The Hunger: Season 1

This was a very interesting and macabre show that should've been on for more than two seasons....

I remember watching a movie featuring several stories from this series and found myself wanting more and more. The show features big named celebrities in characters that you don't expect and it's amazingly refreshing. Definitely an adult series.

I've had this dvd set for over a year now, and I have seen every episode, but I've never quite knew how to review it. It's not a bad anthology series, but it's so incredibly inconsistent. I just didn't know what to make of it.

The set comes with 22 episodes. They range from terrific (The Swords, Menage a Trois, Necros, The Secret Shih Tan, Bridal Suite, Hidebound), to boring (The Lighthouse, Clarimonde, Anais), to basic (The Other Woman, No Radio), to silly (Room 17, A Matter of Style), to just plain bizarre (Plain Brown Envelope, The Sloan Men), to downright awful (The River Of Night's Dreaming), with everything else just being mediocre.

Now the series bills itself as an erotic horror anthology series, and to be quite frank, it fails more often than not at both. Most of the time the horror seemed to take a backseat to the sexual situations, and most of the sexual situations are not sexy in the slightest. The creepiest episode would probably have to be Hidebound. It's actually quite suspenseful, and has a terrific setting. It's also one of the few episodes where the horror takes the frontseat. The sexiest episode would probably have to Bridal Suite. It has a really attractive couple, and their sex scene is a bit more steamy than the others in the season. But nothing else is honestly scary or sexy in the slightest. So the concept of this show didn't really end up working out. Most of it's just weird.

Terrence Stamp is the host. He's ok. He's no Alfred Hitchcock or Cryptkeeper, but he gets the job done I suppose. I could've done without the awful intro, but that's only a small issue.

Now some people seem to think this is a vampire series. It is NOT. It's an anthology series, and each episode has a new storyline. There's exactly two vampire episodes :). Just so people aren't confused.

Overall it's hard to say if this is worth picking up. If you're a hardcore fan of horror anthology series, and have seen them all? I'd say so. It's not too expensive, and there are some interesting episodes here. Though if you're not and haven't, then take a pass. It's no Twilight Zone or Tales From The Crypt.

An aquired taste in the likes of night gallery only much darker

It's a bit hard to review a show like this. All in all it's softcore porn (just being honest, here) encapsulated in episodic stories. That said they are in fact actually stories with some semblance of plot and often have little morality tales built in (slightly more than generic softcore material). Though the plot is sometimes a bit thin and/or just a foil for the intermittent nudity. (It is a Showtime series after all.)

Effectively, this series is a Showtime counterpart to something like Tales from the Crypt or Tales from the Dark Side. The show consists of about half-hour episodes, with a brief intro / outro snippet from a "host" type character (not unlike the Cryptkeeper, only more human and less undead).

These are all essentially "weird / dark tales" with an erotic tinge. Since it's a Showtime show, expect nudity and sex scenes.

So far I've watched the first disc and generally been pleased with the overall quality of episode plots, atmosphere and cinematography (given what the series is about). I mean it could be like so many shows and just have a thin veneer of plot for a minute and then just go back to the "action." But, these episodes do actually have just a bit more substance than that (if only just).

If you like dark tales mixed with softcore, you might just take a look at this series.

If you're only seeking nudity, you might like The Hunger TV series (which has nothing to do with the movie of the same name).

This series was marketed as an "exploration of hunger in all its forms" -- hunger for sex, food, money, power, etc.

NOT!

The marketing is a lie. The producers or story editors, or whoever, had no imagination. Most of the episodes seem to go for gratuitous sex, nudity, and graphic violence. Most of the "stories" make NO attempt to tie in with the "hunger" theme of the title. Many of the episodes have NO story.

That's right. Many of these episodes are vignettes rather than stories. Slices of life. Profiles of some sleazebag or other, engaging in sex and violence for your titillation.

This series is not only distasteful, it's boring. Some beautiful photography, good production values, but weak or no stories. Ugly characters (ugly on the inside).

I've seen TONS of horror anthologies, both on film and TV -- and this series is the poorest excuse for a horror anthology I've ever seen.

I had never heard of this series. But read some reviews from others who had. Gave it a try loved it and going to order the second season.

One of the other reviewers stated that he was wishing for captions since he has impaired hearing. Truth is, the dialogue doesn't add much in this series of shorts. Most of the episodes are only of interest visually; overall, the scripts are bland and lacking.

Although dark and often surreal, these shorts are usually too foolish to be frightening.

WHAT YOU DON'T GET

- Gripping stories that impact your mental/emotional state

- Satisfaction

- David Bowie (who hosts The Hunger: Season 2, and who starred in the exceptional vampire film The Hunger)

WHAT YOU DO GET

- James Bond having sex with Cersei Lannister (more on this below)

- The Hitchcockesque host, Terence Stamp (Supreme Chancellor Valorum in the Star Wars prequel trilogy), who sometimes offers philosophy but who more often than not simply offers random thoughts.

- The very occasional feeling that you didn't just waste a half-hour.

- Boobs. The show is not rated; it is somewhere between R and NC-17. They definitely like topless scenes, and they manage to squeeze a copulation scene into each ep. This is obviously a plus or a minus, depending on who you are.

- A decent title sequence for the show (looks like they got ideas from the W.S. Burroughs Cut-Up Films), but after you've seen it once, it is just boring.

If you follow the careers of actors, you may want to watch some of these eps. Here's a spoiler-free summary to help you distinguish between those that are failures and those that have some redeeming qualities:

1. "The Swords": You can guess the ending halfway through. Notable actors: Jamie Foreman (Layer Cake), Timothy Spall (Harry Potter film series), Balthazar Getty (Alias).

2. "Ménage à Trois": You can guess the ending halfway through. This is the ep with a young Daniel Craig (James Bond) getting it on with Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister from HBO's Game of Thrones). Also features a ghoulish role for Karen Black.

3. "Necros": Not a bad ending to this one (too silly to be creepy, but creative nonetheless, and makes you think twice about saying you'd make a deal with the devil to sleep with so-and-so). Notable actors: Leonardo Cimino (Abraham Bernstein from V: The Miniseries [1983]).

4. "The Secret Shih-Tan": Somewhat cartoonish at the end, but the actors did their best with what they were handed and the result is maybe worth your time. Notable actors: Jason Scott Lee (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story), Kenneth Welsh (Twin Peaks).

5. "Bridal Suite": Not really worth mentioning. Avoid. Notable actors: Colin Ferguson (Eureka), Sally Kirkland (Anna [1987]).

6. "Room 17": Watch the 1983 film Videodrome (The Criterion Collection) instead. Notable actors: Curtis Armstrong (Revenge of the Nerds).

7. "Anaïs": Surrealism. Locations in downtown Montreal, but little else held my attention. Many eps in this series were shot in or near Montreal, yet this ep is one of the few where you can really tell.

8. "No Radio": Falls slightly short of being clever, but is good enough to watch.

9. "But At My Back I Always Hear": Had potential But dropped the ball. Notable actors: Michael Gross (Family Ties). It was kinda gross watching him in a sex scene.

10. "Red Light": Fail.

11. "I'm Dangerous Tonight": Baaaaaaaad. Yucky bad. Notable actors: Esai Morales (Caprica).

12. "The Sloan Men": Worth watching. The story wasn't bad, but what could have been a menacing ep was treated more like a comedy. At least watch the part with giant mushrooms that squirt out enormous amounts of goo. Notable actors: Margot Kidder (Superman [1978]).

13. "A Matter of Style": This was what I was waiting for (the vampire ep in the collection). My hopes were dashed when I realized it was a farcical approach to vampire lore; yet despite the cheese, it held my attention. *Vampire purists will be appalled.* Notable actors: Chad Lowe (Rob Lowe's little bro).

I'm not going to waste our time by commenting on the remaining episodes (some were OK). Let's just say if you were hoping for vampire short stories (as the artwork suggests) or a good scare, you will be sorely disappointed.

All things considered, the current renaissance in television makes The Hunger look pretty weak today. Maybe 2.5 stars at best.

Surprisingly good plot lines. Don't be put off by the cover art. This series would appeal to anyone who likes a good thought-provoking morality tale even if they are not typically a fan of the genre.

Un'ottima serie tv per gli amanti di intrighi e misteri...anche un pò paranormale a tratti. Vale i soldi spesi. Ricorda "Ai confini della realtà".

I liked the original Tales of the Unexpected TV series, I am a Terence Stamp fan and as a Susan Sarandon fan I liked the film, The Hunger. I thought what could be more interesting than seeing my preferences merge into one with the tv series The Hunger.

I don't regret buying this DVD at all. The Hunger is innovative,interesting, original, sexy and totally brilliant. All 22 episodes unique in their own way are an expose of man's desires, ambitions and the darker side of mankind. Terence Stamp is unforgettable as a seductive and very entertaining host introducing each episode. The Hunger is an amazing, dark journey into the realm of our senses.

Vaguely entertaining, but not worthy of the film from which it springs.

Received in time. Horror series pretty good episodes. British TV series but made in Quebec so lots of Quebec actors and actresses mixed with British ones. First episode is starring Daniel Craig before James Bond era.