The Terror: Devil in Silver off to solid start
Nearly seven years after the previous season, AMC+’s supernatural horror anthology series The Terror has returned to its literary roots, with Season 3 of the series adapting Victor LaValle’s 2012 novel Devil In Silver. As a repeat winner of the Shirley Jackson Award, Victor LaValle is a powerhouse in the literary horror genre, though The Terror: Devil In Silver is his first venture into showrunning and executive producing. Alongside co-showrunner Christopher Cantwell, LaValle delivers a six episode miniseries adaptation of his novel, with the first two episodes directed by horror director Karyn Kusama.
The Terror: Devil In Silver stars Dan Stevens as Peter “Pepper” Coffin, a man wrongfully committed to mental institution New Hyde Hospital after being apprehended by a trio of corrupt plainclothes officers. While the officers initially explain to Pepper that he is being committed purely as a means of avoiding jail time, he finds himself quickly sedated and left without answers as a few days stay turns into a few weeks. Pepper quickly becomes a divisive presence in the hospital, tormenting the orderlies, egging on the patients, and refusing to bow to the hospital’s insistence that he is exactly where he belongs. Soon after his arrival, Pepper becomes aware of a supernatural presence in the hospital, as the patients warn of something that lives behind a silver door in the psychiatric wing.
Credit: AMC+
From the get-go, it is clear that The Terror: Devil in Silver is an adaptation that will impress fans of the novel. While the first two episodes operate more as an introduction to Pepper and New Hyde Hospital, Victor LaValle’s participation in the adaptation makes the season feel well-developed and rich in world-building and characterization. Dan Stevens’ Pepper is a clear instigator, with the horror heartthrob bringing both an aggressiveness and a nonchalantness that perfectly embodies the character. In the early episodes, we witness as Pepper quickly establishes himself amongst the patients and staff, agitating the campus with his constant prodding and hairbraining. Chinaza Uche stars as Coffee, Pepper’s bookish and restrained roommate. As Pepper begins to suspect something sinister is occupying the hospital ward, Coffee and the other patients become his begrudging coconspirators as Pepper plots his escape.
Episode 2 focuses on Pepper’s continued attempts to secure a pair of keys and free himself from the ward, as his three day psychiatric stay stretches into a two week stay. As it becomes clear that Pepper’s girlfriend Marisol has no legal say to get him released, Pepper has to find alternative means for escape. While Coffee remains mum on what exactly is occupying the ward, long-term patient Dorry (Judith Light) warns of the entity that lives behind the silver door and reveals that Pepper’s attempts at securing keys are simpler than expected as Coffee has acquired and hidden the keys from other residents. Despite these warnings, Pepper steals the keys from Coffee, only to come face to face with a bison-headed entity that attacks and injures him. Episode 2 ends with the revelation that Pepper is far from the only resident being held long past their hold time, with the implication being that the hospital is aware of the monster within its walls.
With a short & sweet six episode order, The Terror: Devil In Silver has an extremely solid foundation with its first two episodes. Karyn Kusama’s direction paired with sharp writing establishes the world of the show in a way that is tense, topical, and terrifying. While the first two episodes tease more sinister happenings to come, these episodes never feel like they are dragging or getting burdened by unnecessary plotlines, which were common complaints of the previous two seasons. The Terror: Devil In Silver will hopefully continue standing on strong footing as the rest of the season premieres. Check back here for reviews of the remaining four episodes every two weeks.
