‘A Creepshow Holiday Special’ Recap: ‘Shapeshifters Anonymous’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for ‘A Creepshow Holiday Special’.
​
It is definitely safe to say that the horror genre has become a true staple of modern pop-culture, because we now see scary stories popping up everywhere in the medium. Which is truly a horror fan’s dream come true, since there was a time that this genre was seen in an incredibly negative light and shunned by the general public. But while it is indeed wonderful to see tales of terror enjoy their day in the sun, its popularity has brought about a few drawbacks here and there. Such as the fact that some fans, expect every new horror story that arrives on the market to be an outright, in your face fright fest and well, that is simply an unrealistic expectation to have for this ancient and storied genre. Because in reality, horror stories are extremely diverse when it comes to how they terrify audiences.
​
For some of them use gore to get the scares across, while others use psychological cues and careful storytelling in order to get our skin crawling. Or in the case of more recent tales of terror; they make use of real-world elements to bring out our darkest fears and concerns so we can face them in a cerebral and unsettling manner. But what truly makes this genre so dynamic and so incredible, is the sheer fact that it also knows how to have fun, and this is perhaps the most difficult concept for some to comprehend. Because finding humor in someone getting sawed in half just doesn’t seem all that acceptable. But when a horror comedy is done right, it is something that is truly magical and unsettling in its own special way and really… all of this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because A Creepshow Holiday Special is a fine example of how a horror story can tell a sweeping and splatter-y and creepy tale in a supremely fun manner.

Which is a feat that ‘Shapeshifters Anonymous’ accomplishes in part, by outright fooling the audience. Because right out of the gate, all signs are pointing toward a more traditional Creepshow tale, one that will explore how twisted creatures that go bump in the night, live with their gory gifts. As evidenced by the fact that our main character, a fellow named Robert Weston, is desperate to find support in regard to a strange problem he’s now encountering in everyday life. In that, he tends to wake up often with some ugly digestive problems, that kind that result from say… eating an entire human being. Which leads him to believe he’s a werewolf and that in turn, motivates him to seek out a support group that shares the namesake of this episode and well… that’s when this story takes quite the lighthearted turn. For we quickly come to learn that shapeshifters aren’t evil in the slightest. Instead, they’re just everyday folks with a special ability that they too are trying to understand, and they meet in secret often because there are some in this world, Santa Claus to be specific, that outright despise their kind and will stop at nothing to end them. 

---

Which is a wild plot to say the least, one that completely and utterly takes you off guard and outright needs to be celebrated to be honest. Simply because this is hands-down the most ambitious episode of this series to date for several reasons. First and foremost, because it is indeed a hardcore horror comedy, one that holds nothing back joke wise and well… the humor works to a tee here. Largely due to the fact that Anna Camp and Adam Pally have wonderful on-screen chemistry and great comedic backgrounds and they use that to their advantage in this tale and the audience definitely benefits from that. Because the jokes truly leave you laughing out loud in this story, and they arrive in such a rapid-fire fashion that you’ll likely need to watch this episode several times in order to properly soak up all the humor that it has to offer. But what’s truly amazing about this particular tale is that it also features some incredibly epic moments as well.
​
Because this episode is also filled to the brim with some serious action and buckets of gore, something that comes of courtesy of the Santa Claus twist, and the decision to provide the viewer with a final act that is part Rambo and part grindhouse is a brilliant one to say the least. Because it leaves the viewer hooting and hollering when the bullets begin to fly, and the cheers only get louder when the limbs start to fly as well. For the special effects in this segment are of the same high quality that we’ve come to expect from this series, and those wondrous effects are taken to a whole new level once the big bad of this story makes his entrance and well, all of this is a testament to Greg Nicotero’s skills behind the camera. For he wrote and directed this particular episode and did such a phenomenal job in those roles that everything here feels seamless and organic and akin to a big budget horror flick when all is said and done.

But what matters most when it comes to this special, is that it truly hammers home the fact that horror doesn’t always have to be brooding and filled with dread and scares that give you nightmares. It can be an outright blast and still make you uncomfortable, as evidenced by the number of intestines that pop out in this particular tale and really in the end, this is a magnificent episode through and through. Because not only does it pay rich tribute to the legacy of this franchise, since this is ‘The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verill’ on steroids, it’s a top-notch horror comedy, which is no easy feat. Because one wrong step with the jokes and the whole thing becomes a campy nightmare. But this one is flawless, and it is the perfect way for horror fans out there to celebrate the horror-days, and hopefully, we will see more comedic and fun horror stories akin to this one, when season two of Creepshow arrives in 2021. Until next time, kiddies.

‘A Creepshow Holiday Special’ is streaming now, exclusively on Shudder, and to learn more about the making of this episode; read our interview with ‘Creepshow' Showrunner Greg Nicotero.

---