Creepshow is a classic movie. It’s one of the best anthology horror films out there and it spawned two sequels (one good, and one bad). It also gave us a new series on Shudder, simply titled Creepshow. From the brain of Greg Nicotero, that series has given us some fantastic horror stories. They’re just starting up a third season on Shudder (read our review of the first episode here). The second season was deeply affected by the pandemic, and was a shorter order of episodes. In the place of a full season, we got an animated Halloween episode and an absolutely crazy Holiday Special. The show follows a similar pattern to other anthology series like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits.

You have more stories of horror and frights here, but with similar themes of humanity failing itself or evil getting their comeuppance. The second season might’ve been shorter, but they packed plenty of awesome stories into the five episodes. So what makes this show so special? It’s plenty of nostalgia but it’s also something that we can all use in horror and TV these days. It’s just fun.

Nostalgia Gets Your In The Door, But The Stories Keep You Around

Ryan Kwanten as Alex, Breckin Meyer as Ted – Creepshow _ Season 2, Episode 203A – Photo Credit: Josh Stringer/Shudder

Take the image from “The Right Snuff” above. That season two story was an absolute smash of a horror TV episode. It saw two astronauts on a mission to meet a new alien race. It turns out that one astronaut is jealous and murders his partner. What unfolds is a story of greed, terror, and the destruction of the human race. It’s a haunting tale that’s told in a way that only Creepshow can. A lot of the stories unfold like mini-movies, and some budding screenwriters out there might be able to adapt these into a feature-length film.

But it’s not just the stories that bring that feeling of nostalgia for old-time horror with Creepshow. The effects are top notch and they’re full practical effects whenever possible. That lends itself to feeling like those classic 50s B-movie horror flicks at times, and the golden age of the 80s at others. The original Creepshow worked so well because it was based on the classic horror comics and combined great filmmakers to make horror stories.

This show works just as well because you have a great horror mind behind it, and filmmakers who are experienced and have a true love of the genre working on it. That’s what you get with this series. Even if the story might not be as strong, the love of the genre is always there.

Fun Horror? What A Concept!

I know. We all want to return to the gritty and realistic violence of horror. Why do we all yearn for the horror of our youth? Because it combined fun and frights. There are some terrifying sections of Creepshow, but there’s also a lot of heart in the two (now three) season run that it’s had on Shudder. If any of this sounds like it’s up your alley in any way, go check it out on the streaming platform. You won’t regret watching it.

They always have horror actors of the past, present, and future showing up on the show. Enjoy Re-Animator? Barbara Crampton plays a devilish landlord in season two’s “Pipe Dream”. In the same episode “Within The Walls Of Madness”, Denise Crosby plays a research scientist that’s contaminated by an evil force. David Arquette stars in the almost perfect season one zombie story “Times is Tough in Musky Holler”. The list goes on, you’ll find some of your favorite new actors among your old favorites on Creepshow.

I started my time with Creepshow watching season two and then went back to season one. However you watch the show, it’s a ride through horror’s history and it’s future. New episodes air every Thursday exclusively on Shudder.

If you’re in the mood for some more nostalgic-feeling horror, read about why Fear Street worked so well for Netflix over the summer.

For more on horror, check out Fright-A-Thon, or stay tuned to That Hashtag Show.

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