Watch Don't Watch This

Don't Watch This, produced in 2018 by Netflix, dives into the cryptic, creepy, and perverse backwaters of the horror genre. It's a captivating anthology series that consists of five disparate shorts, each distinctive in its plot and style, that attempt to find and unsettle the viewer's psychological weak points. Deliberately eccentric and unpredictable, this series blends scare tactics and dark humor, intended to leave you with a deeply disconcerting, yet thoroughly entertaining viewing experience.

The anthology style of Don't Watch This allows it to marry various sub-genres of horror into one platform while showcasing a wide range of storytelling techniques. The episodes invite viewers to take a journey into the deepest, darkest realms of fear, testing their nerve and resilience throughout. The runtime of each varies greatly, some being close to half an hour while others barely brush the ten-minute mark, adding a uniquely unpredictable nature to the viewing experience.

The first episode "Friendship Bracelet" serves as a high-school horror that combines themes of adolescent angst and paranoia with grisly scenes of horror. It tells a tale about a party-gone-wrong among teenage girls, which twists and turns into a gruesome nightmare. It explores the danger that can emerge when youthful desire for acceptance is corrupted, creating a painful yet otherworldly roller coaster of emotions.

The subsequent episode, "CTRL+ALT+DEL" takes on a more technological horror approach, focusing on the constraints and the depraved potentials of the digital age. The narrative takes us on a disorientating trip into the distinct intersection between technology and terror, challenging the viewer to ponder on the overwhelming influence and dependence on technology in our lives.

"Keep Out" is the third installment, which spins a classic haunted house story on its head. It uses a familiar narrative structure and then sprinkles it with unexpected turns and drops. It plays with the themes of curiosity, danger, and the thrill of the unknown in its most macabre form.

"Incommodum" follows with a bizarre mix of surreal elements and grotesque imagery that test the boundaries of the traditional horror genre. It incorporates elements of art-house cinema, coming across as a disconcerting hallucination more than a narrative.

The final episode "Antoni Psycho" takes a more comedic approach, featuring a parody of the iconic horror film American Psycho starring Antoni Porowski, a cast member of the reality show Queer Eye. Combining cooking tips with horror tropes, this short film brilliantly showcases how versatile and encompassing the horror genre can be.

Overall, Don't Watch This successfully amalgamates various horror tropes and aesthetics into a singular, powerful viewing experience. Each episode is its mini horror show, packed with terror, thrill, and a taste for the macabre. By utilizing different styles and elements of horror, the show delivers an eclectic and unsettling mix that not only disturbs viewers but also keeps them fascinated and intrigued till the end.

The series has been created by a collective of capable independent filmmakers who have used this platform to present a fresh and diverse perspective on the genre of horror. The innovative cinematography, skilled writing, and convincing performances contribute to a viewing experience that makes this anthology far from the run-of-the-mill horror shows. However, this also means that every viewer’s experience might be subjective, depending on their tolerance for gore, dark humor, and surrealistic plot lines.

Don't Watch This is a testament to the creative and unpredictable mechanics of horror as a genre. It's a must-watch for fans seeking something offbeat and shockingly original, and also, despite the title, it is a collection any horror enthusiast will not want to miss. This intriguing anthology is a dynamic exploration of the horror genre, presenting us with opportunities for fright as well as allowing us to unravel the layers of our own deep-seated fears. It is strange, twisted, and haunting – all the components necessary for unforgettable binge-watching.