‘Midnight, Texas’ Is a Small Town ‘Supernatural’

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NBC’s Midnight, Texas is the brainchild of Charlaine Harris, the author of the books that formed the basis of True Blood. Fans of that show will find plenty to like about this new series, screened Saturday for fans at WonderCon. There’s still that playful attitude and soapy fun — but the biggest influence for this NBC show feels like The CW’s Supernatural.

 

The way the show treats its premise — a small town that is populated by people with strange abilities — is full of energy and fluffy fun. The pilot episode certainly doesn’t mind flirting with darkness but it’s in a very “primetime TV” way.

Here’s how NBC describes it:

The town of Midnight sits on a veil between the living and hell. This supernatural thriller takes a journey into a remote Texas town called Midnight where nothing is what it seems. Where being normal is strange and only outsiders fit in, Midnight is a mysterious safe haven for those who are different – a perfect place for anyone looking to hide from the outside world.

Midnight, Texas is in the same genre neighborhood as Grimm, and the network is probably hoping it will find an audience with that show’s fans now that it’s ending. It’s not a horror show, but it uses elements and tropes of the genre to tell its soapy stories.

That’s not a bad thing. There are a number of characters that seem like they could lead into to some interesting plotlines, and they aren’t all the usual band of paranormal weirdos. One person apparently can just sprout angel wings. Another one is a new age cat lady who can actually talk to her cats.

There’s giddy delight to discover in Midnight, Texas. If it can lean into its silliness and not get bogged down in convoluted mythology, it could be a nice way to spend a Monday night.

brianonthescreen
Hi! I'm the Director of Community Partnerships at Fandom. My team collaborates with gaming and entertainment partners to make Fandom a fun and exciting place for editors and other site users.