The third season of Creepshow comes to a close with two of its strongest stories this season – both of which embrace the darkness at the heart of their premises. In the first, a border patrol officer faces off against a very sick girl. And in the second, a town embarks on a little bit of mob justice as the dead begin to awaken. Both stories pull off that incredibly difficult feat of balancing really dark themes with a good sense of humor. The visuals are haunting and atmospheric, the performances are memorable, and the horror stays with you long after the episode ends. To put it simply, you couldn’t ask for a stronger finale.
“Drug Traffic”
A young girl and her mother must cross the border to access life-saving medication. But when they get detained and can’t access her medicine, the symptoms are much more distressing than the guards originally thought they’d be.
Written by Christopher Larsen (based on a story by Mattie Do & Christopher Larsen) and directed by Greg Nicotero, “Drug Traffic” might be the single most upsetting story of Creepshow I’ve ever seen. After detaining a mother (Mai Delapa) and her sick daughter, Mai (Sarah Jon), at a border checkpoint, officer Beau (Michael Rooker) realizes he’s bitten off more than he can chew when Mai succumbs to her illness. An illness that carries deadly consequences. There’s a lot going on in the story, both thematically and narratively. And sometimes you can feel it. It’s one of those stories that feels a little too short and a little too long. The first half drags a bit, but the second half hits you in the gut like a sucker punch. It’s frightening, it’s unjust, and it’s genuinely upsetting – in a good way.
As unsettling and upsetting as this story is, it’s executed extremely well. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, it swerved in a different direction. Larsen, Do, and Nicotero perfectly balance the tone, shifting between the almost satirical political themes and the surprisingly haunting emotional core with ease. The dark humor never undermines the horror – or vice versa. Visually, the story is an absolute feast. There’s some absolutely superb camerawork that goes a long way toward ratcheting up the tension. And the VFX work is among the most horrifying seen this season. Plus the performances are excellent, with Rooker and Delapa stealing the show. All in all, “Drug Traffic” is an effective, haunting tale that’ll thrill you and hit you in the feels.
“A Dead Girl Named Sue”
When the dead rise from their graves, it’s every man for himself… and the local townsfolk have some justice that they’d like to serve.
Written by Heather Anne Campbell (based on Craig Engler’s short story) and directed by John Harrison, “A Dead Girl Named Sue” is a clever riff on Night of the Living Dead. It’s 1968, and the citizens of a small town decide to enact a little mob justice on a local criminal after the dead begin to rise. After all, what good are laws in the face of an apocalypse? Much like its inspiration, “A Dead Girl Named Sue” keeps the zombies largely off-screen. Instead, this is a story about people turning on each other in the face of the unknown. And much of the horror comes from that interpersonal drama and that quest for justice. There’s always a sense of satisfaction to be found in poetic justice. And “A Dead Girl Named Sue” delivers poetic justice in spades, with a karma-packed climax that feels entirely just.
“A Dead Girl Named Sue” is an homage to Night of the Living Dead in more ways than just its premise. The story is filmed in black-and-white, expertly utilizing shadows to ratchet up the tension. The overall atmosphere, music, and performances feel akin to Romero’s seminal classic. And the story even lifts some footage straight from Romero’s film – though I won’t spoil exactly what. If you’re a fan of Romero’s work, “A Dead Girl Named Sue” is sure to thrill you. All at once, it feels like a love letter to Night of the Living Dead and something all its own. While the character work is easily my favorite part of the story, there’s still room for a few good zombie scares. And when a zombie does appear, it’s suitably horrific. Overall, “A Dead Girl Named Sue” is an excellent story to cap off Creepshow‘s third season.
Final Thoughts
To say that both of these stories are pretty bleak feels like an understatement. These are some of the darkest stories of the season. But they manage to balance that darkness with some lighter moments, thrilling visuals, and memorable performances. While “Drug Traffic” had some pacing issues, its climax completely wrecked me in the best way. And as a fan of Night of the Living Dead, I absolutely adored every bit of “A Dead Girl Named Sue” – to the point where I’d have happily watched a full-length film adapting that story. As the final episode, I can’t imagine a better way for Creepshow to end its third season. These are some truly fantastic, horrifying stories.
Rating: 4.5/5
All episodes of Creepshow are available now on Shudder.
Part-time writer, part-time theatre nerd, full-time dork.
