A new Stephen King adaptation introduces one small change to its original book, which fixes the source material’s biggest criticism. Changes to source materials can often seem unnecessary and forced, but this creative liberty in the series significantly elevates it from the original Stephen King book.
Many Stephen King adaptations end up ruining the story beats from their source material in the name of creative freedom, often diluting the elements that made the original story compelling in the first place. Under the Dome‘s TV adaptation is the perfect example of this, given how it drifted completely away from the original Stephen King book in season 2.
Fortunately, a new Stephen King adaptation stays loyal to its source’s narrative and attempts to perfectly capture its essence on the small screen. Even when it does change the book’s story elements, it does so in a way that only rectifies one of the biggest shortcomings that significantly weighs the narrative down.
Stephen King’s The Institute Was Criticized For Its Timeline Inconsistencies
The Book’s Depiction Of Teenagers Seems Dated
When The Institute first hit the bookshelves in 2019, many appreciated how it adopted familiar tropes to tell a gripping tale about captivity, resistance, and freedom. However, at the same time, many could not help but notice how its portrayal of its teenage characters and the timeline they lived in was wildly inconsistent.
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The Institute Review: This Enthralling Stephen King Adaptation Is Way More Than An X-Men & Stranger Things Clone
MGM+’s adaptation of The Institute translates the tension and mystery of Stephen King’s novel nicely, albeit with a few mixed moderations.
The book hints that it is set in the present world by drawing many modern pop culture references to shows like Game of Thrones. Despite this, however, the Stephen King story uses age-old teenage lingo and outdated behavioral patterns that feel more fitting for adolescents from the early aughts or even late 90s.
…The tonal mismatch between its modern-day setting and dated characterization creates a dissonance one cannot ignore.
From a thematic standpoint, The Institute is relatable with its portrayal of how humans have an intrinsic desire to seek autonomy and break free from oppressive systems. However, the tonal mismatch between its modern-day setting and dated characterization creates a dissonance one cannot ignore.
MGM+’s The Institute Adaptation Stays More Consistent With Its Timeline Clues
The Show Intentionally Avoids Adopting A Modern Timeline
MGM+’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Institute never explicitly mentions its timeline. However, instead of treading the same path as the book, it ensures that it makes enough retro references to establish that it unfolds in the past. The characters in the show use everything from landline phones to various analog forms of technology, effectively distancing the story from the book’s modern timeline.
The show also avoids drawing references to modern TV shows and sticks to featuring nods to relatively older films like Fight Club. Even the candy bars the young actors in the Stephen King show eat are classic brands with vintage packaging. While it is arguable whether MGM+’s The Institute is better than the book, it undoubtedly does a better job than its source at painting a more cohesive world.
