MGM Plus has just added an adaptation of my favourite Stephen King novel — and I already know I’m going to be sleeping with one eye open

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MGM Plus has added The Institute — and it's set to give you sleepless nights.

Joe Freeman stars as Luke Ellis in The Institute.
(Image credit: MGM Plus)

MGM Plus has just added a chilling new thriller, The Institute, which is an eight-part adaptation of Stephen King’s 2019 acclaimed sci-fi horror novel.

The Institute is based on a secret and mysterious organisation where imprisoned children are undergoing terrifying experiments — and with its supernatural themes, sinister secrets and a brave band of kids fighting dark forces, this is the perfect watch ahead of Stranger Things season five.

The series stars Joe Freeman (the son of actors Martin Freeman and Amanda Abbington) in his first lead role as 14-year-old Luke Ellis, with the gift of telekinesis, who finds himself trapped within the mysterious facility after being abducted from his bedroom in Minneapolis and taken to The Institute.

The story follows Luke as he discovers the kids are being subjected to cruel tests overseen by the cold and calculated Ms. Sigsby (Weeds' lead Mary-Louise Parker), who claims their suffering is for a higher purpose.

Can Luke free his new friends from torture before they’re pushed into the dreaded ‘Back Half’ of The Institute?

Mary-Louise Parker, Joe Freeman and Ben Barnes star in The Institute.

The Institute has a great cast. (Image credit: MGM Plus)

Executive-produced by Stephen King, the series also follows haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Shadow and Bone’s Ben Barnes), who starts a new life in a nearby town. His job is to keep the peace, until whispers of missing children pull him into a dangerous mystery...

Having read the book, this is a series I have been looking forward to ever since I heard it was being made into a TV drama. The book is one of those that has stayed with me long after reading the final page, and I have a feeling the TV adaptation is going to be exactly the same.

The first two episodes are available now on MGM Plus, but with the rest of the season landing weekly, this series has the potential to be one of those shows to pull you in and have you hooked for weeks to come.

The Institute landed in the UK on MGM Plus on Sunday, July 13, and in the US on the same day at 9 pm ET/PT. The series begins with a double-bill, and episodes are then released weekly thereafter.

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Claire Crick
Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off. 

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book. 

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