Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘NOS4A2’.
​
While horror has enjoyed an incredible resurgence in the early 21st Century, it still has a long way to go in telling genuinely terrifying and unsettling tales on television. Because its outright popularity on the small screen has motivated a great many showrunners and production houses to only take the terror so far. For they are of the belief that going too dark and exploring elements that tend to be incredibly taboo will in fact, alienate the audience and offend them to no end. Which is a line of thinking that has merit for certain, since we’ve heard real-world horror stories of coalitions and groups that are happy to attack horror shows and demand they either leave the air or tone it down, and nobody wants to deal with that kind of headache.
​
But as the genre continues to thrive with no end in sight, some of the scary shows out there are getting braver and bolder in their storytelling and are pushing the audience and the envelope like never before by offering up stories that outright leave one uncomfortable and unsettled and downright terrified. And one series that excels at this on a consistent basis, is AMC’s NOS4A2. For showrunner Jami O’Brien has inspired her writing staff to be fearless and to tackle tough topics during the show’s two-year run. A decision that has produced stories that feel a little too real at times and leave us needing a hug once a daring episode has come to a close and well, last night’s episode of the show took this exploration of darkness to a whole new level. Because ‘Cripple Creek’ is hands down the darkest story from the series to date, a feat that was accomplished by having the audience spend a great deal of time with evil. 

For if you recall from last week’s tale, Bing made his way to Charlie’s hiding spot and incapacitated the ancient vampire. Why exactly, we didn’t quite know. But this particular tale wasted no time in exploring that particular mystery. And as it turns out, Bing isolated and weakened Charlie because he needed to know the truth about his role in Manx’s mission to ‘save’ children in need. After all, being abandoned with a bullet in his shoulder didn’t exactly engender hope that he would ever see Christmasland and with a little help from his happy gas, Bing was able to get the unfortunate truth. In that, Manx had no plans to take him there. Because Manx made it clear that this was a special place designed only for children and well, in order to survive Bing’s outright fury over being lied to, Charlie had to think fast in order to save his hide.

Which meant he chose to open up to Bing and explain what motivated him to begin this quest to save children, and that’s what brings us to the darkness in question. Because Charlie bared his tragic past and his fears to Bing (and the audience), by way of moments in Christmasland and through vocalization and flashbacks and what we saw was quite unsettling for certain. Because we came to learn, that as a child, he helped a monster thrive. For back in the day, the local shopkeeper used Charlie’s desire to enjoy some semblance of happiness as motivation; to help the shopkeeper lure young boys up to his house for disgusting and nefarious reasons. A fact that chilled Charlie’s veins when the same shopkeeper decided it was Charlie’s turn and well, the resulting bloodbath that came out of this horrific discovery; since Charlie murdered the shopkeeper and his mother, laid the groundwork for his future machinations since he felt guilt and shame over letting such a disgusting act happen of his own volition, making Manx a classic villain for certain. For while his intentions are good, his ego and his pride twist his goals into something far worse. 

But while it was supremely powerful and outright uncomfortable and devastating to learn that Charlie was a victim of abuse and was manipulated in perpetrating it further, there was mention of an exploration of Charlie’s fears. Something that was handled by way of his daughter in Christmasland. For she once again ventured to the house on the hill, wherein her mother informed her that this place was the personification of Charlie’s fears and it turns out, that he is so badly damaged and marginalized by his life experiences, and his pain, that his greatest fear is losing control of the people that he’s worked so hard to keep under his thumb. Including his darling daughter, and his worst fears might be coming to fruition as well. Because Millie had a taste of what her life was like before she became the creature that she is now and she’s starting to wonder if by chance, there is more to life than playing ‘Scissors for the Drifter’ in Christmasland. 
​
However, while all of this was incredible and uncomfortable to watch in its own right, why exactly the show was putting this on display didn’t quite make sense, at least… not until the end of the tale. Because Bing’s realization that he was no better than Charlie served to remind all of us that evil is something that isn’t born into this world. It is something that is slowly created through pain and isolation and marginalization, notions that both of these men are extremely familiar with. And it is those exact elements that motivated them to harness their pain and use it exert power over others to enact some measure of payback and peace. Something that few of us will ever understand, but now have a rudimentary comprehension of, after this tale. But while all of this was morbid and tough to watch for certain, the show also used this grand exploration to point out the fact that sometimes, evil can be redeemed.

Because Bing’s epiphany, awakened something within him. In that, he came to realize that his actions are wrong and horrible and that he could set them right by doing something bold. Which motivated him move the Wraith beneath the car crusher in this junkyard, and free Wayne from the car so that he could crush the old ride with himself and Mister Manx inside. An act that would have redeemed Bing for certain, since he would have atoned for his sins by ridding the world of several elements of great evil. But alas, a confused and rattled Wayne, saved Charlie’s life before it was too late. Which in turn brought Bing within an inch of his life since Manx wanted revenge for everything that happened in this episode and well, that’s where this one ends. With Bing and Wayne’s lives hanging in the balance because redemption and understanding aside, evil is still damn good at sowing chaos. 

In the end however, this really was quite the heavy and powerful tale. One that absolutely left us squirming in our seats with its bleak subject matter. But despite the fact that we all walked away from this one feeling out of sorts, the show really does deserve credit for being bold. Because it takes guts to really look at the exact origins of evil, and this episode really did hold nothing back in showing us how someone’s soul can be corrupted. But now that this grand and important exploration has come to a close, it’s likely that we are going to return to some intense storytelling for certain. For the Wraith is back on the road, and time is running out to save Wayne from becoming the latest addition to the unhappiest place on Earth. Until next time.   

It wasn’t that long ago, that modern society received its news from a trio of key sources; the newspaper, the radio and the television. All of which are still around in 2020, but they served different roles a little while back. Take the newspaper for instance, for it used to be the only place you could receive an in-depth analysis on the day’s events. Whilst the radio was the only solid place for people to hear unique perspectives from radio hosts on the events of the world, all while getting the latest news at the top of the hour. And of course, the long-standing staple that is television was less about opinion and more about objectivity and it also featured trusted sources that would come into our homes and offer calm and perspective when the world was in dire straits. 
 
But then the internet came along and changed everything. Because just like that, news became a constant since people from all over the world could report upon events happening in real time, forcing newspapers to catch up and be more proactive in their reporting. All while forcing radio to primarily push toward a focus on entertainment since it couldn’t keep up, and of course, the twenty-four-hour news cycle settled in during this transition. Which forced every network out there to inject more into their broadcast than just reporting. There had to be opinion and entertainment value in order to keep people watching, giving rise to competition and sensationalism. Yet while it is important to recognize the changes that have come to how we consume our news, and how it impacted the industry as a whole, it’s equally as important to reflect upon what this shift has meant to everyday people.
 
Because technology and the twenty-four-news cycle have allowed for everyone to become a reporter on a moment’s notice, and people most certainly have, which has given us unprecedented access to our world. For not only can we witness beautiful and heartbreaking moments that move us to help others in need, and rally us to enact change in our nation and our world, we are also able to follow in every waking moment of a person’s life. For we are a nation that loves to watch vlogs and follow blogs and spend time with strangers we’ve never known because they can entertain us in ways that traditional forms cannot. But while these elements have made the world a more connected place, something that has changed our lives for the better, this grand shift in information consumption has its drawbacks as well, something that George A. Romero tackled in his next zombie tome; Diary of the Dead.
 
But before we dive into the details in regard to what this film has to say, we need to take a moment and discuss the fact that this is hands down, the most unique entry in the ‘Dead’ saga. Because this particular tale is shot in the first person, and while Romero forgoes the shaky-cam style of the era by having responsible film students handle the creation of this tale, the change in perspective creates a supremely unique viewing experience. Because it more or less draws the audience into the story and forces them to bear witness to the end of the world, moment by moment. Which gives rise to some visceral and uncomfortable moments and being sucked into the story in this manner, akin to how we would consume this story if we found it on Twitter or Facebook or Reddit, is what allows for Romero to his thing commentary wise and examine the dangers of receiving our news in this manner. 

​Such as the fact that there can be too much information on social media when disaster strikes. Because it does give everyone the opportunity to vlog and capture the moment, and while that certainly offers up historical slices for posterity’s sake, the chaos of the moment can engender trouble. Because news gets buried under reaction, and raw emotions, and to complicate matters further, those very emotions can lead to misinformation. For in the heat of the moment, we tend to interpret what’s happening in a quick manner, in order to determine if there is trouble headed our way and to put a reason behind what we’re seeing. Which means some people will just express what they think is happening without giving it a second thought and that’s a bad, bad thing. Because panic and fear and misinformation spread like wildfire and it can also silence genuine facts. Something we see evidence of in this film, by way of the confusion our characters experience from the multiple narratives popping up on television and on the web. 
 
Yet there is plenty more to explore in regard to this new way to report the news, such as how being behind the camera can create danger as well. Not for the person filming of course. For they are the innocent bystander with the camera, who is bringing truth to the masses. But the real danger inherent with that line of thinking, is that the camera person’s decision to report the news over anything else, can lead to people getting hurt sometimes. For time and time again, we’ve seen videos were the person filming, could have done something to put an end to what we see in the video. But the belief that they need to remain safe and impartial from the act at hand, is what motivates people to stay firmly behind their phone, and people suffer harm because of that. Something that is paralleled in the movie by Jason, since he refuses to deal with the events happening around him, and only wants to stay safe behind his lens, a decision that leads to a lot of good people getting hurt.
 
But truly, the biggest danger that Romero wanted to explore in regard to this surge of new wave reporting, was the sheer fact that it also helps to build ego and that’s problematic for certain. Because some people have never once been noticed by the masses and if they go viral, and indulge in the wonder of internet fame, it can go to their head and boost their ego like never before. Something that motivates them to go harder to get the next story or to create the next viral moment, so those likes can keep coming in and the danger there, is that people who believe in their fame over anything else, can cause harm to others and themselves. Because they’re always in the thick of it, and in the way sometimes and once again, Jason serves as the perfect example of how this plays out, as evidenced by how his journey ends in this harrowing and terrifying tale.   
 
However, while those are relevant points that we’ve seen play out in the modern world, what makes this movie so incredibly special, is that Romero doesn’t look down upon this new way to consume information. In fact, he outright celebrates it. For he recognizes how it can bring the truth right to the masses on a moment’s notice, free from spin and clever editing. Instead, he uses these points to challenge the audience to outright be better. Because in order to remove these issues from this new information stream, those reporting and telling tales need to hold themselves to a higher standard and put truth and integrity above all else. Which is easier said than done of course, but it is an interesting challenge to pose to the viewer. In the end however, this is just another brilliant entry in the ‘Dead’ saga, thanks to its contemporary commentary and unique style, something that speaks to Romero’s mastery of the craft at this point in his career. But what matters more, is that he still had more to say about modern America, and thankfully he had the opportunity to express those thoughts one more time, by way of the final film, of his illustrious career.

​Truly, there is no genre better suited to comment upon the human condition than the horror genre. Simply because the possibilities are limitless within the framework of said genre and using the fantastical to teach people about our world and the troubles that plague mankind is indeed an effective method to make that happen, since a single character, or an outright monster can serve as the allegory for a great many things. Which is why we continue to see scholars and reviewers and fans of this genre pour over the modern and original classics and find new meaning in these stories, since the people that created them were able to inject all kinds of in incredible lessons and notions and observations into the framework of their tale of total terror. 
 
However, there is another good reason that horror is the perfect place to comment upon the world and its structure, in that, fear is a wonderful teacher. In fact, many of our formational moments in life came out of fear. For if our parents told us not to go to a particular place because we would potentially be hurt, the thought of harm and pain immediately motivated us to avoid that location, for fear of our own safety. And the possibility that we might sear our flesh is what kept us from ever touching a hot stove or placing our hand upon it again because fear truly is the greatest teacher in all of the land. So, if by chance a storyteller can bury a lesson with the structure of a horrifying moment, it will indeed stick with us for long after the story has come to an end.
 
Yet while horror has proven itself to be quite the effective teacher and a genuine safe harbor for social commentary, what’s fascinating about the genre and its lessons, is that a great many of its storytellers tend to shy away from analyzing or commenting on current events and understandably so. Because sometimes, we don’t even understand what’s happening right before our eyes, so to try and make sense of something that has taken the world by storm might be a foolish notion indeed. Or for that matter it would be embarrassing for a filmmaker or a writer to try and offer up a half-baked or incorrect assessment of what’s going on in the world, simply because it would make them appear to be eager to cash in on the moment. But some creatives, are daring in that manner, and spot the reality of the world with little to no problem, and are quick to offer up lightning fast commentary if they can get their film to market quick enough, as was the case with George A. Romero’s next film; Land of the Dead.
 
For this particular living dead tale, was released in 2005, amid a resurgence of zombie themed films and horror in general. A genre that was seeing new life (pun intended) simply due to the fact that the world was in a terrifying and unsettling place. Because we were only four years removed from the horror of 9/11 and well, while the timing of this film was perfect in its own right, it is what George had to correctly say about modern America in 2005 and 2020 for that matter as well, that makes this movie so powerful and so poignant. Because this movie clearly points out the fact that we went backwards as a society after September the 11th. A notion that some might deem to be blasphemous or cynical for certain, but it really is a correct assessment. 

Because all that wonderful goodwill and unity that we saw in the days and weeks following the attacks, faded into oblivion, and was quickly replaced with fear and anger and a desire for revenge and well, what makes that so relevant to today’s discussion, is that Romero created a clone of our modern world for his fourth zombie film. For those who survived the onslaught of the zombie apocalypse are bitter and filled with a desire to make the dead pay. To the point where these creatures are now entertainment, and this world in and of itself is just desperate to enjoy some semblance of peace and not have any more worries because of the trauma they’ve suffered, and those parallels are frightening for certain. Since that is more or less where we were back in 2005 and it is where we are now, and the comparisons don’t end there. 
 
For in many ways, Riley Denbo and his beautiful creation, ‘Dead Reckoning’ speak to how America turned to the might of its military to heal its wounds. Because seeing that monstrous and kickass machine roll into Uniontown and anywhere else it needs to go in order to bring supplies in for the masses, feels akin to the ‘Shock and Awe’ campaign of the ’03 Iraq War, or the onslaught of forces that were sent to fight in Afghanistan, and the irony inherent is that this storytelling decision also allowed for Romero to properly capture the harsh realities of fighting an entrenched enemy. Since Denbo and his rag tag group of heroes, can never defeat the dead. In fact, attacking them on their own turf, only makes them mad in this film. Making this an ‘endless’ war against living death, one that echoes the fact that we are still at war, with no end in sight.
 
But truly the most striking commentary present in this film, is what Romero has to say about modern government and how our cries to make America safe and ‘great’ again, have enabled bad people to do bad things. Because Kaufman is the perfect amalgamation of the rich white guys that run the government and send boys off to war. All in the name of ‘safety’ of course, in order to keep the masses in line, and seeing him in his ivory Pittsburgh tower whilst the good people below fight for meals really is prophetic in nature. Since that’s where America is at right now in regard to class warfare and what’s equally as ironic is that Kaufman is no longer a character trapped in time. For Dennis Hopper said he wanted his performance of this man to be a spitting image of Donald Rumsfeld from the Bush Administration, but his despot like tendencies and desire to save his own hide gives him a hint of Donald J. Trump, which is chilling to say the least.
 
However, while all of these elements are powerful and fascinating in their own right, make no mistake about it, this is still a Romero zombie flick. Which means we are treated to some delightful gore and homages to the films that preceded this one, by way of surprise cameos and Greg Nicotero’s brilliant special effects, and the horror elements here are a real treat and are genuinely creepy and there are more elements that make this movie so worthwhile. Take the cast for instance, since other heavies such as Simon Baker and John Leguizamo are in this flick, and there’s the fact that Universal gave Romero a worthy budget, one that allowed for Romero to bring most of his original script for Day of the Dead to life and well, this one really is a fine entry in the saga for certain. One that holds Romero’s zombie standards high and it is also a film that managed to influence the Godfather of the Dead to attack more contemporary topics at the end of his career. Since his final two zombie movies and works in general would dive deep into our modern world.