Welcome back to Horror 101, a series of articles where we explain horror movie legends and their lore. For beginners, the confused, or just those who need a refresher, these articles are for you.
All six episodes of The Creep Tapes have come and gone. After the finale ended, I realized my holiday spirit had disappeared alongside Peachfuzz. I sat in my sadness for a bit, thinking of everything this murderous icon has taught me about obsession over the years. That is when I realized the best way to avoid falling into a show hole while waiting for Shudder to greenlight the show for a second season was to keep writing about it.
So, I donned my Peachfuzz apparel and asked for the keys to the Horror 101 column.
Now that the first season of The Creep Tapes is over, it is a great time to unpack what we think we know about this beast. I hope that by explaining the few things we have learned and making some educated guesses (or wild assumptions), I can help more people discover that they might have a little Peachfuzz inside them. Or, at the very least, encourage more of you to revisit one of my favorite found footage franchises.
All About Peachfuzz
Creep (2014) and Creep 2 (2017) made us believe Peachfuzz was a way for our protagonist to fuck with his future victims. The character (played by Mark Duplass) is known for tricking filmmakers into joining him in isolated areas with the promise of $1000. He immediately makes things weird as he tests their limits, almost daring them to run with each red flag he raises. So, when he slips the Peachfuzz mask on and goes nonverbal, many viewers figure this is more foreplay before he gets to the kill. Seeing as Josef (his alias in the first film) is attracted to the filmmakers he selects, so it scans. More importantly, what is a harmless kink in the grand scheme of things? While the fanbase loves the creepy little wolf, we had no way of knowing how important he would become to the franchise.
What Is the Origin of Peachfuzz?
One of the things that The Creep Tapes did was show us that Peachfuzz has been around way longer than we thought. In the season finale, “Mom (and Albert)”, we meet the woman who raised a stone-cold killer. We discover she calls him Wolfie and even introduces him to her new boyfriend that way. She also shares that when he was six years old, he woke up from a bad dream and bit the head off of his stuffed wolf. She partially repaired the toy, which is also named Wolfie, but left part of the neck open to remind him of what he did. We also discover that his memories of being breastfed are false. His mother tells him that she could not breastfeed because he was too aggressive. She claimed she couldn’t breastfeed because he kept biting and tugging, which made her bleed.
All of this information comes out in the weirdest conversations. However, it proves that Peachfuzz may have been inside of our favorite serial killer all along. We now know that this wolf business is not Maybelline, but he was born with it. At least if we believe his mother. Perhaps there is only one wolf inside of him, and everything else is the lie he tells himself at night. This is especially interesting because in the penultimate episode, “Brandt“, we watch him meltdown and talk to his alter ego.
We assumed we were watching him play with himself, but what if it’s not so simple? In the third episode, “Jeremy”, he shows the victim a tape of a priest trying to exorcise Peachfuzz. In light of what we learn from his mom, and the arguments he has with himself when he’s alone, that exorcism might be a lowkey real attempt to get the Fuzz out of him.
What Makes a Peachfuzz Tick?
Due to the previous films, I suspected Peachfuzz appeared when our protagonist was aroused. The character is clearly working through some stuff, and I am not here to judge. However, now that we have a season of The Creep Tapes under our belt, it feels more like Peachfuzz comes out in times of distress. This is very similar to the way most media portrays a split personality. Whenever our Josef/Wolfie/The Creep has too many feelings or if things are not going his way, then Peachfuzz is there.
When none of his weird behaviors run Aaron off in Creep, we meet Peachfuzz growling at a door and wiggling his hips. The Peachfuzz mask resurfaces as the Creep prepares to end Aaron on the bench. The gesture seemingly signifies that this is the end of this relationship. This is a breakup, and some part of him feels the weight of it, even if it is just another day in the murder business.
In Creep 2, Sara seems unphased by everything our creep (who now goes by Aaron) throws at her. So, he puts his wolf head on and takes her for a drive. When she does not answer his questions about the mask with ridicule or fear, this seems to cause him further confusion. It should also be noted that all of the Creep’s victims (that we have seen) have been men aside from Sara. So, it’s interesting that she gets to see the mask again when he gives her his trusted axe and tells her to behead him. We also see a picture of Peachfuzz in what we assume is Sara’s locket in The Creep Tapes episode “Brad“. This confirms what we already knew about her fate, but it also means he kept a trinket.
The Peachfuzz Mask Doesn’t Mean You’re Safe
Even when the Creep is not wearing his Peachfuzz mask, he finds a way to work his wolf obsession into the moment. When he kills a guy named Dave at the beginning of Creep 2, we find out a stuffed wolf was part of the bizarre care package he sent this victim. The Creep refers to it as Baby Peachfuzz. He also reveals a hidden camera inside the toy, making it his witness and accomplice.
Peachfuzz gets a lot of screen time in The Creep Tapes. However, it’s the Brandt episode where the Creep argues with Peachfuzz (after presumably being stood up) that stands out. Again, this wolf comes out during moments of heightened emotions. When he believes Brandt has stood him up, Peachfuzz is there to argue, play, and remind him that he is not alone. The Creep shares that this murder was supposed to be his first solo project, which makes it seem like Peachfuzz has been part of him all along. The two reconcile and kill the very late Brandt with their trusted axe. However, many things come up during this (manic) episode, which might explain why he’s heading to his mom’s house in the finale the next time we see him.
In “Mom (and Albert)”, the Creep seems fine to go by wolfie in his mother’s home. He also shows a very possessive streak when it comes to his mother. So, because I have been tracking the mood swings and the Peachfuzz appearances, I knew it was coming. The Creep/Wolfie told Albert he would let him live. However, he also prepared the wolf mask and his trusted axe. We all knew when Peachfuzz danced up behind Albert, this meant death was imminent. After all, the unfiltered rage of his mom having a man in the home interrupting his idyllic Forrest Gump recreation with his mother was too much. These were too many emotions for one awkward serial killer, and it became a job for the Fuzz.
What Is With Peachfuzz and Full Frontal Nudity?
We’re not sure, but we’re also not complaining.
Where Is Peachfuzz Now?
The short answer is Peachfuzz is probably stashed away in a bag somewhere. At least physically. However, emotionally…he’s probably waiting for the Creep to snap and call on him to do what he does best. Like most people on the internet, I got my imaginary psych degree from film and television. So, I am no expert, but I know that the Creep and his alter ego are not yet integrated. This might also explain why he mistakenly thought parts of Forrest Gump were childhood memories and that he breastfed until kindergarten.
If Peachfuzz is a different personality, there would be some gaps in time. While I always assumed this persona was his way of pretending he’s not a stone-cold killer, I am not so sure anymore. Honestly, he could just be doing a very long version of The Three Faces of Eve (1957) or some other movie about Dissociative Identity Disorder. Or, more likely, Creep creators Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass are screwing with us for their own entertainment. Netflix has raised their prices again, so we all have to find fun where we can now.
What Should You Watch Now That The Creep Tapes Is Over?
Nothing can ever truly scratch the itch left in the wake of The Creep Tapes. However, while we wait for news of a second season (or third movie), I think these titles might ease the Peachfuzz-shaped hole we all have.
My Dinner with Andre (dir. Louis Malle)
Where You Can Watch: Max
I did not mistakenly list this comedic drama starring André Gregory and Wallace Shawn. I think it’s in the DNA of this franchise, and shares many themes with the Creep Universe. Plus, it is referenced in the “Jeremy” episode. So, I think I nailed it with this recommendation.
Misery (dir. Rob Reiner)
Where You Can Watch: VOD
I think of Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) every time the Creep lures a filmmaker out to the middle of nowhere. His obsession with his victims also gives big “I’m your number one fan” energy. So, I cackled when the Creep made a filmmaker reenact a scene in the pilot episode “Mike”.
Fatal Attraction (dir. Adrian Lyne)
Where You Can Watch: MGM+ and Prime Video
It’s no secret that the Creep is attracted to his victims. It is also clear by now that these dates are ending in death. We also know that our serial killer seems proud of his obsessions. I would not be surprised if this was another movie he watched with his mom.
Community
Where You Can Watch: Peacock
Yes, I am also recommending one of the last great NBC sitcoms. Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) and the Creep’s shared obsession with film, and ability to create entire scenarios based on movies would make them friends. At least until Peachfuzz came out to play.