Upamanyu Biswas
In ‘The Creep Tapes,’ serial killer Peachfuzz from the ‘Creep’ franchise finds some legroom to dive into his heinous brand of murderous crimes that explore the full range of madness and extravagance the character is capable of. To that end, the show’s anthology format works as a charm, illustrating his psychopathy and manipulative tactics in a new light. Furthermore, the found footage aspect adds to the chilling nature of the series, often shining a spotlight on the unwitting victims who become momentary stars in each weekly installment of the series. The proverbial ball is set in motion in the first episode titled ‘Mike,’ which dives into a poor videographer’s attempt to make a few bucks that lands him right in the spiderweb of the nameless killer. SPOILERS AHEAD.
A Video Gig Brings Mike to Peachfuzz’s Doorstep
The episode begins with Mike entering an empty shack in the middle of nowhere during cold weather. There, he finds a set of instructions that task him to start rolling his footage before he enters the house. Once inside, Mike is given more instructions highlighting that he is supposed to be a “victim.” Moments later, Peachfuzz enters from the house’s upper landing, draped in the garbs of a vampire. He starts acting in front of the camera and showcases his thespian abilities, which is the reason behind Mike coming to the cabin in the first place. As it turns out, Mike was hired by Peachfuzz to record footage for a so-called audition that the latter has planned for a movie role. Subsequently, the two start collaborating on the work together.
As the night progresses, Mike is put off by Peachfuzz’s intensity and faux enthusiasm, which is greatly exaggerated. Time and again, their exchanges break down because of the strange shift in mood and energy in the host’s behavior. He goes from hot to cold in the blink of an eye, which alarms Mike to a degree. However, because the job entails getting through the night somehow, he sticks to his task without complaining too much. Whenever Peachfuzz poses him a question about his abilities, Mike answers with a noncommital response that is wholly diplomatic and meant to push through the exercise as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, Peachfuzz catches on to his intentions and keeps him engaged in the task no matter what.
The Night is Punctuated by Odd Character Breaks From Peachfuzz
Although Peachfuzz remains mostly concentrated on the task of acting, there are alarming moments during the shoot that Mike ignores. For instance, in one sequence, Peachfuzz gets upset by Mike and decides to run away into the bathroom, seemingly hurt. After a moment of deliberation, Mike follows him but finds the whole house to be empty. He scours around for a while until he finds that the bathroom window has been opened, and the snowy exteriors are accessible through the area. When he spins around, Peachfuzz scares Mike out of his wits as he shows up in his scary wolf mask, which is also the reason behind his name. The jumpscare terrifies Mike and allows the host to gain control over the camera for a few seconds. This is the first time the power of the narrative finds its way into Peachfuzz’s hand.
Subsequently, Mike becomes tired of his client’s antics and tells him that he wants to be paid before he leaves. With the audition footage done, his job is complete, and he wishes to be out of the place, which is understandable given Peachfuzz’s eccentricity. The host decides to listen to Mike’s demands and gives him his money, but a spanner is thrown into the works when heavy snowfall forces Mike to reconsider his exit. Thus, Mike stays back for a while longer, which allows Peachfuzz to come up with a new strategy and story idea. He prompts Mike to take part in another skit, this time playing the part of the aggressor while he takes on the role of the victim. However, while performing, it turns out to be too embarrassing and is stopped midway.
Peachfuzz Uses Mike’s Insecurities to Lure Him in For a Final Blow
In the final portions, Mike waits outside the house as Peachfuzz creeps up on him with the camera still in his possession. As the former waits for the snow to be cleared up, Peachfuzz proposes that they try something different. At this point, he reveals that he has seen Mike’s short film and praises him for its quality. The flattery catches Mike off-guard and opens him to the possibility of shooting an indie film with his host. The latter proposes the idea of the story, which borders on a meta-narrative that deceives Mike completely. Peachfuzz again takes on the role of a villain and stands next to an axe buried in a log. As the camera starts rolling, Peachfuzz goes into a long-winded soliloquy that both acts as narration and a creepy character intro into his real personality.
At the end of the monologue, Peachfuzz takes the axe in his hand and tells Mike that if his hand is bloodied, there is danger awaiting him. The latter is relieved when he sees that it is not. However, an instant later, he sees that his other hand is dripping with blood. Finally, Peachfuzz breaks his normal persona and starts hunting down Mike with the axe. The latter tries his best to dodge and weave out of sight and make it to his car. Unfortunately, he is wholly unsuccessful because the serial killer is far too experienced and trained to miss any of his moves. He hacks Mike down while he tries to prise his car door open. The chilling moment is caught entirely on film and presents a dark but expected ending for Mike.
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