Peacock’s series “Teacup,” produced by modern horror staple James Wan, has some merits but disappointingly falls short due to poor filmmaking decisions. A gripping premise was present, inspired by Robert McCammon’s Stinger, up there with The Stand in terms of narrative complexity. However, the decision to strip down this story to focus on a handful of individuals having the worst time of their life feels like a missed opportunity.
The series centers around the Chenoweth family- Maggie, James, Arlo, Meryl, and Ellen. Their life takes a bizarre turn when Arlo encounters a seriously ill woman in the woods, leading to his body housing an interstellar being. The series employs the classic horror trope of body-swapping, like “The Thing” or “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” where fear is derived from familiar faces becoming unfamiliar threats.
However, “Teacup” stumbles as it overlooks essential character development, failing to make audiences care for the characters and their plight. Casual subplots of marital infidelity and young love can't compensate for the lack of depth. These shortcuts tarnish the performances of talented actors like Boris McGiver and Kathy Baker, who are reduced to mere plot devices. Young performers also draw criticism, though the blame arguably sits more with the direction and writing.
Not all is bleak as supporting actors Rob Morgan and Bill Heck deliver compelling performances. However, the series desperately lacks a real sense of danger. The visible physical menace, a mysterious “dome” around the characters, should have ramped up the tension but instead seems apathetic. The series attempts to portray a pandemic-like situation (“family trapped in a lockdown by an unexpected, world-shattering event”) but fails to deliver impactful tension, reducing the plot to a mundane sequence of events.
The series definitely had a strong potential but the execution lost the essence of what could have been a compelling horror. I still hold on to the hope that, with some lessons learned, season two might just salvage the series.
