I really loved the first episode and continued watching to see what would become of Toni, the primamry character from that as it was clear she was goin to keep popping up...
I wish I had known that Nathan Ballingrud had written the short story that this was based on, as it is clear from reading his short story that episode 1 is based on that he not only deals in 'horror as metaphor' but also seems to skirt the whole 'horror as ........' issue that so frequently gets in the way of a good story. Perhaps had I known this going in I would have been much more willing to 'go along with' the whole WTF nature of why a woman would keep her dead spouse in her basement and continue to visit her even as she rots away. Part of the problem is the episode takes too long to get where its going and once it 'goes there' it can't decide whether its a Weekend At Bernie's style silly comedy or a gut-wrenching/tear-jerking saddo horror. In the latter mode, it definately pulled some feels out of me that was somewhere between feeling despair for their situation and the sheer grief it must be for losing someone in this way. However, as I stated at the start maybe it was better expressed in teh story but I just didn't really understand Shawn's motivation at all and this made the whole episode just go all over the place.
Plus, just what was she doing with allthe dead animals and all the digging in the dirt at the end?
12 Reviews
San Junipero II
Gislef22 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, the episode really isn't similar to 'Black Mirror''s "San Junipero" But it feels the same, even though it's a more supernatural/horror-type story. And the focus is more on Kate's mental condition than the virtual reality the two women Kelly and Yorkie are stuck in.
Maybe it's just that myself as a viewer sees similarities in two genre stories about lesbians together, when that's the only major similarity.
Like "San Junipero", "Plainfield" doesn't focus on the lesbian nature of the relationship. It could be about any two spouses, where one has mental problems and the other tries to cope with it. "Plainfield" is probably the best of the 'Monsterland' episodes so far. It actually focuses on the two protagonists and what they're going through. The preceding episodes seems more like they're about what is happening to the characters, then what they are experiencing.
Or maybe that's just the performances by Colindrez and Schilling. They both give good performances in what is basically a two-person showcase. It also helps that the episodes gives the two characters, Kate and Shawn, some personality. And the story some personality: there's some black humor in Shawn's attempts to shut down a nosy neighbor.
The fact that the story is non-linear doesn't help. Couldn't they have just told it along a straight timeline. Or at least a simple "15 years ago" and then let the story progress from there without more time cards? It gives the episode a disjointed feel.
My main gripe is that the production staff and the writers can't. Stick. The. Landing. I don't mind a dark ending. I don't mind a happy ending. I just wish the writers would make up their minds. So do Shawn and Kate live happily ever after? Or does Kate remaining a rotting corpse in the downstairs cellar? And why is the story set 13 years ago? So what happened in the last 13 years?
If the story was set in the present, they could at least wrap it up with a "Who knows what the future may hold?" conclusion. But... it doesn't. We're seeing a story that was already told 13 years ago. And the spaghetti timeline just makes the whole thing seem kind of pointless. Does Heather find out that one of her mothers is a zombie?
Shawn seems happy to have Zombie Kate back. But that seems awfully selfish of her: what does Heather think? Heather is presumably 25 in the "present", since the last segment is "13 Years Ago". Is she helping Shawn bring dead animals to Zombie Kate? Is there anything of Zombie Kate even left?
So the story is really about obsession: Shawn's obsession with Kate, as much as dealing with Kate's mental issues. I don't mind the story being a metaphor for bipolarism, but writer Mary Laws seems to lose interest in that halfway through and goes with "Ooh, Kate has come back as a zombie" instead. If the production staff wants to do a metaphor, pick one and stick to it!
Or maybe the story is a metaphor: mental illness = zombies? If so, that isn't very clear.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Maybe it's just that myself as a viewer sees similarities in two genre stories about lesbians together, when that's the only major similarity.
Like "San Junipero", "Plainfield" doesn't focus on the lesbian nature of the relationship. It could be about any two spouses, where one has mental problems and the other tries to cope with it. "Plainfield" is probably the best of the 'Monsterland' episodes so far. It actually focuses on the two protagonists and what they're going through. The preceding episodes seems more like they're about what is happening to the characters, then what they are experiencing.
Or maybe that's just the performances by Colindrez and Schilling. They both give good performances in what is basically a two-person showcase. It also helps that the episodes gives the two characters, Kate and Shawn, some personality. And the story some personality: there's some black humor in Shawn's attempts to shut down a nosy neighbor.
The fact that the story is non-linear doesn't help. Couldn't they have just told it along a straight timeline. Or at least a simple "15 years ago" and then let the story progress from there without more time cards? It gives the episode a disjointed feel.
My main gripe is that the production staff and the writers can't. Stick. The. Landing. I don't mind a dark ending. I don't mind a happy ending. I just wish the writers would make up their minds. So do Shawn and Kate live happily ever after? Or does Kate remaining a rotting corpse in the downstairs cellar? And why is the story set 13 years ago? So what happened in the last 13 years?
If the story was set in the present, they could at least wrap it up with a "Who knows what the future may hold?" conclusion. But... it doesn't. We're seeing a story that was already told 13 years ago. And the spaghetti timeline just makes the whole thing seem kind of pointless. Does Heather find out that one of her mothers is a zombie?
Shawn seems happy to have Zombie Kate back. But that seems awfully selfish of her: what does Heather think? Heather is presumably 25 in the "present", since the last segment is "13 Years Ago". Is she helping Shawn bring dead animals to Zombie Kate? Is there anything of Zombie Kate even left?
So the story is really about obsession: Shawn's obsession with Kate, as much as dealing with Kate's mental issues. I don't mind the story being a metaphor for bipolarism, but writer Mary Laws seems to lose interest in that halfway through and goes with "Ooh, Kate has come back as a zombie" instead. If the production staff wants to do a metaphor, pick one and stick to it!
Or maybe the story is a metaphor: mental illness = zombies? If so, that isn't very clear.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
This one hit home.
tricialsnyder3 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I'm in love with this series but this episode, while so far my favorite, cuts to the bone. I suffer from bipolar and my husband and son have suffered from my earnest attempt to kill myself 8 years ago. It's poignant, though, to watch and understand the other side of the "debate" and the weariness that comes with loving someone like me For me it was hard to watch the end because my son reminds me so much of me and I fear he is cursed as well. I think it's important to know, if you have a loved one in the same position, that we don't really want to die, we sometimes just grow weary of the awful fight of trying to live.
Another powerful episode
unclehud8 October 2020
Strange and different type episode one that's mind numbing and distrubing!
blanbrn23 October 2020
This episode 5 from "Hulu's" "Monsterland" called "Plainfield, Illinois" is one that's strange and twisted as it shows how the mind and one's personal problems and dependence can really affect things. The story involves time spanning with two young students both females near Chicago and one becomes a lawyer and she lives with her new life partner. Only the two can't break away from an apparent plague of the mind with pain as thoughts of death are ever felt. Really not one of my favorite episodes as it's a twist on the mind.
Depressing as hell like the rest of the series, deserving of it's own trigger warning
pixikinz3 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Like a train wreck I haven't been able to stop watching this monstrously depressing series. Though this one might hit horribly close to home with those with mental illness that have tried to kill themselves or have felt like doing so. I would put a strong warning as it might play into worst fears, however I must admit it might be the best visual/allogory to someone who doesn't understand how someone can just feel like dying if they haven't seen/experienced it first hand.
Terrible writing and editing
christi-4883010 October 2020
Grief and letting go
empoweringmanagement2 October 2020
This is a beautiful character study, touching on the horror of mental illness and the difficulty of letting go of someone you love, even when it's the right thing to do. For anyone who suffers mental illness, or who knows someone who does, it might be a difficult watch. But it's very well acted and written.
Pandering junk
callingthemout2 August 2022
This had no place in this series. Somebodies a little too "woke" in your writers room. Here's a tip stop taking petrochemicals & alcohol and get real help. Don't put that junk on to kids. Weird terribly written story.
Incredibly difficult watch
tolkiengeekdom25 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is my favorite out of the series. As someone who struggles with mental illness, it is a VERY difficult watch. The acting is excellent and schillings performance, especially when she's in her depressive episodes, hits way to close to home- in a good way. Definitely upset me more than most horror movies, but hey, I've watched it twice so now. It's really damn good.
This is probably the worst episode in the series
menny-738654 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
50 minutes of a woman speaking to her dead wife about some boring usual stuff. Yep. This is the whole episode. Sorry for spoiling it ( I put a warning "sign").
At least, other episodes (so far) had more character development, more storyline, more symbolism between mental illness and supernatural. This one is straight to your face, without any layers, and just drama like dialogs.
All in all. Not a bad series. But this episode was uncooked.
At least, other episodes (so far) had more character development, more storyline, more symbolism between mental illness and supernatural. This one is straight to your face, without any layers, and just drama like dialogs.
All in all. Not a bad series. But this episode was uncooked.
Lesbian Love
claudio_carvalho9 September 2022
Sixteen years ago, Kate Feldman and Shawn Green are mates in the Law School of the University of Chicago. They are lesbians and soon they fall in love with each other, move in together and raise a family of their own, with a daughter Heather. Before having a daughter, Kate discloses to Shawn that she is bipolar and when she is down, she thinks in committing suicide, but Shawn insists on having a daughter. On the present days, Heather is in a boarding school, Shawn works and Kate stays home since she needs to use pills. One day, Shawn finds Kate dead in the bathtub, but later, she comes and meets Shawn in their apartment.
"Plainfield, Illinois" is, so far, the worst episode of "Monsterland". The series is not good but the love story of two lesbians that becomes obsession is boring and weird. My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): "Plainfield, Illinois"
"Plainfield, Illinois" is, so far, the worst episode of "Monsterland". The series is not good but the love story of two lesbians that becomes obsession is boring and weird. My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): "Plainfield, Illinois"
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