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Netflix |
Have you heard of the latest Netflix original series, Hemlock Grove? If so, it’s probably due to the flashy marketing campaign touting all the blood, sex, and general depravity in red-band trailers (as well as the horror pedigree of a certain Eli Roth attached to the title) as well as recent NSFW clips featuring bone-crunching supernatural phenomena in action. Maybe you’ve even read the novel by Brian McGreevy. One thing’s certain however, this is truly Netflix’s way of branching out with the original series because this couldn't possibly be any more different than House of Cards—this series isn’t meant to be serious sophisticated high art though. Part of its charm is its messiness; the sometimes awkward dialog for example is a hallmark of campy horror entertainment and the first episode of Hemlock Grove is far more enjoyable if that part of it is embraced.
Taken on its own, the debut hour of the series is an enigmatic intentional slow-burn that puts into play characters and situations that will hopefully blossom fully during the next twelve episodes. This is truly a perfect show for the all at once release model Netflix is favoring as of late—I do wonder how patient viewers would be with this series if they had to wait for a new installment each week. Certain pacing structures really seem to frustrate some people.