‘Creepshow’ Recap: ‘Something Burrowed, Something Blue’ & ‘Doodles’

11/11/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Tom Atkins and Kristy Dawn Dinsmore as Frank and Allison in Episode 405 of ‘Creepshow’ – ‘Something Burrowed, Something Blue’. (Photo Courtesy of Michael Courtney/Shudder.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 405 of ‘Creepshow’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

We live in an amazing time when it comes to the horror genre. After all, this genre is now part of the mainstream pop-culture landscape, with spooky shows ruling the airwaves and scary stories are quite the draw at the multiplex and that’s allowing for horror to do things it’s never done before. Such as explore more intimate realms of the human condition, the stuff we fear about ourselves and our lives. Not to mention, popularity has allowed for the genre to lean deeply into social commentary more than ever, and help the masses understand the brilliance and intelligence of this genre. But alas, while it is indeed the salad days of horror, there have been some drawbacks to its popularity, as is expected with massive growth.

For instance, there is a touch of copycatting of stories as some seek to replicate the success of horror’s juggernauts and at times… the genre does forget that there is one core tenant of these stories that fans need now and again. For instance, there are times that a horror fan doesn’t want to walk away from a story with deep meaning in hand. They just want blood and guts, and good scares and great twists, and that can be hard to come by. But thankfully, the true titans of the industry understand what the fans really need and really want, and for proof, well then look no further than what Greg Nicotero and his writing team assembled for the next episode of the highly acclaimed, and beloved Shudder series, Creepshow.

Because this week’s vignettes… were good old fashioned horror stories filled with familiar and satisfying concepts. For instance, ‘Something Burrowed, Something Blue’ introduced us to a woman named Allison who received some awful news in the mail. In that, her father, Frank, was dying and wanted to spend time with her and her fiancé, Ryan, to make amends before his passing. And what upset her, was the fact that he wanted to talk to her again. Because her dad was an a-hole through and through, and despite offering her the world before his passing, she wanted no part of it. But pops was able to convince Ryan that they needed to accept his offer to host their wedding and his gift of the estate. Simply because the property was neatly housed atop a horrible and ancient secret. One that was hungry and would need a new generation of caretakers to offer it the sacrifice it required

Anja Savcic as Angela in Episode 405 of ‘Creepshow’ – ‘Doodles’. (Photo Courtesy of Michael Courtney/Shudder.)

Plus, there was ‘Doodles’. A sorrowful story about an artist named Angela, who was at her wits end. Because despite being a talented cartoonist, she simply could not get her break. In fact, her best shot at landing a lucrative publishing deal, fell to pieces when a different artist stole her work. Which pushed Angela to her lowest point and prompted her to put sour vibes out into the world. Wherein she was able to surprise herself, and manifest dark karma for those that crossed her. Something she initially believed was nothing short of a coincidence. But a second attempt to right a wrong through her art, made it clear… she could quite literally manifest her own destiny through her drawings. Provided of course she could stomach the carnage and sacrifice that would accompany doodling one’s way to the top of the ladder.

Both of which… were good old fashioned horror tales about people doing bad things and getting their just desserts, and that was nice. Because there’s always value to be found in watching mean rich people get theirs, especially when there are monsters involved, and look, broken soul or not, Angela made a choice to cause harm and got what she deserved. But despite those being some straightforward scares, the writing here is so good, that if someone wants to find something a little more from these stories in an era where depth rules, one could glean some big lessons here. Such as being true to oneself and never compromising our morals, and perhaps… the importance of finding the strength to fight back against generational trauma and to resolve it. So that one doesn’t let that destroy them or allow for them to be eaten by a giant and ancient monster. Depends on the region, really.

But the important thing is, there’s no major brain power that needs to be exerted to pull those lessons, and you can simply kick back and enjoy the gory and wild ride. One that featured some genuinely fun stories and some great acting. In fact, a massive round of applause is in order for Tom Atkins, who played Frank in the first vignette. Because Tom did what he does best and just let his acting chops loose, and we reaped the benefits of his delicious turn as the heavy in this story, and let’s be honest… it was also just a treat to see him back in the Romero fold, since this is his fourth Romero story appearance and his second turn in the Creepshow franchise since the 1982 original. Plus, Anja Savcic plays the tortured nature of Angela to a tee, and her and Tom’s acting was complimented by some wild writing and some amazing gore and well… all this does is leave us eager for next week’s tale. So, we can see what other storytelling wonders Mister Nicotero has saved up for the season four finale. Until next time, kiddies.

Watch ‘Creepshow’

0 Comments