Thursday, December 17, 2020

Creepshow Holiday Special

The Creepshow Creep now has something in common with Perry Como, Andy Williams, and Wayne Newton. They have all hosted holiday specials. However, the Creepshow special is definitely a no-crooner zone. It is the most wonderful time of year, but Robert Weston is a bit distracted by signs he been cursed to become a werewolf, so he seeks help from Shapeshifters Anonymous (SA) in the Creepshow Holiday Special, directed by showrunner Greg Nicotero, which premieres tomorrow on Shudder.

As Irena Reed, the local chapter president, explains to Weston, they aren’t just werewolves. She is a were-cheetah, and they also have a were-tortoise and a were-boar. Plus, there is a “furry” cuddler, who offers moral support and Ryan, the big, silent dude, who has never revealed himself. Weston deduced he was responsible for the recent Naperville Ripper murders, but Reed soothes his guilt. The truth is therianthropes are like instinctive Dexter Morgans, who only prey on scummy people. It turns out, his victims really had it coming. Weston starts to change his mind on the whole werewolf thing, because of that and his attraction to Reed, when suddenly they are attacked by a horde of psychotic street-corner Santas.

In a way, the special is like
Assault on Precinct 13, but with Shapeshifters and homicidal Kris Kringles—and its also a lot funnier. Frankly, this is probably the most comedic the Creepshow series has yet gone, but they still never stint on the gore. This is a wild, deranged ride, but there is a Christmas spirit in there someplace, maybe sort of. Regardless, this is absolutely not for sensitive children, especially considering the “real” Santa Claus’s role in all this carnage.

Honestly, the chemistry between Anna Camp and Adam Pally (as Reed and Weston) makes this the best romantic comedy of the year. Seriously, why waste your time with
Love Actually when you could watch this instead? Pete Burris also adds a lot of dry, neurotic humor as Scott Howard, the were-tortoise and Derek Russo milks Ryan’s third act revelation for all its worth.

The first season of
Creepshow was a lot of fun, but the holiday special is its best episode, so far. (It also slightly breaks format, telling a single story during the forty-five-minute special.) Nicotero keeps the pace propulsively snappy and the way the characters’ human traits align with their therianthropic properties is often quite clever. It is just good clean entertainment for hip kids from one to ninety-two (after all, most of the heaviest bloodshed is reserved for the stylized comic book panels). Very highly recommended for horror fans, the Creepshow Holiday Special starts streaming tomorrow (12/18) on Shudder.