Ringside Report Reviews the Netflix Show Midnight Mass

By Ron Signore

At times, there is so much content available to watch on so many different outlets, it becomes cumbersome to pick something of interest before getting metaphorical ADD in wondering what else is on.

This past weekend, my wife and I found ourselves in that common predicament of not knowing what to invest our “watching time” in. Typically, we are very boring. Streaming reruns of Seinfeld, Friends or older sit coms we all love. Occasionally, we investigate the trends of what people are hyping on social media. For example, the great Joe Tiger experiment of 2020 comes to mind.

A couple years back, we watched this miniseries (I guess you can call it), House on Haunted Hill, where while spooky, had us hooked to see what was going to happen next and how it all ties together. It had a “Sixth Sense” feel to it. It then came out with a second story in the series, which was very similar in feel to the first, which we enjoyed. But on Friday night, my wife pointed out a third series had been released so we decided to watch it.

The newest series was called “Midnight Mass.” While it definitely had some characteristics similar to its previous sagas, this was far different in so many ways, and still had us glued. For a couple with young children who is usually in bed by 9, found us up two nights straight until 2 AM.

The plot is relatively simple (some illusions to spoilers ahead). A young man with a lot of promise and a huge alcohol problem kills a girl while driving under the influence. He gets sentenced to jail, though continuous to torment himself for what he has done. Upon his release from jail, he returns home to this island (Crockett) to live with his family as condition of parole. The island is small and has some eerie components to it. The focal point of the island is the church. The church immediately has this too good to be true feeling to it. This passionate priest delivering the daily mass brings a spark back to the faith of the island. As we continue on, we start seeing miraculous things happening, some very small in stature, some far clearer of divine intervention. No one would be any the wiser that something was amiss.

While it was a great story and very intriguing to watch, I saw something different. I saw a feature where the writers and directors were trying to tell us something. It was not so much to trust in your faith, but rather scientific logic needing to supersede the events happening. I saw a direct correlation to Q-Anon and it’s followers; anti-vaxers and their disciples. This desire to go back when science was not the answer, where medicine was second to God in curing anything.

As we continue during the story, more and more and more people start packing the church for mass. As things continue to happen within the island, the community doctor starts identifying the possibility that there is a contagion on the island and that it is coming from the church. Like a modern-day doctor, the tight knit community minds adamantly dismiss any possibility that there is a problem. Proof continues to support the physician’s theories, yet no one will listen to her. The population of the island found something they have bias to believe in and stick with that theory and act with support to it. Like masks or the vaccine, people with faith and hope to believe in something go around dismissing the scientific elements that can prove the antithesis correct.

Similarly, to current affairs, we see a mix of deniers and believers fall in the end. Where you always feel bad for the people who did all they could to do right and lack a certain empathy for those who proactively chose to ignore the signs, this tale will have that mentality in full effect. A tale of selfishness, greed and cult minded thinking also tells a tale of redemption and the hope for the innocent as we see the protagonist finally come to terms with his crimes. Love and hope living on eternally, where fragile and sensitive here on Earth.

I am not anti-religion. I believe faith is important. However, this story is the concept of mis-information of desires to be achieved against the facts of reality. The continued confusion on what is true and what path will keep you and yours safest. I believe if any of you watch this, you will enjoy the story, but I also hope this gives you another perspective of what the show is trying to say.

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