The Institute, an adaptation of Stephen King’s book of the same name, is a tense, emotional, and action-packed thriller. Season 1 kept us on our toes every week. And Season 2 is poised to do the same. We grew to love these characters. And I think a big part of that is because they are all just kids. Those kids suffered some of the most unspeakable things while being held captive inside The Institute. The first season examined the evil of adults. In Season 2, the kids are fighting back. And we are here for it.
At the center of the story are Luke (Joe Freeman), Kalisha (Simone Miller), Nicky (Fionn Laird), and George (Arlen So). After learning in Season 1 that they and other children with telekinetic powers were being used as anonymous assassins, they worked together to destroy The Institute. After escaping with help from Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes) and Wendy (Hannah Galway), you might think life has gotten better. Unfortunately, because the kids are powerful, and therefore valuable, The Institute is still after them.
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The kids are aware they will never have a normal life if The Institute exists. They must end it, but they don’t know how. Because how do you shut down an organization run by a bunch of adults when, at the end of the day, you’re just kids? Without giving anything away, the plan is unconventional at best, and it tests them in more ways than they could have imagined. They are up against an enemy that may be the hardest one yet. But the kids are up for the challenge.
Like The Institute Season 1, everyone delivers phenomenal performances. Freeman’s Luke is the leader. He’s still taking charge in Season 2; he doesn’t always make the best decisions, but that’s why his performance works. It’s hard to remember that Luke is only fourteen. Often, he appears to be much older. He’s intelligent and has had to grow up even faster because of what has happened to him at The Institute. Still, he makes impulsive decisions that remind you he is still a kid. Freeman does a great job of balancing the two.
Miller’s Kalisha is one of my personal favorites. Since Season 1 of The Institute, I’ve loved how strong she is, especially during the hardest times. And she does go through some hard times in Season 2. But she also comes into her power more, and I feel like she’s fully realized who she is and has become a leader in her own right. Everyone leans on her as much as they lean on Luke. It’s no surprise considering she’s such a powerful telepathic or “TP.” She feels everyone’s pain around her, and she just wants to make them all feel better.
Nicky was one of the characters I worried about a lot in The Institute. He’s a tough guy but is ultimately a big teddy bear. Laird’s portrayal makes him so lovable. Usually, a guy like Nicky would be the rebel who can’t turn off the anger. But that’s not Nicky. He feels everything deeply, and I admit he brought me to tears a few times. His scenes with Miller are so heartwarming and emotional.
George, who was so calm and kept to himself in Season 1, is also taking charge in Season 2. Arlen So is a delight, and as George, he offers moments of comic relief. In a series as tense as this one, it’s nice to have that balance. His scenes with Barnes’s Tim are some of my favorites. Especially when he tries explaining Gen Z terminology. Just like the others, George has grown into his powers. He faces tough decisions and is forced to do things he never would have. But it’s all for the greater good of helping his newfound family.
This season of The Institute is all about the found family. Tim and Wendy become like parents to Luke, Kalisha, Nicky, and George. The dynamic is so easy, and I think that’s because Barnes and Galway have natural chemistry not just with each other, but also with the kids. You can feel the love and the care they have for them. Luke, Kalisha, Nicky, and George have been through a lot. Trusting adults again after having so much abuse inflicted upon them by adults is not easy. But Tim and Wendy are protectors determined not to let anything happen to them.
With new and old enemies, they need each other now more than ever. As we all know, Sigsby (Mary Louise Parker) made it out of The Institute alive. That doesn’t happen in the book, so that caught me by surprise at the end of Season 1. In Season 2, she’s essentially become persona non grata. Like the kids, she’s on the run. With no real options, she’s left with only one: find a way to get back into The Institute. But the question becomes: can she be trusted? After the collapse of The Institute on her watch, she’s already proven to the director that she’s not equipped for the job.
The Director of The Institute has established a new ally to keep the operation going. He’s found it in tech billionaire Nolan Reeves (Alfie Allen), whom he tasked with helping him to rebuild. Allen plays Reeves with the arrogance and defiance we have come to expect from the billionaire tech bros. He’s one of those people you can’t quite put your finger on, and like the billionaire bros, he has his own plans for The Institute. Just what that is, you’ll have to wait and see.
Overall, the second season of The Institute will keep you glued to the TV. If you were rooting for the kids in Season 1, expect to root for them even harder in Season 2. The series does a great job of continuing Stephen King’s story. It will make you angry, laugh, cry, and question who to trust. It’s good TV and just what you would expect from any adaptation of a King novel.
The Institute Premieres November 8th and releases new episodes every Sunday on MGM+.
