As a reader of horror fiction, I love a good anthology. These collections are great for maximizing scares when you’re short on time. Anthologies are also a vehicle for the discovery of new storytellers. This holds true for both books and visual media. Creepshow, along with its counterparts like Black Mirror and Channel Zero, leads viewers to find new favorites.
Creepshow has that nostalgic quality that makes it special. The original films featured stories coming to life from comics, and the current series follows in the same footsteps, creating a sense of nostalgia with a modern twist.
Season 4 of Shudder’s Creepshow contains a collection of twelve stories split across six episodes. While viewing this season, I noted some common themes. These stories touch on the topics of family, greed, revenge, and the cost of success, to name a few.
To avoid spoilers, I’ve included a short synopsis of each episode along with some themes and highlights.
Episode 401:
Twenty Minutes with Cassandra:
Written by Jamie Flanagan and directed by Greg Nicotero, this episode starts the season off with a bang. Cassie shows up on a stranger’s doorstep seeking refuge from a monster. What follows is an evening of unexpected events for all involved. This story features a mix of emotions, with a focus on grief. While it was heavy on horror and dread, it surprised me with the addition of moments of humor and heart. This was the standout of the first episode.
Smile:
A famous photographer’s award-winning photo led to fame, but it’s not all it fun and games when the history behind the photo comes back to haunt him. This episode is suspenseful and memorable, hitting on topics of morality and justice.
Episode 402:
The Hat:
My favorite story of the episode features a tale of an author desperate for the fame and fortune of one of his idols. This one is about the price of notoriety and the lengths some will go to achieve it. Bonus points in my book for Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King vibes. Fans of the latter will surely enjoy this one.
Grieving Process:
The tale of Richard and his wife, who’s not herself after suffering an attack. The lengths to which he goes in order to protect and heal her take the viewer through a gory story about an unconventional family. The special effects are memorable and realistic.
Episode 403:
Parent Deathtrap:
The title sounds reminiscent of The Parent Trap, but this is certainly not the same story. Lyle is a disappointment to his wealthy and esteemed parents. When they attempt to control his prom night, things do not go as planned. Following the trend thus far, this first tale was my favorite of the two in the episode. It’s a great revenge story with a plot twist and some humor thrown in.
To Grandmother’s House We Go:
This one is like a twisted modern fairytale, with an unlikeable main character—a stepmother who wants nothing to do with her stepdaughter aside from her family’s wealth. When it’s time to collect on an inheritance, all hell breaks loose.
Episode 404:
Meet the Belaskos:
In a world similar to that in True Blood, vampires live their lives openly among humans. As you can imagine, not all humans are okay with this. This is a fun story featuring young love and a revenge plot.
Cheat Code:
Looking to connect with his son, Jeff dusts off an old video game from his youth. As they embark on a mission to beat the game, it becomes difficult to distinguish reality from the virtual world. Gamers will love this for the nostalgia. I found that it conjured up memories of the ’90s film Brainscan due to the mixing of the game world with real life. This is my favorite of the two segments in the series’ fourth episode.
Episode 405:
Something Burrowed, Something Blue
Veteran actor Tom Atkins makes an appearance in this segment, which sees his character’s estranged daughter return to the estate to make amends. A tale with themes of greed, sacrifice, and revenge, this story has some Lovecraftian vibes and fun special effects.
Doodles:
An aspiring comic artist who’s down on her luck happens upon a limited opportunity for fame and success. Her talent turns out to be more than just drawing. Another story that features themes of greed, sacrifices made for success, and revenge.
Episode 406:
George Romero in 3-D!:
Following the comic theme of the previous segment (this is Creepshow, after all), this tale focuses on a mother and son managing a bookstore and struggling to make the rent. Unexpected visitors arrive, and one of them has a wealth of wisdom to aid in their dilemma. This is another gory episode with believable special effects and a strong sense of nostalgia.
Baby Teeth:
What a great final segment! A seemingly overprotective mother goes to great lengths to keep her daughter safe, including collecting her baby teeth in a box. Let’s just say that not all rituals lead to what is promised. This episode was what I’d call “creeptastic” and I’ve thought about it several times since watching it.
Overall, this was a strong season of Creepshow and I hope they keep the episodes coming.
WICKED RATING: 8/10
Season Four of Creepshow is available exclusively on Shudder and AMC+.
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