deeply with the viewers. In The Institute, the mannerisms and the outfits of Greta and Gerda tap into that visual precedent.

In Episode 4 of the show, we see how Henry kills Greta in a disturbing manner. This amplifies the similarity between Greta and Gerda and the Grady sisters.

The Shining | Image Via: The Producer Circle Company
The Shining | Image Via: The Producer Circle Company

The isolating setting of the series adds to the underlying purpose of making Greta and Gerda the spiritual successors to the unsettling twin sisters in the movie. Stephen King knows how to push those buttons, and these parallels depict a specific kind of dream among the viewers.

The collective presence of both Greta and Gerdy in The Institute and the twin sisters in the movie serves as the harbingers of doom. They are the silent warnings of the horrors that are supposed to come.

The Grady twins are a direct manifestation of the hotel’s evil. Similarly, Greta and Gerda also give a constant sense of unease. They also demonstrate that the children who are in the institute are not safe.

This TV show is about a boy named Luke Ellis. Things take an unexpected turn for Luke when he wakes up and finds that he is in an institute. The residents here have special abilities. He is not alone; he finds many other children like him.

However, the place is not a school for gifted children but rather something a lot more sinister and disturbing. This TV show truly taps into the feeling of dread and horror, which leaves an impact on the viewers.


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Edited by IRMA