Written by Greg Nicotero and J.A. Konrath
Directed by Greg Nicotero
Starring Anna Camp, Adam Pally
Running time: 44 minutes

by Stacey Osbeck

2020 has been one hell of a year. After all that’s happened, settling down with a movie of Christmas past seems, well, out of touch. If you want a story that meets you where you are now A Creepshow Holiday Special may be the perfect way to ring in the new year. 

Fearing he may have something to do with the recent string of grisly murders, Weston (Adam Pally, The Mindy Project) tracks down a secret underground meeting spot for ‘Shapeshifters Anonymous.’ 

The group confirms Weston’s identity as a werewolf. Blacking out at night, waking with shredded clothing in his mouth and blood on his body now makes sense. The news reports have made clear he’s eaten a mobster, a thief, even a lawyer. Devouring bad people actually does a service for humankind and no one there judges. Plus he’s in good company among: a were-pig, a were-tortoise and, the loveliest of all, the were-cheetah, Irena (Anna Camp, True Blood, Pitch Perfect). Here, Weston finds safety and support, however the comfort is short lived. 

Soon the group of shifters will have to defend themselves against the dreaded Kris Kringle and his minions in red. Turns out, shifters and Ol’ Kringle have been sworn enemies since the beginning of time. Every Santa in a mall or ringing a bell for charity has been hiding in plain sight—suited up and ready for just this moment. 

The shifters didn’t ask for it, but the battle has come to them. A satisfying bloodbath that would impress Tarantino ensues and everything continues to get weirder from there. 

They could have stretched this, like taffy, making it feature length just for the sake of doing so, but by limiting it to an (TV) hour writer-director Greg Nicotero kept the jokes coming with no boring bits. Somehow through the lens of this year, the outrageous, unbelievable and statistically impossible threads this special concocted and wove together, all seem plausible. Werewolf snacking on people? I can believe it. Were-tortoise? I’ll buy it. Army of Santas out for blood? Bring it. 

The laughs were only heightened by the catharsis. I highly recommend this special for anyone looking for a new, fun Christmas tradition.

A Creepshow Holiday Special is now available to watch Shudder.