Cabinet of Curiosities

As a horror maestro and auteur, Guillermo del Toro has earned the right to his moment in the spotlight -- in this case presiding on camera, Alfred Hitchcock ...

Yet even with those disclaimers, “Cabinet of Curiosities” feels stocked with stories lacking in heft – throwing open its doors with del Toro’s buoyant enthusiasm, and too often finding its shelves looking a little bare. The episode that perhaps most exemplifies that, “The Viewing,” certainly starts well enough, with a wealthy recluse (Peter Weller) assembling a group of professionals accomplished within different spheres to see a strange artifact in his possession. Netflix will try something a bit different by premiering back-to-back episodes of “Cabinet of Curiosities” over four successive nights, which turns out to be more inventive, or at least distinctive, than most of the stories.