Spoiler-Free Review of “The Clearing” on Hulu: Teresa Palmer stars in a Dark and Disturbing Cult Mystery

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I’m not supposed to be here…”

The Clearing released on Hulu on May 24th 2023 with two episodes available to stream now. There will be eight episodes in total that will air weekly. The Australian crime drama series (loosely based on a real story) stars Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto, and Guy Pearce. Each episode runs for approximately 47-49 minutes.

A mother must face her troubled past in order to stop a cult from kidnapping innocent children.

Here is the trailer:

The Clearing is eerie and chilling with a talented cast and a layered mystery that pulls you in. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Some solid twists already with a twisted mystery at its core.

I’ve seen my fair share of cult thrillers and mysteries, but this series is already more disturbing to me since it focuses on young children. There have already been a few twists that grabbed my full attention and I’m invested in what happens next. This is not an easy watch at all because of the content, but so far I’ve been given enough pieces of the puzzle to reel me in.

Images courtesy of Hulu

Talented cast.

With Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches), Miranda Otto (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Guy Pearce (Memento) on the same show, it seems like a dream come true and it is for the most part.

Teresa Palmer is always so convincing with her wide eyed stares and emotional reactions. She is very believable in this role and the main reason why I tuned in. Miranda Otto is absolutely CHILLING in her role and I can’t wait to see more.

I’m hoping Guy Pearce gets more of a chance to shine as well.

Either way, this cast is bringing a lot to this series and I’m confident they will continue to do so in the remaining episodes.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Confusing timelines and sluggish pacing.

The transitions between the different timelines are not as seamless as I’d like them to be. Both timelines are interesting enough, but it also seems like this series is trying to stuff in quite a lot, which can be overwhelming at times.

The pacing needs some improvement, but I think that each episode has done enough to bring me in for more. I just want things to speed up a little bit…

As I mentioned earlier, some of these moments can be emotionally triggering and disturbing so please be mindful of that.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in about 75 percent…

This series has some serious potential with an unsettling cult mystery at its core, but it needs to pick up the pace and allow its stars to truly shine. I’m intrigued to find out more; however, and I’m willing to stick around for the remaining episodes.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Clearing in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Face your fear…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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