Upamanyu Biswas
In ‘Teacup,‘ a series of inexplicable events in a rural Georgia ranch in the middle of the woods leads to a group of families being trapped within the farm premises as a mysterious threat starts hunting them down. The farm’s owner, the Chenoweth family, has their work cut out as new guests flood the house, all trapped under one roof because of a mysterious blue line outside. However, of all the inhabitants gathered, an unsung addition is the pet dog Duke, who belongs to Donald and his wife, Claire. It witnesses the craziness unfolding within the farm, albeit never taking central focus. However, at times, it also brushes up against danger as the strange threat makes itself known to the group. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Duke Plays the Role of a Bystander During the Terrifying Ordeal on the Farm
From the beginning of season 1, Duke has a unique vantage point regarding the challenges faced by the inhabitants of the Chenoweth farm. Although he is primarily the pet of Donald and Claire, the canine companion gets a chance to become familiar with all the members as they remain trapped on the premises for a few days. He survives till the end of the season, albeit not without seeing some horrifying stuff. In fact, tragedy strikes on the same night all the families gather on the ranch. While Donald, James, and Ruben talk with McNab in the gas mask, they are informed about the dangers of crossing the blue line. Unfortunately, the information is not passed on to Claire, who takes Duke with her to return home. The three men try to stop her, but she falls past the line and instantly dies. The encounter terrifies Duke.
Losing its owner leaves the dog with only a little to do on the farm except hang around. On a separate occasion, James wanders into the vet clinic in search of an injured McNab. During his quest, he finds Duke hiding in the clinic. James nearly shoots him in the process but manages to hold his nerve at the last moment. Meanwhile, near the end, Duke has another dangerous encounter when Meryl gets taken over by the entity known as Assassin. She wanders into the same bedroom where Duke remains sitting on the bed. The dog is wholly unaware that an alien being possesses Meryl and calmly observes her walking around. Fortunately, no harm is done to Duke as Meryl seems focused on finding Arlo first.
At the end of the season, Duke is shown to be staying behind on the farm property as the survivors leave and head for Belknap Mountain. He keeps Ellen company as the latter decides to remain on the farm and take care of the animals. It means that the dog is out of the firing line of any more dangerous stuff and can relax in peace until the group returns after Arlo and Harbinger have completed their task. Still, there is the risk attached to the blue line and how crossing it could still mean death. So far, Duke has avoided any harm, which could guarantee the beloved pet’s survival throughout the show. However, there is still the mystery of James and how he is locked in the freezer. He might pose a threat later if he managed to survive, but for now, Duke is alive and kicking.
Read More: Does the Dog Die in Teacup?
