From Season 4 Is Scarier, Twistier, and Higher Stakes Than Ever (Review)

People like to throw the phrase “cult classic” around for just about everything it feels like, but when it comes to From, it’s a label that actually applies. The MGM+ sci-fi horror series has, over the course of three seasons, somehow managed to fly just under most viewers’ radar while consistently building a twisty, terrifying, high-quality mystery that somehow manages to get better and better with each season all while creating a narrative tapestry that not only draws in new viewers with ease, but massively rewards those who have been watching since episode 1 as it is, in fact, all connected. Now, almost two years after a shocking third season finale that felt like it left the series on the edge of major answers, From is back for Season 4 with a mystery that is only getting tighter.

Season 4 of From picks up from right where Season 3 left off. The mysterious Man in Yellow has just killed Jim Matthews (Elon Bailey), we’ve had the introduction of what can only be described as time travel via Julie (Hannah Cheramy), while Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and Jade (David Alpay) have come to the discovery of their past lives and the connection to the town. It feels very much like the unwilling residents of Fromville might finally be on the edge of solving the larger mystery of, well, everything about their situation but it’s clear almost immediately that someone — or something — isn’t going to let that happen.

Over the course of the six episodes provided for review, the town gets a mysterious new resident and some new discoveries are made, but with those discoveries come terrifying consequences and complications. It makes for a fascinating if not subtle shift in the danger and tension for the people of the doomed town. While to now, From has very much been a story where the external threats have loomed largest, Season 4 leans into the real danger being from within as the townspeople begin to crack.

Rating 4.5 out of 5

PROS	CONS
Expands the show’s mythology in terrifying new ways	Pacing is a little slow or stretched in some episodes
Offers a fresh new threat
Perfectly connects earlier elements of the story

From Season 4 Deepens the Mystery and Ups the Stakes (But Stumbles Occasionally in Pacing)

One of the best things about From as a series overall is that those making it are well aware of how involved fans are with the mystery and Season 4 rewards that probably more than any season prior. Many of the major developments in the new season directly tie back to events going all the way back to the series premiere. While that in general isn’t exclusive to From — many series tie things together — in From Season 4 it’s clear how deliberate and intentional it’s always been. Ahead of the season premiere, the series put out a list of key episodes fans might want to revisit before the new season and without getting into spoiler territory, let me just say you definitely want to do that. Season 4 of From excels at tying together disparate threads from earlier in the series, giving viewers some major payoff from seeds planted years ago.

However, while Season 4 certainly goes harder into the psychological horror — believe me when I tell you that the Man in Yellow is only the beginning — and does such a good job of expanding and connecting the mythology of the show that the writers should teach a master class on storytelling — there are some missteps. Pacing is a bit more of an issue in Season 4 than in previous seasons, with some sequences and moments feeling particularly drawn out simply to avoid answering a question. There are also a few moments near mid-season that feel like we’re going in circles simply to extend the overall length of the season. It’s not necessarily distracting, The high quality of the performances all season long makes any length of time we spend with the characters worthwhile, but there does come a point where forward motion is preferable.

Season 4 Is the Most Terrifying Season Yet

Despite the slight pacing issue, Season 4 is easily the most terrifying yet. We finally start to see the cracks in the community that have been just under the surface for years crack open. The closer they get to answers, the more desperate the characters get. That in turn leads to deeper fear and a lack of trust as we start to see people slowly begin to turn on one another in various ways. It’s a slow study on watching people lose control while also fighting to hang on. It’s simultaneously extremely taxing but also deeply satisfying, particularly as we see major growth for some unexpected figures. Major standouts this season are Pegah Ghafoori as Fatima who is heartbreaking and chilling in equal measure, as well as Julia Doyle as Sofia.

Overall, Season 4 of From is the best yet for the unsettling series. The mystery that has kept audiences guessing and theorizing for years manages to get all the more complex without losing its edge or quality. The character evolution is well done and feels earned so that when huge shifts or unexpected developments happen, you are not only deeply invested but will genuinely be stunned. Even then new additions to the mythology of From, which could easily go into cartoonish territory, are instead deeply grounded and the stuff of nightmares. The season manages to hold onto hard truths while hitting audiences with major surprises and it once again proves it’s one of the best shows on television.

From Season 4 debuts April 19th on MGM+. New episodes arrive weekly through June 21st.

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