I noticed a few reviewers asked why the mother suffered more than the evil stepdad. I believe she is THE WORST MONSTER in this story! The Trumpeter was there to collect, basically as another reviewer stated: "It's time to pay the Piper!" She was given multiple chances by both the Trumpeter and her son George to ADMIT and REPENT, but she chose to deafen herself, which didn't work any longer. While yes, the Stepdad is an Evil Monster, and I'm sure there is a special place in Hell for him. The focus of this story is the innocent child and how his mother basically not only sold her soul to the Devil to get them out of poverty, but the worst sin is she sold that innocent child's soul and then tried to convince him it was just bad dreams. When the poor kid admits he lived in Hell the whole time, she still refuses to admit she knew anything about it. She wanted money, a big fancy house, status and respect and didn't care what she had to give up for it. The wages of sin is death. She committed the worst kind of sin against her own small child and wouldn't admit, repent and so there can be NO FORGIVENESS for her! As far as I'm concerned, she got what she deserved. The episodes in this series are a bit of a puzzle, but they are something different and I thought the acting was pretty decent, despite a few horrible accents. One question I do have about this episode is around 25:55 mins . the Mom is going thru a box of old pictures and a pic of her husband at that Mardi Gras 14 years earlier shows up, what the hell is the thing to his left? Looks like it had horns :o
15 Reviews
Time to Pay the Trumpeter
Gislef21 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This vague tale of revenge, and paying for one's sin, is muddied by the fact that it doesn't make much sense. For starters, why is Annie the target of the Trumpeter? Granted, she looked the other way or so we're to believe. But her crime seems less than Joe. So the woman gets punished for looking the other way, but Joe himself doesn't get punished that we see, for the act itself. You've come a long way, baby!
We don't even see Joe get punished for his crime. Which is more psychological than willful. Maybe that's the point: he's driven by mental sickness, while Annie deliberately blinded herself to the truth. I wish that writer Mary Laws had made it a bit clearer if that's where she was going. I don't mind the story not being wrapped up in a bow, and it being left for me the viewer to piece together the story. But there's a point where a story is left unexplained to let the viewer come to their conclusions, or the writer just can't come up with a decent ending themselves. So far in this and the preceding two episodes, 'Monsterland' seems more like the latter than the former.
I don't get the appearance of Toni from "Fort Portchon". Yes, she's a continuing character. But her presence doesn't make any sense, and the fact that Nancy overhears Toni's real name at the restaurant where Toni works doesn't make any sense given what we were told in the first episode. How does the manager know Toni's real name, when Toni has taken on the identity of Jennifer?
Overall, I don't mind 'Monsterland' presenting metaphors. But there's a difference between metaphors, and coherent storytelling. So far, it seems like the production staff is falling back on "metaphors" for why they can't write decent endings to stories. Like the Trumpeter. He almost makes sense as a metaphor for Annie's guilt. But why does he take the form of the Trumpeter? There was nothing specific about him on the day of the festival. And one of the trumpet players in the parade is wearing a hat at the end saying "The Devils Horns". Okay, that's a metaphor, but it doesn't line up with the rest of the story. Is the parade damned souls like Annie, although what she did doesn't seem that damnable. But then is the Trumpeter a demon, or Annie's guilty conscience taking the form of the monster George described, or what?
That's what I mean. If the Trumpeter and the parade band are metaphors, they don't line up. The former is apparently Annie's guilty conscience, and the latter are from Hell. Guilty conscience, or demonic band? The latter makes more sense given the New Orleans setting. The supernatural, and a Hell band, make a little more sense in context. But then why the Trumpeter?
Supposedly this episode and the preceding ones are an examination of poverty and how society is the monster. But the punishments keep getting worse. Toni gets to abandon her daughter and have a new life. Nick kills his mother. the black woman, Annie... deafens herself and still joins the Hell Band for her "sin" of not molesting her son, but ignoring what happened because she wanted to give him a life. Okay, not something that will win her "Mother of the Year". But it doesn't deserve going to Hell, as it is implied happens to her at the end, with the "Devils Horns" and all.
Joe has an expensive lawyer, Kate, and may get off scott free. Annie turned a blind eye (and a deaf ear: okay, that's a metaphor) to George so he could have a decent life. So the literally poor black woman lives to Hell, and the rich privileged white dude gets away with it. Way to go, production staff!
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
We don't even see Joe get punished for his crime. Which is more psychological than willful. Maybe that's the point: he's driven by mental sickness, while Annie deliberately blinded herself to the truth. I wish that writer Mary Laws had made it a bit clearer if that's where she was going. I don't mind the story not being wrapped up in a bow, and it being left for me the viewer to piece together the story. But there's a point where a story is left unexplained to let the viewer come to their conclusions, or the writer just can't come up with a decent ending themselves. So far in this and the preceding two episodes, 'Monsterland' seems more like the latter than the former.
I don't get the appearance of Toni from "Fort Portchon". Yes, she's a continuing character. But her presence doesn't make any sense, and the fact that Nancy overhears Toni's real name at the restaurant where Toni works doesn't make any sense given what we were told in the first episode. How does the manager know Toni's real name, when Toni has taken on the identity of Jennifer?
Overall, I don't mind 'Monsterland' presenting metaphors. But there's a difference between metaphors, and coherent storytelling. So far, it seems like the production staff is falling back on "metaphors" for why they can't write decent endings to stories. Like the Trumpeter. He almost makes sense as a metaphor for Annie's guilt. But why does he take the form of the Trumpeter? There was nothing specific about him on the day of the festival. And one of the trumpet players in the parade is wearing a hat at the end saying "The Devils Horns". Okay, that's a metaphor, but it doesn't line up with the rest of the story. Is the parade damned souls like Annie, although what she did doesn't seem that damnable. But then is the Trumpeter a demon, or Annie's guilty conscience taking the form of the monster George described, or what?
That's what I mean. If the Trumpeter and the parade band are metaphors, they don't line up. The former is apparently Annie's guilty conscience, and the latter are from Hell. Guilty conscience, or demonic band? The latter makes more sense given the New Orleans setting. The supernatural, and a Hell band, make a little more sense in context. But then why the Trumpeter?
Supposedly this episode and the preceding ones are an examination of poverty and how society is the monster. But the punishments keep getting worse. Toni gets to abandon her daughter and have a new life. Nick kills his mother. the black woman, Annie... deafens herself and still joins the Hell Band for her "sin" of not molesting her son, but ignoring what happened because she wanted to give him a life. Okay, not something that will win her "Mother of the Year". But it doesn't deserve going to Hell, as it is implied happens to her at the end, with the "Devils Horns" and all.
Joe has an expensive lawyer, Kate, and may get off scott free. Annie turned a blind eye (and a deaf ear: okay, that's a metaphor) to George so he could have a decent life. So the literally poor black woman lives to Hell, and the rich privileged white dude gets away with it. Way to go, production staff!
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Kaitlyn Dever the goddess
devthekingd3 October 2020
The Devil's Horn
claudio_carvalho15 August 2022
In New Orleans, the lower-class Annie Keller is married with the wealthy Dr. Joe Keller. They are walking in the street carnival in the French Quarter with her son George and, out of the blue, Joe and George disappear. When they return, the scared George is mute and hurt, and he tells that a monster wanted to eat him.
Fourteen years later, Annie and Joe are a prominent couple in the New Orleans's high society and Joe has a party to celebrate the award he has just been indicated to receive. Out of the blue, a man crashes the party and accuses Joe of abusing his sister. This is only the beginning of a scandal on the career of Dr. Joe Keller and soon Annie is forced to remember her past.
"New Orleans, Louisiana" is the second episode of "Monsterland" shown by the Sci-Fi channel in Brazil. The story is very cruel and the conclusion showing the devil attracting Annie to his street carnival parade "The Devil's Horn" indicates who the greatest monster in the story is. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "New Orleans, Louisiana"
Fourteen years later, Annie and Joe are a prominent couple in the New Orleans's high society and Joe has a party to celebrate the award he has just been indicated to receive. Out of the blue, a man crashes the party and accuses Joe of abusing his sister. This is only the beginning of a scandal on the career of Dr. Joe Keller and soon Annie is forced to remember her past.
"New Orleans, Louisiana" is the second episode of "Monsterland" shown by the Sci-Fi channel in Brazil. The story is very cruel and the conclusion showing the devil attracting Annie to his street carnival parade "The Devil's Horn" indicates who the greatest monster in the story is. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "New Orleans, Louisiana"
Atrocious episode
clouded_brainstorm4 November 2020
Family wounds and ghost of the past reveal and haunt!
blanbrn15 October 2020
This episode 3 from "Hulu's" "Monsterland" series called "New Orleans, Louisiana is one that's haunting and it reveals the personal demons and wounds of one seem to have it all family. Set in the Big Easy it involves a married couple Annie a now socialite who's hit it big by marrying baby doctor and medical professor Dr. Joe Keller(Hamish Linklater) and everything seems A okay with money, love, and a big house and glamour only things twist at Mardi Gras and a moment of fear occurs with Annie's son George. Things twist as it's revealed that Joe is not who he seems plus Annie is haunted in the form of a jazz player and plus a big secret is told from George. Some may say this episode is a little predictable yet still it was filled with drama and it proves the past and inner family demons can haunt overall well done episode.
Very interesting
jprdo5 October 2020
I love this show. It is really well done, it leads the audience to think. Also, it allows for imagination and creativity. I love how the horror of the show is based on the issues that Americans are facing right now. From poverty, medical illnesses, lack of insurance to systemic oppression, the monsters aren't as scary as reality. It is very forward thinking. It is not a horror show per se, as much as a sociological study of the horrors of living in the modern times.
Bravo
downstairstvk13 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Great writing for a sensitive subject. Two warnings, be careful if you have sensitive ears...the repeated loud trumpet noises can be jarring and trigger warning for the sensitive subject matter. As a victim of child abuse, the accusations placed on the mother from her child about ignoring the abuse was almost cathartic to watch because many victims want these questions answered.
Face the music
MovieQween-336223 October 2020
This is episode 3 and I was really intrigued by this. I guessed the theme right away from the first few minutes. It was absolute heartbreaking! I really liked the overall metaphor, which so far each episode seems to follow. The mom/main actress was excellent, I really loved watching her acting. Turns out mom had to finally face the music.
Powerful
kennethcbenson8 November 2021
Excellent Episode! Spoilers
Mehki_Girl10 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I knew the monster was the stepdad and why he was one even before he and the little boy disappeared.
There's a little bit of a cheat to those first few episodes revealed later when the son confronts his mom.
However, although I thought it and then dismissed it and was wrong on the end, she did indeed, sell her little boy out for money.
She was the real monster!
Some people are complaining that the stepdad was the real monster and so why wasn't he being punished. What part are they missing? His career and license are gone. He's going to be sued if not in criminal court (statue of limitations), then in civil court. The rest of his life will be hell as a child molester.
But mom, those bastions of all that is supposed to be good and protective, ignored what, we learn later, her little boy did tell her that day.
She was on edge from the very beginning and so I don't believe she needed to be told - she always knew -she was the biggest monster of all - and that's why it was time for her to pay!
Great acting from the lead actress.
There was nothing about this episode that was hard to understand. Not sure why some people need everything spelled out.
Hopefully, going forward, all the children who need. Everything. Spelled. Out. Realize there will be no monsters or vampires, or fighting robots or shoot 'em ups or crashing cars and go watch a marvel movie or a Blumhouse production, which they'll still whine about, because not enough scares or blood or gore and leave this excellent series to the adults.
There's a little bit of a cheat to those first few episodes revealed later when the son confronts his mom.
However, although I thought it and then dismissed it and was wrong on the end, she did indeed, sell her little boy out for money.
She was the real monster!
Some people are complaining that the stepdad was the real monster and so why wasn't he being punished. What part are they missing? His career and license are gone. He's going to be sued if not in criminal court (statue of limitations), then in civil court. The rest of his life will be hell as a child molester.
But mom, those bastions of all that is supposed to be good and protective, ignored what, we learn later, her little boy did tell her that day.
She was on edge from the very beginning and so I don't believe she needed to be told - she always knew -she was the biggest monster of all - and that's why it was time for her to pay!
Great acting from the lead actress.
There was nothing about this episode that was hard to understand. Not sure why some people need everything spelled out.
Hopefully, going forward, all the children who need. Everything. Spelled. Out. Realize there will be no monsters or vampires, or fighting robots or shoot 'em ups or crashing cars and go watch a marvel movie or a Blumhouse production, which they'll still whine about, because not enough scares or blood or gore and leave this excellent series to the adults.
I liked this one the best so far...
smmans20 January 2023
I thought this one was not only creepy, but made sense as to why she was being tortured.
I'm currently on the mermaid episode, which is starting off kind of cool. I did like the New York and Illinois episodes as well. Thought they were pretty interesting, and the NY episode had the gore that would classify it as horror, which apparently most people reviewing here think this series is lacking I prefer the psychological horror stories like these, although I have to admit that some of these are insanely cryptic, which to me can be frustrating.
Overall, I like this series as it's not just the same old crap.
I'm currently on the mermaid episode, which is starting off kind of cool. I did like the New York and Illinois episodes as well. Thought they were pretty interesting, and the NY episode had the gore that would classify it as horror, which apparently most people reviewing here think this series is lacking I prefer the psychological horror stories like these, although I have to admit that some of these are insanely cryptic, which to me can be frustrating.
Overall, I like this series as it's not just the same old crap.
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