NOS4A2: 5 reasons you should watch AMC's horror show on Shudder

NOS4A2 is based on the popular novel of the same name by Joe Hill. It follows the sinister tale of immortal being Charlie Manx. Here’s why you should watch it.

Earlier this summer, NOS4A2, the television series based on Joe Hill’s novel, premiered on AMC. The series follows the sinister cat-and-mouse game between two strong creatives, Vic McQueen and the evil immortal Charlie Manx.

Manx is a vampire (the title is a clever play on Nosferatu) but he doesn’t drink blood to survive. Instead, he harnesses the souls of children and then takes their remains to a twisted place in his imagination called Christmasland.

5. The story is unique.

Joe Hill is the son of horror master Stephen King. It appears he has inherited his father’s knack for writing original stories. NOS4A2 is unlike any other show you’ve watched with its own complex mythology.

Don’t worry about getting lost, however, the series is very good at explaining what you need to know as each episode progresses. It may be a story with depth but I wouldn’t call it confusing. The writers understand how to give the audience the necessary information in bite-size pieces.

4. Zachary Quinto is excellent as Charlie Manx.

Quinto has become increasingly famous in the last couple of years since his amazing turn as Spock in the Star Trek universe followed by various appearances on the FX horror anthology, American Horror Story.

And who could forget his show-stopping turn as Sylar on Heroes? Zachary Quinto has always excelled at playing the villain and he truly gets a chance to shine as the slimy and treacherous Charlie Manx. There is something admirable about the way he delves into the character’s psyche. We may know Manx is evil, but Manx thinks what he’s doing is a noble and just cause.

Ashleigh Cummings as Vic McQueen, Rarmian Newton as Drew – NOS4A2 _ Season 1, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Zach Dilgard/AMC /

3. It is genuinely scary.

If you were worried about NOS4A2 not delivering on its genre promise then you have nothing to worry about. The series is genuinely terrifying. Whether it be due to visiting the mysterious Christmasland or witnessing Manx in action, the show has lots of gruesome shots, toe-curling plot twists, and chilling moments of sheer terror.

You wouldn’t think a place designed to be full of nothing but Christmas wonder and magic could be horrifying but NOS4A2 will show you exactly how that’s possible.

2. There are lots of colorful, eccentric characters.

Outside of the central characters, Vic and Manx, NOS4A2 is full of intriguing characters. There’s Maggie, another strong creative who can see the future by using a mystical bag of Scrabble tiles. Then there is Bing Partridge, a seemingly kind and naive school janitor with a love for comic books who we find out has a deeply disturbing backstory that lures him into working with Charlie Manx.

Vic McQueen is also worth talking about. As a teenager, she struggles with her desire to go to college while having the fate of several lost children in the palm of her hand. Her arc is not unlike a superhero origin story and Ashleigh Cummings is fantastic in the role.

Ashleigh Cummings as Vic McQueen – NOS4A2 _ Season 1, Episode 6 – Photo Credit: Zach Dilgard/AMC /

1. The showrunner is a woman and there are several women on the writing team.

Unfortunately, it’s still rare to see women as showrunners, even in 2019. That said, it’s even more rare to see female writers, showrunners, and directors in the horror genre.

It’s pretty awesome that not only does this series have a fantastic creator in Jami O’Brien (who has also worked on Fear the Walking Dead) but it also has several women on the writing team. It comes across in how some notably heavy topics are handled.

Next. 5 TV shows to watch if you love American Gods. dark

NOS4A2 will debut on Shudder beginning on Aug. 8, 2019.

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5 reasons to check out NOS4A2 when it airs on Shudder

By Mads Lennon | Jul 24, 2019