‘Teacup:’ What reviewers are saying about series based on book by Alabama author
With four of the eight episodes now available for the Peacock series “Teacup,” it has mostly positive reviews from online aggregators.
Rotten Tomatoes gives it an overall 79 percent (score of 100) and IMDb gives it a 7 out of 10.
The series, which debuted Thursday, Oct. 10 and drops two new episodes each Thursday, uses Alabama bestselling author Robert “Rick” McCammon’s 1988 novel “Stinger” as source material, although it will apparently use the bones of the idea rather than following the plot verbatim.
The description of the show on IMDb says: “Trapped on a farm in rural Georgia, a group of neighbors must put aside their differences and unite in the face of a mysterious and deadly threat.” The show was filmed in Atlanta and Covington, Ga., McCammon has said. “They put a lot of work and money into it,” McCammon said. “I talked to the screenwriters; they did a great job. The book will always be my book and it’s kind of interesting to see what other people can do with it.”
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“Teacup” stars Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaids Tale,” “Dexter”), Scott Speedman (“Underworld”), Chaske Spencer (“Twilight”), Boris McGiver (“House of Cards”), and Emmy Award-winner Kathy Baker (“Picket Fences”).It is produced by acclaimed horror producer/director James Wan, the creator of the “Insidious” and “Conjuring” film series.
Stephen King, who had an early look at “Teacup,” posted on X: “TEACUP: If you like FROM or LOST, I think you’ll enjoy this. It’s strange, creepy, claustrophobic, and scary. Beware the Gas Mask Man. Short episodes. All killer, no filler.”
What reviewers are saying:
Erik Kane for Forbes:
“Two episodes in, and I’m definitely curious to see where this goes, especially after a mysterious stranger shows up with even more terrifying implications. … Who is this masked stranger and why is he going around with a paint-sprayer, warding houses with it like a wizard might surround a spell-rune with a circle of salt?
…Teacup is off to a scary start with a cast of complicated characters I want to learn more about and a mysterious and terrifying threat rapidly descending upon this quiet rural refuge.”
Meagan Bavarro for Bloody Disgusting:
“The eight-episode inaugural season is so structured around its enigmatic threat, purpose, methodology, and reach that “Teacup“ becomes a landmine of spoilers to dodge for the sake of preserving its many, many surprises. While that makes for a lot of setup and character dynamics to establish, McCulloch’s careful plotting and effective atmospherics pay off, resulting in an intense, rewarding inaugural season.”
Jeff Ewing for Collider:
“Shows that play with paranoia and mystery are always aided when there are trust-eroding secrets that come to light, and that’s something the series does well, backed by a talented cast. Teacup has to address a dangerous, hard-to-pin menace while constrained and distrustful, echoing horror classics while finding ways to feel sufficiently original in its own right. It’s uneven in execution, and it takes the series a while to match the excitement of the pilot episode, but Teacup‘s interesting concept, strong cast, and top-shelf body horror create must-watch TV.”
Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com:
“I love when macro stories like alien invasions are told through the micro lens of one family impacted by it, but it’s a tough tonal balance that requires richer characters than “Teacup” provides. We have to care about the people facing the end of the world more than we do the Chenoweths. And, despite the promising final scene that made me wonder if they couldn’t figure out this show in season two, we have to sense that the creators care about them too.”
Lex Briscuso for Next Best Picture:
“THE GOOD– The acting and writing are a perfect match, building a more humanistic version of an utterly grand novel that still manages to lead audiences down a mysteriously terrifying trail they won’t be able to help being invested in.
THE BAD – The VFX for the show’s central evil is nowhere near as well done as its effects for the body horror elements, which can be quite distracting from an otherwise intense and compelling narrative mystery.”