If Creep and Creep 2 crawled under your skin and never quite left, then The Creep Tapes will likely feel like a welcome, if slightly abbreviated, return to the chilling world of Mark Duplass’s most sinister character. The Peachfuzz saga continues in this episodic Shudder Original, which compiles six new slices of found-footage dread into a collection that’s both familiar and unsettlingly fresh.
It’s no secret that the Duplass Brothers have long been indie darlings with a gift for raw, character-driven storytelling. And while Mark Duplass’s return to the role of the awkward, manipulative, often hilarious—and always horrifying—Peachfuzz doesn’t quite hit the highs of the first two films, it’s still a must-watch for fans of the franchise. Each episode plays like a short film: compact, intense, and drenched in the same uncomfortable intimacy that made the original Creep such a sleeper hit.
That said, the format does come with some limitations. The condensed runtime of each episode leaves little room for the slow-burn tension that defined the first two films. There’s dread, sure—but not quite the mounting psychological warfare that made Creep 2 such a masterpiece in escalating unease. What The Creep Tapes gains in variety—it features disguises ranging from priest to skydiver to actor—it loses in cohesion. Some characters barely register before they’re dispatched or disappear.
Still, Duplass is phenomenal. This is a one-man showcase in the best (and worst) way. His commitment to the madness is what sells the series. As Peachfuzz, he delivers line after line with a disarming sincerity that makes you laugh just before you recoil. And his performance here spans an even broader emotional spectrum—charm, rage, sorrow, absurdity—sometimes within the same breath.
The Creep Tapes Blu-ray is presented with a fittingly gritty aesthetic that preserves the lo-fi, DIY look of the original source material. The disc includes all six episodes from The Creep Tapes: Season One, along with a filmmaker Q&A featuring Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice, and a full-length commentary track from the creators. Standard audio and subtitle options are also available. The supplemental material adds real value to the release, particularly the commentary, which offers both a revealing look behind the mask and an insightful lesson in how to build tension on a shoestring budget.
The Creep Tapes feels less like a full meal and more like an appetizer—one that leaves you hungry for the long-rumored Creep 3. It’s an effective expansion of the universe, one that proves Duplass and Brice still have a grip on this eerie little corner of horror. But as good as it is to see Peachfuzz back in action, it also serves as a reminder: it’s time for the final act.
Jessie Hobson