The first episode of the anthology series Creepshow, a return to the world George A. Romero and Stephen King created with the films CREEPSHOW and CREEPSHOW 2 back in the '80s, is now available to watch on the Shudder streaming service. The remaining five episodes of the show's first season, all of which will contain two different horror stories, will be released through Shudder every Thursday in October, building up to the season finale on Halloween.
We had known details on each of the twelve stories that will be told this season, but we didn't know the order they would be told in. That information has now been revealed, and some preview images for several of the stories have also arrived online.
The first episode told the following two stories:
“Gray Matter”
Story by: Stephen King, adapted by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi
Directed by: Greg Nicotero
Doc and Chief, two old-timers in a small, dying town, brave a storm to check on Richie, an alcoholic single father, after encountering his terrified son at the local convenience store. The story, first published in 1973, is part of King’s best-selling 1978 collection, Night Shift.“The House of the Head”
Written by: Josh Malerman
Directed by: John Harrison
Evie discovers her new dollhouse might be haunted.
Episode 2 will be bringing us
“Bad Wolf Down”
Written by: Rob Schrab
Directed by: Rob Schrab
A group of American soldiers, trapped behind enemy lines during World War II, finds an unconventional way to even the odds.“The Finger”
Written by: David J. Schow
Directed by: Greg Nicotero
An unhappy man discovers a severed, inhuman appendage on the street and brings it home, where it grows into a loyal companion with some deadly quirks.
The stories that will be told in episode 3 are
“All Hallows Eve”
Written by: Bruce Jones
Directed by: John Harrison
Even then they’re a little too old, this group of friends still want to trick-or-treat but getting candy isn’t all they are looking for.“The Man in the Suitcase”
Written by: Christopher Buehlman
Directed by: Dave Bruckner
A college student brings the wrong bag home from the airport only to find a pretzeled man trapped inside, afflicted by a strange condition that turns his pain into gold.
Episode 4:
“The Companion”
Story by: Joe R. Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale & Keith Lansdale, adapted by Matt Venne
Directed by: Dave Bruckner
A young boy, bullied by his older brother, sneaks into an abandoned farm that is protected by a supernatural force.“Lydia Layne’s Better Half”
Story by: John Harrison & Greg Nicotero, adapted by John Harrison
Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin
A powerful woman denies a promotion to her protégée and lover but fails to anticipate the fallout.
Episode 5:
“Night of the Paw”
Written by: John Esposito
Directed by: John Harrison
A lonely mortician finds company in the ultimate ‘be careful what you wish for’ story.“Times is Tough in Musky Holler”
Written by: John Skipp and Dori Miller, based on their short story
Directed by: John Harrison
Leaders who once controlled a town through fear and intimidation get a taste of their own medicine.
And the season finale:
“Skincrawlers”
Written by: Paul Dini & Stephen Langford
Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin
A man considers a miraculous new treatment for weight loss that turns out to have unexpected complications.“By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain”
Story by: Joe Hill, adapted by Jason Ciaramella
Directed by: Tom Savini
Her dad died looking for the monster living at the bottom of Lake Champlain, and now, will she?
What I really love about this story order is that it ensures that there's no episode that doesn't have some kind of tie back to the CREEPSHOW films. Until the finale, each episode will have a story that comes from creative supervisor Greg Nicotero, who visited the set of the first CREEPSHOW and worked in the FX department on CREEPSHOW 2, or John Harrison, who composed the score for the original CREEPSHOW… And when we reach the finale, we have CREEPSHOW special effects artist Tom Savini directing an adaptation of a story written by Joe Hill, who had an acting role in the first CREEPSHOW and is the son of Stephen King.
The effort put in to make this show a worthy successor to the films that doesn't forget its roots is very much appreciated.
Shudder's Creepshow is produced by the Cartel with Monster Agency Productions, Taurus Entertainment, and Striker Entertainment. Stan Spry, Jeff Holland, and Eric Woods are executive producers for the Cartel; Greg Nicotero and Brian Witten are executive producers for Monster Agency Productions; Robert Dudelson, James Dudelson and Jordan Kizwani are executive producers for Taurus Entertainment; Russell Binder is executive producer and Marc Mostman co-executive producer for Striker Entertainment.