You
know W.W. Jacobs’ short story “The Monkey’s Paw” must be a horror classic when
it gets satirized on The Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror. Shudder’s Creepshow
also riffs on the fateful paw in what could well be its best story of the
season. Three wishes lead to some serious monkey business in the latest episode
of Creepshow, which premiered last night.
The
widowed undertaker Avery Whitlock is not surprised when a mystery woman
collapses on his doorstep. It is the power of the paw, after all. Of course, he
did not ask for this specifically, but the monkey digits work in mysterious
ways. After patching her up, he will give her the full history of his involvement
with the paw. It still grants three wishes, but in ghoulishly unexpected ways,
as was the case in Jacobs’ original tale. John Esposito’s teleplay somewhat parallels
Jacobs, but it has some fresh twists to offer. Unfortunately, Whitlock’s
reluctant patient will miss the most important implications of his experiences,
but isn’t that always the way?
“Paw”
is a wonderfully macabre yarn that is so aptly suited to the Creepshow/E.C.
Comics aesthetic, especially its sinister kicker. Academy award nominee Bruce
Davison is perfectly cast as Whitlock, making him a rather weird but tragically
poignant figure. Plus, the design of the grotesque paw is wonderfully creepy.
“Paw”
is one of Creepshow’s best, but it is paired up with the worst so far. Presumably,
“Times is Tough in Musky Holler” was intended to be a commentary on the power
of fear to corrode communities, somewhat in the tragic of Twilight Zone episode,
“I Am the Night—Color Me Black,” but it has none of Rod Serling’s insight or
the power of helmer Abner Biberman’s’ stark imagery.
Essentially,
“Musky Holler” shows a disgraced mayor getting gruesome taste of his own
medicine after he used a zombie apocalypse to declare martial law and launch a
reign of terror. Frankly, the entire premise is dubious. It does not even
manage to score any ideological points, because zombie apocalypses are such
extreme catastrophes. Unfortunately, many viewers might be tempted to start
with this one, because it features Scream’s David Arquette as Mayor
Lester Barclay’s corrupt enforcer, Sheriff Deke.
So,
best of times, worst of times. “Night of Paw” is very highly recommended,
especially for fans of the original Creepshow movie (and the Simpson’s
spoof), but viewers should stop there this week and skip the terrible “Musky
Holler.” Yet, “Paw” is so good, it sustains our enthusiasm for the current
season of Creepshow on Shudder.
