‘Creepshow’ Season 4 Episode 5 Review – A Duology Of Brutal Revenge

Anja Savcic as Angela in “Doodles” – Photo Credit: Michael Courtney/Shudder

If you found yourself watching last week’s Creepshow and longing for something scarier, bloodier, or just more horrific, then look no further. This week’s episode features a pair of stories delving deep into the dangers of revenge and vengeance. In the first story, a newlywed bride tries to make amends with her estranged father in the strangest way possible. And in the second story, a spurned cartoonist doodles away her frustrations with deadly results. Both stories suffer from overly broad characterization but excel in gore, horror, and comedy. It’s a Creepshow episode that’s well worth a watch, that’s for sure.

“Something Burrowed, Something Blue”

Written by Todd Spence and Zak White and directed by John Esposito, “Something Burrowed, Something Blue” offers a classic tale of revenge – with a twist. After receiving an invitation from her estranged father (Tom Atkins), Allison (Kristy Dawn Dinsmore) and her fiance, Ryan (Curtis Lum), visit him on his deathbed. But the mystery they uncover stretches far beyond anything the young couple could have imagined. To what ends would they go to get everything they could ever wish for? And is it a price they’re willing to pay? Spence and White’s script perfectly combines mythological folklore with Creepshow‘s more devious sensibilities. To shy away from spoilers, when faced with such an impossible task, what other choice do Ryan and Allison have but revenge?

“Something Burrowed, Something Blue” straddles the line between horror and comedy so brilliantly it’s impossible not to be entertained. On the one hand, there’s this very emotionally-driven story about a fractured father/daughter relationship. A relationship so damaged the two haven’t even spoken in fifteen years. But underneath that emotional core rests this campy, horrific monster movie kind of story. It’s a story that definitely leans a bit harder toward camp than out-and-out horror, but the result is nothing less than entertaining. Atkins and Lum easily steal the show here, with Atkins delivering the kind of over-the-top, mustache-twirling performance that would make Vincent Price green with envy.

With a tightly-paced script, some genuinely funny moments, and a pretty horrific premise, “Something Burrowed, Something Blue” packs quite a punch. It’s never as scary as you want it, nor is it as funny as you want. But it never fails to be anything less than entertaining either.

“Doodles”

Written by Zak White and Todd Spence and directed by P.J. Pesce, “Doodles” tells a tale of bloody, justified vengeance. For years, Angela (Anja Savcic) has tried to get her cartoons published. And every step of the way, someone stops her. When she starts doodling away her frustrations, she learns there might just be a power in those doodles. A power that could get her everything she’s ever wanted. But is that a price she’s willing to pay? And how far is she willing to go to achieve her dreams? Like the previous story, “Doodles” follows a desperate person willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. But unlike the previous story, “Doodles” isn’t afraid to follow that throughline to its darkest of destinations.

“Doodles” is exactly as horrific as you’d hope it would be. Bloody, suspenseful, even downright scary at times – both visually and emotionally. Here, Angela faces an industry set against her. There’s the slimy, misogynistic magazine boss (Tyler McClendon) who makes her feel subhuman at best. And then there’s her competition, Sonia (Tina Grant), a woman who literally steals her ideas. Both characters are caricatures of despicable colleagues. But it’s Angela’s only ally, Calvin (David Lennon), who brings the story’s heart. To say any more would venture too far into spoilery waters, but needless to say, there’s an element of tragedy to White and Spence’s script that they execute brilliantly here.

Overall, “Doodles” isn’t a perfect story, but it’s horrific and emotional in all of the best ways. The characters could’ve all used just a bit more depth, but the story works well enough as is.

Final Thoughts

It’s always nice when a Creepshow episode has an obvious theme, and this week’s episode leans hard on the dangers of revenge and vengeance. Both stories are solid enough watches, though they could’ve easily benefitted from some slightly more developed characterizations. Still, if you’re the kind of Creepshow fan who’s here for the over-the-top gore and VFX work, then you’re definitely gonna be happy with these stories. At the end of the day, neither of these stories ranks among Creepshow‘s best, but they’re enjoyable enough for what they are. And there’s a lot of fun to be had in watching people get exactly what’s coming to them.

Season four of Creepshow is available now on Shudder and AMC+. New episodes air on Fridays at 10 p.m. on AMC.