If you’re looking for a new horror TV show to watch, you might want to add Parasyte: The Grey to your list. The Netflix original premiered in early April, getting plenty of attention and great reviews along the way. It’s a horror story, and some viewers have said that it’s so gruesome that it turned their stomachs. But fans of the genre should be more than used to gory scenes from this type of show.
So what is Parasyte: The Grey about? Here’s the Netflix synopsis for the show:
When unidentified parasites violently take over human hosts and gain power, humanity must rise to combat the growing threat.
Yes, we have seen this story a thousand times before. In this war between humanity and invading aliens (parasites), the protagonist, Jeong Su-in (Jeon So-nee), becomes only partially infected. She’s able to talk to the larvae that enter her body, as the two have to live in symbiosis to survive.
It sounds similar to the Venom character in the familiar Spider-Man story, but without the comedy to lighten the mood. “Having enjoyed the parasite anime, this adaptation is flat. All of the comedy or comic aspects were left out. So all that is left is an alien invasion action show. Fine if that’s what you need, but watch the anime to see what is missing,” one viewer wrote on Rotten Tomatoes.
Based on the Parasyste manga, the six-episode TV show comes from director Yeon Sang-ho, whom you might know for his Train to Busan (2016) zombie horror movie. Despite being released in April, Parasyte: The Grey still has a 100% average score on Rotten Tomatoes. The IMDB rating is 7.1/10, which is also impressive. These reviews should be enough to add Parasyte: The Grey to your list.
As for the gory side of things, The Irish Star warns that some of the horror special effects might be described as “sick,” “creepy,” and “disgusting,” according to some viewers.
The top image should give you an idea of how these parasites transform once they infect the human body. You’ll see it all in action in the official trailer below. It should give you a good idea of what to expect from the series in terms of horror and violence. If you can’t stomach all that, then Parasyte: The Grey might not be for you.
