Netflix’s The Body is a campy, raunchy teen psychodrama with a dash of Catholic horror, set in 2004 at a Catholic school. It follows a dance team whose initiation ritual goes badly wrong, triggering prophetic visions and mass hysteria across the town. Created by Quinn Shephard, the writer-director behind Under the Bridge, all eight episodes landed on Netflix on November 11, 2026. We rate it 3.5 out of 5: stylish, funny and easy to binge, with a standout cast, but messy in its storytelling and shaky in its ending.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Title | The Body |
| Release date | November 11, 2026 (all episodes at once) |
| Platform | Netflix |
| Creator and showrunner | Quinn Shephard |
| Episodes | 8 (about 55 to 60 minutes each) |
| Starring | Kristina Bogic, Sara Boustany, Geena Meszaros |
| Supporting cast | Sofia Wylie, Shirley Chen, Jackson Kelly, Nnamdi Asomugha, Louisa Krause, Gabby Windey |
| Executive producers | Include Riley Keough and Gina Gammell, among others |
| Setting | A Catholic school, 2004 |
| Genre | Teen psychodrama, supernatural horror, dark comedy |
| Tone | Raunchy, campy, queer coming-of-age |
| Our rating | 3.5 / 5 |
Where to Watch
The Body is streaming exclusively on Netflix, with the whole season available at once. Check your Netflix region for the exact age rating, since the series includes sexual content and mature themes.
The Body Cast
| Actor | Character | Role in the story |
|---|---|---|
| Kristina Bogic | Anya Butler | Co-captain of the dance team, the Lions |
| Sara Boustany | Elise Zakaria | Anya’s best friend and co-captain |
| Geena Meszaros | Lisbeth Anderson | An outsider drawn into the night’s events |
| Sofia Wylie | Grace Franklin | A rule-following new recruit to the team |
| Shirley Chen | Maddie Delaney | A member of the dance team |
| Jackson Kelly | Leo Anderson | Lisbeth’s gentle younger brother |
| Nnamdi Asomugha | Father Samuel Franklin | The school priest, who is also Grace’s uncle |
| Louisa Krause | Catherine Anderson | A key adult in the story |
| Ashley Madekwe | Theresa Franklin | Part of the Franklin family |
| Motell Gyn Foster | Michael Franklin | Part of the Franklin family |
| Gabby Windey | The Lions’ coach | A scripted acting debut for the reality TV star |
| Marcel Ruiz | Tyler Santos | Recurring role |
| Orlando Norman | Steven Maxwell | Recurring role |
Kyra Pierce, Phallon Pierce, Cale Ambrozic, Christine Solomon and Julia Lowe also appear in the ensemble.
Plot (Spoiler-Free)
The series is set in 2004 at a Catholic school, where the dance team, the Lions, is in trouble: they have lost a key member just weeks before regionals, and the co-captains, Anya and Elise, disagree about whether the new recruit can fit in. After a late-night initiation ritual goes catastrophically wrong, the girls begin to experience prophetic visions.
What starts as a private secret quickly spreads. Suspicion, fear and religious panic take over the town, and the girls have to decide what to hide, what to confess and who they can trust. The show keeps asking whether what is happening is supernatural, psychological, or a bit of both.
We avoid describing the later episodes and the ending so you can discover them yourself.
Episode Guide
Netflix released all eight episodes at once. We have confirmed the titles of the opening episodes:
| No. | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | I Saw Grace Franklin with the Devil |
| 2 | Unholy Thoughts |
| 3 | Faking It |
| 4 to 8 | Check Netflix for the remaining titles |
Themes and Style
- Religion, guilt and repression. The series uses Catholic imagery and guilt as the engine of both its horror and its satire.
- Queer identity. The central friendship between Anya and Elise carries the emotional weight, as two girls who might be more than friends struggle against a culture that condemns them.
- Mass hysteria. Taking cues from the Salem witch trials, the show explores how fear spreads through a community.
- Girlhood as ritual. Dance, initiation and friendship are all treated like something close to religion.
- Y2K nostalgia. The 2004 setting is full of period details, music and fashion, and critics frequently compared the show to Jennifer’s Body, Carrie, Mean Girls and Yellowjackets.
- Camp. The show never takes itself too seriously, which helps carry it through its weaker stretches.
Content note: The series includes sexual content, religious themes and disturbing events, and it may not suit everyone.
Background and Production
- The creator. Quinn Shephard wrote and directed the Emmy-nominated Under the Bridge, and The Body is her first Netflix series. She has called it her most personal work and says she first wrote it in her early twenties.
- Inspirations. Shephard has cited Carrie, Jennifer’s Body, Heavenly Creatures and Mean Girls, along with The Crucible and the Salem witch trials.
- Production. The series was filmed in Toronto, with filming wrapping in early 2026.
- Casting. Netflix revealed the core cast in late 2025. Gabby Windey, known from The Bachelorette and The Traitors, makes her scripted acting debut.
- Release. Netflix announced the November 11 date in August 2026 and released the trailer in October.
How The Body Was Received
Critics were positive but divided, while audiences were noticeably warmer.
| Source | Verdict | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes (critics) | About 77% | Opened at a perfect score on the first day, then settled as more reviews came in |
| Rotten Tomatoes (audience) | About 97% | Viewers were much more enthusiastic than critics |
| NME | Positive | Called it excellent fun and marked Shephard as one to watch |
| Screen Rant | Mixed to positive | Messy but fun, with inconsistent pacing and a cliffhanger ending |
| DMTalkies | 3.5 / 5 | Called it an ode to old-school teen horror |
| FlickOnClick | 3 / 5 | Stylish with a great villain, but thin writing |
| Absolute Geeks | Positive | Bold and moody, though it sometimes trips over its plot |
| The Hollywood Reporter | Mixed | Said its modest pleasures are spread too thin over eight episodes |
What critics loved. The central performances, the chemistry between Bogic and Boustany, the camp, the period styling and the show’s willingness to poke at religion.
What critics criticised. Underdeveloped supporting characters, ideas that are raised but not explored, bloat across eight long episodes and an ending that feels unresolved.
What audiences said. Many viewers called it addictive, fun and one of Netflix’s more distinctive recent teen dramas. Some agreed with critics that it is messy but enjoyed the ride anyway.
The main arguments.
- For the show: It is bold, campy, well cast and made with real affection for the genre it is borrowing from.
- Against the show: The writing is uneven, the characters outside the leads are thin and the story stalls in the middle.
- In between: If you like camp and teen horror, it is a fun binge, even if it is not as sharp as the films that inspired it.
Performances
- Kristina Bogic (Anya). Frequently singled out for praise. She gives the character a brittle, trapped quality that makes her more than a typical queen bee, though one reviewer felt she took until the midpoint to settle in.
- Sara Boustany (Elise). Prickly and magnetic, and her chemistry with Bogic is the emotional core of the show.
- Geena Meszaros (Lisbeth). A strong presence as the outsider pulled into the events.
- Jackson Kelly (Leo). Touching and sincere, a gentle contrast to the chaos around him.
- Nnamdi Asomugha (Father Franklin). A grounding presence, though some critics felt his storyline is underused.
- Sofia Wylie (Grace). Plays the pure-hearted new recruit at the centre of the story.
- Gabby Windey (the coach). A small, kooky role that critics found charming.
What Works
- The leads. Bogic and Boustany give the show real heart.
- The camp and tone. It is funny, raunchy and does not take itself too seriously.
- Atmosphere and styling. The 2004 setting, Catholic imagery, music and dark visuals give it a distinct personality.
- Religious satire. The series gets sharp laughs and unease from Catholic guilt and hypocrisy.
- A strong opening. The first episode introduces the characters, tone and conflict clearly.
- Binge-friendly. All eight episodes at once suit its compulsive, mystery-driven structure.
What Could Be Better
- Messy storytelling. Several reviews called the plot uneven and inconsistent.
- Thin supporting characters. Outside the leads, many characters feel two-dimensional.
- Underexplored ideas. Themes such as faith and hysteria are raised but not always followed through.
- Pacing. The episodes run long, and the middle of the season stalls.
- The ending. It ends on a cliffhanger that feels unresolved, which some viewers found frustrating.
- Less scary than advertised. It leans more supernatural drama than horror, so do not expect big scares.
Our Review
This review is an editorial summary based on published critic reviews and early audience reaction.
The Body is a show that knows exactly what it wants to be: a loud, stylish, queer teen psychodrama soaked in Catholic guilt and Y2K nostalgia. The premise is a hook in itself. A dance team’s initiation goes wrong, the girls start seeing visions, and an entire town catches the panic. It is part horror, part satire and part coming-of-age story, and it moves between those modes with a confident sense of fun.
The cast is the show’s biggest asset. Kristina Bogic and Sara Boustany make the central friendship feel lived-in and loaded with unspoken feeling, and that relationship gives the series an emotional spine that the plot sometimes lacks. Jackson Kelly, Geena Meszaros and Nnamdi Asomugha also stand out, and Gabby Windey makes the most of a small role.
The weakness is the writing. Many characters beyond the leads stay one-note, some ideas are introduced and dropped, and the eight episodes carry more story than they can comfortably support. The ending also leaves a lot hanging, which will either excite you for a second season or leave you frustrated.
Our view: this is a fun, campy and well-cast binge with a strong sense of style, held back by uneven storytelling. Watch it for the performances, the atmosphere and the chemistry, and go in expecting dark comedy and drama more than outright horror.
The Review in Detail
Concept and writing. The idea of a Catholic dance troupe, a ritual and a wave of prophetic visions is both fresh and richly layered. The first episode establishes the stakes and tone well. The writing falters as the season goes on, with plotlines picked up and dropped and a few characters serving only a narrative function. It is ambitious, but it does not always follow through.
Direction and style. Shephard directs with a clear love for the genre. The show leans into shadow, religious imagery, choral music and period detail, and the result is a distinct, moody look. Some reviewers wished it were a little brighter, but the visual identity is strong.
Kristina Bogic as Anya. She is the show’s centre of gravity, playing Anya as someone controlling and afraid, trapped by expectations. A slightly tentative start gives way to a confident, layered performance.
Sara Boustany as Elise. Sharp-tongued and vulnerable, she gives Elise real bite. Her scenes with Bogic carry the series’ emotional weight and its queer love story.
The supporting cast. Jackson Kelly brings sincerity as Leo, Geena Meszaros brings intensity as Lisbeth, and Nnamdi Asomugha gives Father Franklin weight. Some of these characters deserved more development than the script gives them.
Religion and satire. The show’s critique of Catholic guilt, repression and hypocrisy is one of its most entertaining elements. It is more playful than profound, but it gives the series its identity.
Camp and humour. The humour is broad, irreverent and often very funny, and it is what makes the show’s flaws easier to forgive. It never pretends to be prestige drama.
Horror and tension. This is not a scare-a-minute horror series. It builds unease through atmosphere, ambiguity and mass hysteria, with a handful of tense scenes. Viewers who want real frights may be disappointed.
Pacing and length. At roughly an hour per episode, the season is long for its story. The opening episodes hook you, the middle drags in places and the final stretch picks up again.
Ending. The finale sets up a possible second season and leaves much unresolved. It is effective as a hook but unsatisfying as a conclusion, and Netflix has not confirmed a renewal in the sources we checked.
Our Rating
3.5 / 5
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Concept and premise | 4 / 5 |
| Story and screenplay | 3 / 5 |
| Performances | 4 / 5 |
| Direction and style | 4 / 5 |
| Atmosphere and visuals | 4 / 5 |
| Humour and camp | 4 / 5 |
| Horror and tension | 3 / 5 |
| Pacing | 3 / 5 |
| Ending | 3 / 5 |
| Binge factor | 4 / 5 |
Should You Watch The Body?
Watch it if you love camp, teen horror, queer coming-of-age stories, Y2K nostalgia or shows like Yellowjackets, Jennifer’s Body and The Craft.
Skip it or lower expectations if you want a tightly plotted mystery, real scares or a satisfying, self-contained ending. It may also not suit you if sexual content or religious themes make you uncomfortable.
Best way to watch: Over a weekend, with the lights low. It is built for a binge, but you may want to pause between episodes to enjoy the details.
Final Verdict
The Body is a bold, campy and stylish Catholic school psychodrama with a terrific lead pairing and a messy, unresolved story. It is more fun than it is frightening, and more atmospheric than well plotted, but it is one of Netflix’s more distinctive recent teen dramas and an easy recommendation for genre fans.
Final rating: 3.5 / 5
FAQs
When did The Body release on Netflix? November 11, 2026, with all eight episodes available at once.
Who created The Body? Quinn Shephard, who also wrote and directed it and previously created Under the Bridge.
What is The Body about? A group of badly behaved Catholic schoolgirls on a dance team begin having prophetic visions after an initiation ritual goes wrong, which sets off mass hysteria in their town.
Who stars in The Body? Kristina Bogic as Anya, Sara Boustany as Elise and Geena Meszaros as Lisbeth, with Sofia Wylie, Shirley Chen, Jackson Kelly, Nnamdi Asomugha, Louisa Krause and Gabby Windey.
How many episodes does The Body have? Eight episodes of about an hour each.
When is The Body set? In 2004, which is why the show is full of Y2K-era styling and music.
Is The Body a horror series? It is a mix of supernatural horror, teen drama, dark comedy and satire. It leans more towards psychological drama and camp than outright scares.
Is The Body based on a true story? No. It is a fictional story, though Shephard has said it draws on her own teenage experiences and on historical events such as the Salem witch trials.
What are The Body’s inspirations? Carrie, Jennifer’s Body, Heavenly Creatures, Mean Girls and The Crucible.
Is it LGBTQ+? Yes. A queer love story between the central characters is a major part of the show.
Is The Body suitable for kids? No. It contains sexual content, mature themes and disturbing events. Check the age rating in your region.
What did critics say? Reviews were mostly positive but divided. Critics praised the performances, style and camp, and criticised the uneven writing and thin supporting characters.
What is The Body’s Rotten Tomatoes score? It opened with a perfect critics’ score and settled in the high 70s to low 80s as more reviews arrived, with a much higher audience score, around 97%. Scores keep changing, so check the live page.
Does The Body end on a cliffhanger? Yes. The finale leaves major questions open and sets up a possible second season.
Will there be a Season 2 of The Body? We did not find a renewal announcement at the time of writing. Check Netflix for updates.
Is Gabby Windey in The Body? Yes. The reality TV star plays the dance team’s coach in her first scripted acting role.
Is The Body worth watching? Yes, if you enjoy campy teen horror-dramas and strong ensemble casts, and you can accept a messy plot.