The Institute could spark a slow-burn sci-fi revival after The OA’s premature end

While The Institute could be Stephen King’s next big screen adaptation, there is a hidden potential here to bring back the kind of slow-burn cerebral sci-fi that went extinct with The OA’s cursory cancellation.

In the constantly changing world of television, true works of original sci-fi often don’t have the chance to flourish and develop a meaningful impact. An example with more ambition than success was Netflix’s The OA — it was emotionally intricate, philosophically heavy, and structurally abnormal. Since its cancellation after two seasons, there has been no one to fill the absence in that genre.

However, it seems like MGM+ will be able to fill the gap with their version of Stephen King’s The Institute, not by copying but as a spiritual sequel. The Institute is not attempting to mimic The OA, but echoes of The OA’s deliberate tone can be seen in The Institute's underworld storytelling style.

This narrative approach allows the intertwining emotional, supernatural, and sociopolitical elements to boil softly in the background. It could breathe new life into a type of science fiction that focuses on deep thought and contemplation instead of flashy visuals if done with care and creativity.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Readers’ discretion is advised.

Trauma, power & the quiet resistance of captivity

Similar to The OA, The Institute focuses on individuals where the experience of captivity is transformative. In King’s novel The Institute, extraordinary children are kept in a secret facility where they are subjected to cruel scientific experiments, mentally and emotionally shattered like lab rats. This premise doesn't seek quick resolutions. It examines the relentless nature of control rather than freedom, the slow emergence of rebellion, and dominion alongside defiance.

This kind of narrative — where personal stakes take precedence over supernatural elements — provides fertile ground for the kind of sci-fi storytelling that fans of The OA still long for. Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij planned The OA to be a five-part exploration of decision, existence, selfhood, and narrative.

Although their project remains incomplete, something like The Institute could take a similar approach: not replicating its tone or structure, but incorporating the contemplative rhythm and multilevel layers that provided The OA with distinction.

If MGM+ chooses to lean into those strengths, the show could be pivotal in turning back the tide of shallowness dominating mainstream sci-fi television.

The Institute's creative team that understands the long game

Jack Bender, who has worked on Lost and From, will be helming the series, and his experience will certainly help with blending character-driven tension with myth-building. With Bender on board, we can expect a commitment to artistry that ensures the plot's mysteries are revealed over time instead of all at once, rather, only after enough build-up to do justice to the reveal.

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The addition of Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Barnes adds to my excitement, as marketing suggests there will not be any reliance on shallow storytelling, unlike most other adaptations out there. While the burner is set too low, attention spans are comparatively short in today’s world. It is a risk on paper, but also one of the reasons The OA remains so powerful even today.

Should they locate an audience that is prepared to grapple with its silences, deep-seated dread, and ethical dilemmas, it could pay tribute not only to The OA’s legacy but also assist in bringing back a type of science fiction that relies more on heady psychological tension than action-packed startling revelations. This might mark the dawn of a new epoch in genre television — one anchored once more in the power of patience.

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