Stop by for a pint with Creep!
The Creep is back with a more tales of horror and despair. From a bullied kid who loves horror movies to a public television station accidentally unleashing the undead, the Creep is out to serve up another helping of scares. From the arctic to space to innerspace, no one is safe from the danger…even if you are alone on a desert island or among shapeshifting friends, the horror never stops!
Creepshow—Season 2 is a horror anthology. The season was released on Shudder from April 1, 2021 to April 28, 2021 and was preceded by two specials. A Creepshow Animated Special was released on October 30, 2020, and A Creepshow Holiday Special was released on December 18, 2020.
Watch until your eyes glaze over!
I love horror anthologies for the simplicity of them. You can have something genuinely scary next to something funny scary. You can hate one episode and love the next one. It is a perfect format for the genre. Much like Tales from the Crypt that came before it (and the basis for the original concept behind Creepshow), Creepshow—Season 2 has its ups and downs.
The biggest problem with Creepshow is that the series is rather short. The addition of the specials help fill out this season, but the core Season 2 is rather slim. The long format of “Night of the Living Late Show” also cuts into the number of stories. This also puts more pressure on the stories that you are given since there is more opportunity for them to “fail” since you aren’t hit with more stories.
The results are very up and down reactions to the season’s stories. While things like “Public Television of the Dead”, “Model Kid”, and “Pipe Screams” are fun some of the fun outings, stories like “Pesticide” falls completely flat. The series is also limited by the decided format that doesn’t try to go for scary which is too bad. The original Creepshow had some real jumps with “Father’s Day” and “The Crate” (while still having humor), and it feels like laughs is more of the goal of the season.
When you’re dad won’t leave you alone
The casting is good (another plus of anthologies). You get actors like Kevin Dillon, Ted Raimi, Ali Larter, C. Thomas Howell, Josh McDermitt, Keith David, Breckin Meyer, Molly Ringwald, Justin Long, D’Arcy Carden, and some horror vets like Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser), Denise Crosby (Pet Sematary), and Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator). It is a nice broad swath.
The specials also are more of the standout (though “Shapeshifters Anonymous” is a bit too long). The animated special adapts stories by Stephen King and his son Joe Hill and features voice work by Kiefer Sutherland and Joey King. They are a fun addendum to the season, but if they hadn’t been included, the season wouldn’t be worth it.
Childhood friendships are precious
The special effects are rather weak. Once again, Creepshow did a lot with a relatively low budget and tied it back into the classic comic book style of EC Horror. Here, the cheesy nature of the EC Horror is present, but it feels like the visuals are underperforming. The makers know that they don’t have the budget for some of the effects (“The Right Snuff” comes to mind), but in making the effects as part of the joke, it sometimes demeans the story…it also feels like in the Horror Express themed “Night of the Living Late Show” that the tech should have improved from Forrest Gump time (or at least been a bit closer to that level of visuals).
Though it is problematic, I still recommend Creepshow. I only do that because it is a quick watch and horror anthologies are few and far between nowadays. I wish that someone would either take Creepshow and ratchet it up a few notches or duplicate the format into something with a few more scares along with the laughs. I will always give the Creep a chance, but I hope for more in Creepshow—Season 3.
“Survivor Type”
“Twittering from the Circus of the Dead”
Special 1 Survivor Type/Twittering from the Circus of the Dead Release Date: 10/30/20
Survivor Type—Richard Pinzetti has managed to survive the sinking of a ship along with a case of heroin, but unfortunately he’s on a deserted island. Trained as a doctor, Richard intends to live a long, long time…even if food runs short. Twittering from the Circus of the Dead—Blake thinks her family is a drag, but she’s about to get a lot of new followers when they stop at a strange roadside circus in the desert.
“Shapeshifters Anonymous”
Special 2 Shapeshifters Anonymous Release Date: 12/18/20
Robert Weston (Adam Pally) worries that he has a problem. People are ending up dead around town and he thinks he might be responsible. Going to a group meeting for Shapeshifters Anonymous, Robert learns that shapeshifters are everywhere…and the holidays can be the deadliest time for them.
Creepshow—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“Model Kid”
“Public Television of the Dead”
2.1 Model Kid/Public Television of the Dead Release Date: 04/01/21
Model Kid—Joe Aurora (Brock Duncan) and his sickly mother June (Tyner Rushing) are able to bond over horror. When tragedy strikes, Joe finds himself dealing with the abusive boyfriend Kevin (Kevin Dillon) of his aunt Barb (Jana Allen)…but Joe’s friends have something to say about Kevin. Public Television of the Dead—Claudia Aberlan (Marissa Chanel Hampton) is a general manager of WQPS public television in Pittsburgh. As she tries to juggle rising star (and diva) Mrs. Bookberry (Coley Campany), she is forced to cut wholesome Norm Roberts (Mark Ashworth) and his painting show. When Ted Raimi (Ted Raimi) brings his Necronomicon to The Appraiser’s Road Trip, all hell breaks loose.
“Dead and Breakfast”
“Pesticide”
2.2 Dead and Breakfast/Pesticide Release Date: 04/07/21
Dead and Breakfast—Sam Spinster (C. Thomas Howell) and Pam Spinster (Ali Larter) are a brother and sister who have inherited their family home…and the story of their serial killer grandmother Old Lady Spinster. As they try to make a buck off of their grandmother’s legacy, a true-crime streamer named Morgue (Iman Benson) could be the key to turning a story into a fortune. Pesticide—Harlan King (Josh McDermitt) is the king of exterminators. When he is given a special assignment by Murdoch (Keith David) he could finally earning his crown if it doesn’t drive him crazy first.
“The Right Snuff”
“Sibling Rivalry”
2.3 The Right Snuff/Sibling Rivalry Airdate: 04/14/21
The Right Snuff—Astronauts Ted Lockwood (Breckin Meyer) and Alex Toomey (Ryan Kwanten) are in space testing a revolutionary new technology created by Lockwood. Toomey lives in the shadow his father who was the first man on Mars, and when the opportunity arises for first contact with an alien race, Toomey wants to make sure he forges his own path. Sibling Rivalry—Lola Pierce (Maddie Nichols) tells her guidance counselor Mrs. Porter (Molly Ringwald) that her brother Andrew (Andrew Brodeur) wants her dead, but he might have his reasons.
“Pipe Screams”
“Within the Walls of Madness”
2.4 Pipe Screams/Within the Walls of Madness Airdate: 04/21/21
Pipe Screams—Victoria Smoot (Barbara Crampton) is fed up with her tenants and their complaints about maintenance issues. When plumber Linus Carruthers (Eric Edelstein) is called in to fix the pipes, he finds a dangerous lead filled mess…and something even hungrier. Within the Walls of Madness—Zeller (Drew Matthews) is facing the death penalty for murder at a remote research post, but he says he’s innocent because the killer is in the walls.
“Night of the Living Late Show”
2.5 Night of the Living Late Show Airdate: 04/28/21
Simon Sherman (Justin Long) has created a magnificent invention that puts you in to your favorite movie. Simon’s favorite movie Horror Express and its female lead (Hannah Fierman) happens to be his number one crush…but Simon’s wife Renee (D’Arcy Carden) isn’t too happy about it.
Related Links:
Creepshow—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
