PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Stephen King adaptations are a dime a dozen these days and with any book-to-screen, some are better than others. From the superb Misery, Christine, Pet Sematary, Stand by Me (in writing this I have realized there are soooo many that are actually quite good) to the mid-level Tim Curry led It, and Salem’s Lot to the downright abysmal The Dark Half, Dolores Caliborne, and Sleepwalkers, some of King’s stories are best left on the pages. One new adaptation, MGM+’s The Institute, is one that’s better than others. Written and produced by Jack Bender (he’s no stranger to King adaptations – read our interview with him HERE) and starring Mary-Louise Parker (Fried Green Tomatoes; Weeds), Julian Richings (Supernatural), and Ben Barnes (The Punisher series), The Institute is mysterious and compelling and should pique your interest.
A teen genius wakes up in a strange place full of children who got there the same way he did, and who all, like him, possess unusual abilities.
To celebrate the release of the show, I chatted with Mary-Louise about the show and crafting her character.
PopHorror: I really enjoyed The Institute and I’m excited to talk to you about it today. What intrigued you about the script and the role of Ms. Sigsby and made you want to be a part of the project?
Mary-Louise Parker: I liked that there’s really no end to her willingness to service this mission, that she’ll stop at absolutely nothing to save the world. She truly believes she’s saving the world from the apocalypse and that she’s going to save more lives than she’s going to destroy, which is what makes her most dangerous in the end, I think.
PopHorror: She is definitely ruthless. She isn’t all that she seems to be on the surface. She’s multilayered and a little bit quirky. I really liked the hot dog dance because I do that in the kitchen too.
Mary-Louise Parker: Do you?!
PopHorror: Yes! Was there anything that you were adamant about bringing to your character?
Mary-Louise Parker: It was that. It was that I wanted there to be a real difference between how she was at work and how she was at home, so that you could see when she takes off that armor that it’s really this person who has unexamined self-loathing and a need for self-harm. I don’t think she notices so much that she’s doing it and is unable to even summon the energy to get herself a plate or to take the ketchup out of the fridge. She can’t even approach herself with any civility, which that’s the most telling of who she is and that’s the closest you get to seeing… Not that she’s contrite in any way, but that there must be some kind of deep internal conversation going on somewhere.
PopHorror: I found it really interesting with the self-harm and that she didn’t break stride in her dancing, she didn’t stop what she was doing in the kitchen, and as soon as the metal hit the stove and got red hot, I knew where this was going. I was really surprised because she didn’t even doubt herself or stop.
Mary-Louise Parker: There’s no ceremony whatsoever. It’s entirely… It’s done with some kind of… It’s almost mindless in a way. She’s not even fully aware of anything that she’s doing. I think that’s how she is when she leaves the institute. That’s what you’re left with underneath, especially, I think, after having done this for any amount of time. I think it’s just ground away at whatever humanity was there, which was probably not formidable to begin with, but I would think there was probably more than she has at the beginning of the story.
Thank you so much to Mary-Louise for taking the time to chat with us. The Institute premieres Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 9pm EST only on MGM+!
