Creepshow Review: Skincrawlers/The Silver Water of Lake Champlain (Season 1 Episode 6)
Being the best version of you can come at a cost, and seeing a father’s work find truth after so many years are the two driving forces behind Creepshow Season 1 Episode 6, “Skincrawlers/The Silver Water of Lake Champlain.”
The segments are entirely different, but both speak to standing up for yourself when there are those pushing you in the wrong direction. There’s the matter of peer pressure and that of abuse, both segments tackling them in different ways with different results. But it becomes an interesting episode of Creepshow by pulling back the curtain, in one case, of going too far with being what you always wanted.
“Skincrawlers” toes the line, threatening to teeter over into fat shaming; but rather than doing that, the person with reservations of get-thin-quick schemes turns out to be the survivor, turning the concept on its head and with a rather violent (and funny) climax. It turns expectations around on the audience, making for a far more interesting story.
It’s the kind of satire that Creepshow hasn’t explored much on this season, but Paul Dini and Stephen Langford’s writing, under Roxanne Benjamin’s direction, brings out this clever and energetic look at the dieting craze and the lengths some are willing to go to be thin. Henry’s dismissive mannerisms as he takes notice of everyone’s physiques and toned bodies is especially sharp.
Dana Gould makes for a great lead performer, his at times skeptical, at others shocked and freaked out expressions able to deliver great comic timing. He’s a fun presence to have at the heart of the segment, as our catalyst into a strange and bizarre world.
The level of gore during the eclipse, after its many warnings that something bad may occur during it, is the stuff Creepshow excels at: going over the top. The level of chaos that ensues, while tying the story together by showing the internal gestating worms as the reason for the massive weight loss, is this biting commentary on how far the body’s limits must be reached to be considered perfect.
“The Silver Water of Lake Champlain,” though, feels like it wants to be two different segments at once. There’s the layer similar to The Goonies, the kids discovering something at the lake that’s tied to their family in some way; but it’s also a darker, more violent story, with Chet’s abuse and his many knife threats. Neither really end up matching, making for a bumpy endeavor.
Rose’s need to prove her father right is a compelling starting point, especially in the presence of the abusive Chet skulking about; but there is a disconnect, as Rose’s discovery comes as accidental than fulfilling something to do with her father, when the existence of these creatures is laughed off and his memory tarnished in multiple pieces of dialogue.
The potential is there, especially with the focus on the wonder of the situation, but some situational problems of the characters not noticing things when it’s right in front of them come off as a little stilted and awkward.
Chet getting eaten is the right way to end things, with everyone moving on with their lives knowing that their husband and father happens to be right all along. Everyone good ends up winning, even if Chet’s leg floats back inland, and the monster has claimed its lost child or partner.
The creature in movement does not end up looking as great as it could, but the one landlocked does look a little better as a Loch Ness-adjacent creature. Perhaps it’s the limited range of movement for the alive one, but the less mobile one allows for scale against the actors, and its frozen pose makes up for the not-so-great design.
Creepshow Season 1 Episode 6, “Skincrawlers/The Silver Water of Lake Champlain,” closes off the first season of the show with another great segment, and one that does not end up hitting its full potential. Though it may be uneven, the investment into the creepy crawly anthology is a worthwhile cause for some wild stories.
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Creepshow airs Thursdays on Shudder.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.