Young Daniel Moore is lured out of his house by the cadaverous Charlie Manx, a creature who preys on the life force of the vulnerable.

AMC’s 10-part adaptation of Joe Hill’s third novel (it was called NOS4R2 for us Brits) is not your standard fantasy TV fare, and sets out its stall right from the beginning as Daniel’s parents are murdered and the hideous Manx (Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto – barely recognisable at this stage) abducts the youngster. It’s gripping stuff.

We then switch to Haverhill, Massachusetts where talented art student Vic McQueen (an excellent Ashleigh Cummings) is having a tough time. Her parents are constantly fighting, her father harbours deeper secrets, they have no money and she has little chance of going to college. And as this misery comes to a head she finds a covered bridge in the forest that we later find out was demolished years before. There’s something about the Shorter Way Bridge turns it into a portal from where Vic can recover list items.

What Vic doesn’t know is that Manx is picking up her vibes – Quinto now looks younger while Daniel is closer to death – and that using the portal is affecting her health. And so we find our main characters destined to meet, and there’s a lovely point where nourished Manx looks at his stylised map and there’s a destination of Pennywise’s Circus – Hill’s father is of course IT author Stephen King.

Verdict: As an opening episode, this instalment manages to get enough of the pieces on the board and to pique your interest. What exactly is Manx? What’s the role of scrabble-tile psychic Maggie (Jahkara Smith), and what’s the deal with the Rolls Royce Wraith, reg plate NOS4A2? I’ll be back for more. 8/10

Nick Joy