Netflix's original content assault continues today with the debut of Hemlock Grove, a "supernatural" series directed by Eli Roth. This series takes place in a small Pennsylvania town which has suddenly come down with a bad case of werewolf attacks. Previous releases Lilyhammer and House of Cards chased viewers interested in quirky foreign humor and political drama, respectively, so this series represents a bit of a shift. Later this year, the streaming service will debut Orange is the New Black from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan and the second season of Lilyhammer. Cards is also due for a second season, and sci-fi fans have Sense8 to look forward to in 2014.
We'll see if its data-based approach to picking series has found another quality option in Hemlock Grove, however early reviews suggest that may not be the case for all viewers. Hitfix's Alan Sepinwall referred to it as a "streakbuster" between Cards and the upcoming season of Arrested Development, and a New York Times evaluation of the first few eps notes "it barely gets around to telling its story." Of course, it may just be targeted to viewers with different priorities, who will appreciate its style more than they did, and the company's algorithms are just waiting to dig those people out of the crowd. Whatever the case, with Netflix's characteristic all-episodes-at-once release schedule you can power through all 13 episodes and find out for yourself right now.
Source: Netflix
More Coverage: Hitfix, New York Times
