Creep and its sequel, Creep 2, introduced an offbeat, darkly funny and deeply weird serial killer who preyed upon videographers, documenting the awkward social dance leading up to their unwitting murder. Co-writer/Director Patrick Brice and co-writer/star Mark Duplass created a memorable new horror villain, one that initially disarmed with boyish charms before ramping up the discomfort with excruciating encounters involving Tubby Time and Peachfuzz. Brice, Duplass, and Peachfuzz are back in Shudder’s upcoming series “The Creep Tapes,” continuing the serial killer escapades in anthology format. Of the three (of six) episodes that premiered at Fantastic Fest, it’s safe to say that not only is Peachfuzz back with renewed vigor, but Duplass’s serial killer character is weirder than ever.
As its title indicates, “The Creep Tapes” are episodic snapshots into the exploits of Duplass’s killer. Each episode, running roughly 30-minutes each, plays like it’s plucked from the killer’s collection of videotapes, each named after the episode’s chosen victim. While the first episode serves as a reintroduction into this particularly weird killer’s modus operandi, from his playful meet-cute through the surprise murder reveal, “The Creep Tapes” refreshingly avoids rehashing this same plotline every episode. Instead, Brice (who directs all episodes) and Duplass merely use this as the foundation to get weirder and wilder with their serial killer. No episodes are alike, of the three screened, with each taking bold and decidedly different narrative swings.
The second episode illuminates more about the killer’s relationship with his unforgettable wolf mask persona, Peachfuzz, bending the rules of reality in a way that may polarize. That Brice and Duplass refuse to explain what’s happening is what intrigues, as if immersing viewers into the twisted, broken mind of a maniac. But it’s in episode three that “The Creep Tapes” finds its stride with a soaring guest star performance by Krisha Fairchild (Krisha, “Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block”). I won’t spoil Fairchild’s role in the series, but I will say that Fairchild matches Duplass’s eccentric, unhinged energy every step of the way, pushing his character into even more bizarre territory. Her role fleshes out his character’s backstory in ways the films weren’t quite able to narratively, demonstrating the exciting ways this series can push the horror villain forward into various directions.
As for the central horror villain, Mark Duplass slips back into the role with ease, relishing the open ended possibilities and reveling in the bizarre new turns and reveals. It’s not just the unsettling social interactions that made this character so memorable in the first place; it’s the dark sense of humor. Duplass’s killer delights as he slips into Forrest Gump impersonations, while stalking his latest prey and throwing a temper tantrum. There’s a sense of freedom to Duplass’s infectious performance in this series, one he’s clearly having a blast with.
“The Creep Tapes” is a welcome expansion of the films. It’s not a reinvention of the format, but rather a fun experiment that explores more dark corners and impulses of a disturbed individual. Duplass’s titular Creep still gets under your skin, but he’s just as prone to sending you into hysterical fits. If Brice and Duplass maintain this momentum in the back half of the series, then here’s hoping “The Creep Tapes” continues much longer than its initial 6-episode season. It’s a blast so far.
“The Creep Tapes” made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and is set to premiere Friday, November 15 on Shudder and AMC+.
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