Prepare to see Kris Kringle as you’ve never seen him before. Released in 2020, A Creepshow Holiday Special, directed by Greg Nicotero, tells a unique Christmas tale. The special is immediately captivating as it opens with a man trying to gain access to a church, claiming he’s the Naperville Ripper. Nicotero’s production then introduces us to a cast of self-proclaimed therianthropes (people who change into different animals under the full moon).

To know more about the plot is to do yourself an injustice, as the storyline presents exquisite, light-hearted, one-of-a-kind Christmas horror. The uniqueness of the storytelling fits right into the Creepshow universe, with much campiness and little runtime.

Putting the Creep into A Creepshow Holiday Special

From the premiere of the first Creepshow in 1982 and throughout its subsequent sequels and series, every presentation delivers a mixed bag of stories. Some tales are instances of pure horror (as season one, episode one will attest), some consist of unforgettable campiness (as any fan of the original film can picture Stephen King proclaiming, “Jordy Verrill, you lunkhead!”), while finally, other acts are touching masterpieces of horror (as in Old Chief Woodenhead in Creepshow 2).

No matter which subgenre a Creepshow story applies, any skit introduced by the infamous Creep is bound to be unforgettable.

Moreover, every feature has an over-the-top comic book zaniness with which all the tales have come to be associated. This presentation aesthetically fits right in with intense hues of green, purple, yellow, and blue. If you wonder where it places amongst its counterparts, this excerpt from the Creepshow catalog is campy to the highest degree.

Campiness that Works

From five minutes in, A Creepshow Holiday Special makes its intentions known. It is a show that does not take itself too seriously. But that outlook is precisely why its humor works. If Greg Nicotero had tried to present this same story from a purely horrific standpoint, it would’ve fallen flat because the plot itself is humorous.

After all, it’s a show about a support group for people who change under the full moon, and the animals they claim to change into run the gambit from cheetahs to tortoises, and that’s only the first third of the plot.

This volume of Creepshow isn’t a show to watch when you’re looking for something to scare you; watch A Creepshow Holiday Special when you want to be entertained and perhaps a little disgusted. It is not without gore, as campy as the tale and special effects may be. Enjoy the story about to unfold before you because I can guarantee you haven’t seen it done elsewhere.

Unique Short Storytelling

One thing about holiday horror is that the ideas for stories can get old very fast. How many evil Santa iterations can modern horror explore before audiences no longer find the concept palatable? This storytelling repetition drives me to welcome any comedic newness to the category with open arms. A story about Shapeshifters Anonymous, with a connection to the holidays in a big way? Sign me up. Even though it covers tropes that films have done elsewhere countless times, it ties everything together in a way that is wholly unique and simultaneously fun.

The other place this production shines is its 40-minute runtime. It doesn’t beat you over the head with its humor or violence. A Creepshow Holiday Special shows you what you need to know about the story and then succinctly wraps everything up in an ending you will not see coming.

The End of A Creepshow Holiday Special

The conclusion of this special is filled with twists and turns that match and exceed the show’s already outlandish plot. The last five minutes alone are so over the top that, given a million years, I wouldn’t have guessed the ending. Since horror tends to be overwhelmingly predictable, a surprise finale is always welcome.

A Creepshow Holiday Special takes the nature of the Christmas season and subverts it in a silly yet blasphemous way. It is campy and creative and is a welcome addition to the Creepshow family.

Check out the wild ride, A Creepshow Holiday Special, for yourself on Shudder.