Three seasons deep into its surprising run on Shudder, The Creep Tapes continues a signature brand of found footage with exciting, frequently horrific new episodes. Following the trend of the past, just six installments, barely 20 minutes each, make for an easy binge that will chill you to the bone by the time it concludes. As per usual, Mark Duplass leads the pack as the nefarious Josef, complete with his PeachFuzz wolf mask. Each new scenario allows for a veritable playground of torture and sinister games. This clever series refuses to overstay its welcome, staying fresh even this deep into its tenure on the premiere destination for streaming horror.
Opening credits spanning over the tape collection always get me in the mood for this twisted show. This run of episodes includes some nightmarish scenarios, usually claustrophobic in nature. Josef finds his way onto a boat, hides out in someone’s apartment for days on end, and even makes trouble thousands of feet in the air. There is truly no putting this twisted wolf down anytime soon. Of course, the constantly shifting nature of these compact episodes allows the structure for a revolving door of excellent guest stars. Season three is no exception, with the likes of Kate Siegel, Nicholas Hamilton, James Earl, and several others being roped into the madness. While there can be a bit of repetition in knowing nearly anyone that encounters Josef will end up dead, that’s just part of the fun!
Showrunners Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass make sure some longtime fan theories are answered this time around, including potential origins for Josef’s camcorder. By taking the time to delve into side stories, in addition to ones that flesh out what we already know of the mythology, Creep Tapes season three feels essential rather than a footnote. They leave room for significant experimentation, including an episode that could prove divisive. Episode 4, “Nobody,” exists almost within Josef’s own mind rather than being recorded genuinely on a VHS tape. The standout, though, are the ones when Josef faces his greatest challenges. These installments are always eye-opening and thrilling, riding the edge of getting caught or a victim escaping.
There’s more exploration in terms of locale this time around too, with a full episode set in the Big Apple as a found footage chase through Times Square breaks out. My personal favorites here were “Greg”, in which Joseph directly confronts the loneliness of a straight white male living alone, and “Jody + Brie”, a gripping finale that brings everything full circle. While I still hold out hope for a Creep 3 as a proper movie, The Creep Tapes maintains its image as a freaky continuation of an excellent film franchise.
Josef’s chameleonic personality fits so many different archetypes. He is as unpredictable as they come, a complete master of disguise, one that always gives Duplass total free reign over the characterizations. A disturbing throughline still maintains the character’s sassy energy even when embodying Wolfie. The Creep Tapes, should it continue for a fourth season, remains a top-tier expansion of an already great film. Fingers crossed that we never run out of tapes, or avenues for Josef’s increasingly bizarre behavior.
Pop in the next VHS for The Creep Tapes season 3, debuting on Tuesday, September 15th in the first of weekly two-episode bursts.
