From Season 4 Is Failing Its Most Interesting Character

From has boasted a sprawling and fascinating ensemble from its inception. Its original characters are so interesting that the show’s later seasons have drawn criticism for continuing to introduce new characters rather than further developing the ones it already had. This critique has merit, especially upon considering the wealth of untapped potential that has existed in Donna since season 1.

Donna was established as a central character in From‘s very first episodes as the person who sat Tabitha down and explained the circumstances of the Township. This moment was also the first time the show’s rules were clearly laid out for the audience, making it a significant and memorable scene.

Having arrived in the middle of the night, when her sister was promptly and horrifically killed by the monsters, Donna also has one of the more interesting and tragic arrival stories. Her lore has prompted much speculation and From fan theories, particularly surrounding her framed picture of her and her sister. It’s a strange thing to have been traveling with on a hunting trip, and a corner is notably torn off.

Donna has been treated as a leader and a key player throughout the series as she continues to be brought into important conversations well into From season 4, but her character has also seen very little development beyond the show’s early episodes, and she has rarely been a direct catalyst for any of the story’s action.

Donna has the potential to be a strong and compelling individual character, but she also represents the philosophy of Colony House, a particularly unique element of the series that has been neglected alongside her.

From Has Neglected Colony House In Its Focus On Town

In the early days of From, the divide between Colony House and Town was stark. Boyd led one, and Donna led the other with completely different societal philosophies, and their characters were painted as having significant tension between them because of it.

As a whole, the Township took its structure seriously, complete with a ceremony in which newcomers declared their intent to live in either Colony House or Town. That decision was final. Since then, those barriers have broken down. Julie moved out of Colony House and in with her family with very little fanfare. When Kenny asked Sophia where she wanted to live, it was merely a casual conversation.

Now, there seems to be little distinction between Town and Colony House beyond the logistics of their sleeping arrangements. With the majority of its main characters living in Town (Boyd, Jade, Sara, Kristi, The Matthews), From has begun to spend less and less time in Colony House.

Scenes that do take place in Colony House feel like it is simply the place characters happened to be while having a necessary conversation. As the divide between the two communities has faded, so too has the unique personality that made Colony House stand out.

Thanks To Donna, Colony House Had A Fascinating Lifestyle

When the Matthews first arrived in the Township, Colony House took communal living to an extreme, and From made a point to depict that. The concepts of personal space, privacy, and belongings were essentially nonexistent, and the community was very sex, drug, and party positive. Public intimacy was normalized to a point that was almost orgy-adjacent, and Donna was the architect of this lifestyle.

Given how Colony House was first depicted, it made sense that Boyd, who was desperate to cling to a sense of normalcy, would be so opposed to that way of living. Yet Donna’s desire to create a space of meaningful human connection and pleasure also made sense. It was important to her to give people things to look forward to, and From‘s subsequent emphasis on hope seems to support that mindset.

Of course, Colony House also has a glaring Achilles heel, but this only made its setup more compelling. Having so many people under one roof leaves Colony House vulnerable to nothing short of a massacre if even one door or window were to be opened after sundown. This was exactly what happened in season 1, episode 7, “All Good Things…” when the lonely Kevin opened a window for a flirty monster.

This could have been a catalyst for meaningful character and story development, particularly in Donna, as she reeled from the unintended consequences of the arrangement she created. Yet, unfortunately, From didn’t depict a meaningful reevaluation of Colony House’s way of life.

The residents didn’t all move into Town out of fear, nor was there a significant rule or lifestyle change that could have sparked even more growth for its characters. Instead, the event seems to have been the final chapter of the exploration of the Colony House society and Donna’s philosophy on community building.

Ever since “All Good Things…” Colony House has seemed muted, like a shell of itself without any real acknowledgment as to why or what effect this has had on the people who made the active decision to live there.

From’s Evils Have Never Singled Out Donna

Image via Everett Collection

The show’s focus on Donna and on Colony House seems to have faded in tandem. Over the course of the show, nearly every other major character has experienced some sort of isolated supernatural phenomenon that was personal to them. Tabitha and Jade had their revelation at the Bottle Tree, Julie can “story-walk”, Fatima birthed a monster, and Sara hears voices.

Even Elgin, who had been a comparatively minor character, came front and center when he began engaging with the Kimono Woman. Yet Donna has never had an experience that drove the plot forward in a meaningful way or suggested she is critical to the Township’s supernatural grand design.

From has established that the Township has 47 total residents, and that not all of them contribute to the story or the community in a significant way. However, the screen time given to every other character seems to align with their importance to the story.

Meanwhile, From has made a point to establish Donna’s history and personal opinions about how the Township should be run, continuing to include her in every conversation involving a leadership perspective. Yet, with Colony House seemingly running on autopilot and with no personal developments of her own to bring to the table, Donna’s voice as a leader is becoming increasingly insignificant.

As a character with such interesting ideas and who actively prioritized a positivity that the show has consistently suggested is important, Donna has so much potential that From has left untapped.

Release Date

February 20, 2022

Network

Epix, MGM+

Directors

Jack Bender, Brad Turner, Alexandra La Roche, Bruce McDonald, Jeff Renfroe

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  Harold Perrineau

  Boyd Stevens

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  Catalina Sandino Moreno

  Tabitha Matthews