Teacup is a relatively new Science Fiction/Horror TV Series streaming on Peacock. It is based on the novel, Stinger, by Robert R. Cammon. I have not read the novel so I can’t comment on how well it matches or differs from the original story.
The show is set on a remote farm/veterinary clinic in Georgia The animals are acting spooked, an injured woman is wandering in the woods, and a young boy gets lost in those same woods. A few neighbors show up to get help for an injured horse and eventually help look for the missing boy. A stranger shows up on the road in a gas mask, painting a blue line around their property and the surrounding farms. He warns them not to cross the line and not to trust anyone.
The series does a good job of building tension and intensity. It has a little bit of a Thing vibe as the people who are trapped try to figure out what is happening and who they can trust. It is not up to the level of the John Carpenter classic, but it is genuinely scary at times and has an interesting plot line. It’s not perfect and some of the occurrences and people’s knowledge are not well explained, but there are no gaping plot holes that often plague this type of show.
I often feel cheated with these streaming series that don’t answer any questions and try to leave themselves open for future seasons, especially when the show is cancelled before those questions are answered. I prefer smaller self-contained stories to endless running series of mysteries that are never resolved. This series runs 8 episodes and has a reasonable resolution of the initial story by the end of the season. It leaves the main concerns wide open to allow for additional seasons, but I was satisfied with the conclusion.
If you like Science Fiction Horror, with a lot of tension and a little gore, but not much, Teacup might be for you. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, but I have to admit that I am not chomping at the bit for future seasons. Should they release a season two, I will likely watch it, but I am glad that it feels like a complete enough story whether or not they extend it.
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