Last week's installment of "The Creep Tapes" delved into the intricate dynamics between Peachfuzz, embodied by Mark Duplass, and his alter ego, Peachfuzz donning The Wolf Mask. My reservations lingered over how it dissected our protagonist's psychological landscape. This week, Season 1, Episode 6 concludes the season on a similar haunting note, revolving around his visit to his mother, played by Krisha Fairchild, who affectionately addresses him as Wolfy—a moniker shared with his cherished childhood stuffed wolf toy.
I must confess: I wasn't entirely eager for this detour into Peachfuzz's backstory. That aside, "Mom (and Albert)" oscillates between hilarious and unsettling, aligning perfectly with the series' unique flair, and I found myself engrossed.
The episode unfolds with Wolfy behind the wheel, monologuing to the camera about his unwavering adoration for "Forrest Gump." His reverie is abruptly cut short by the eerie sounds of banging and moaning emanating from his trunk, prompting him to halt the car and brutally dispatch the individual confined within with an axe. While this scene offers a humorous interlude, it's crucial to highlight it upfront, as we revisit both "Forrest Gump" and the trunk's grim contents later.
Upon arriving at his mother's abode, Wolfy extinguishes his camera's light and creeps toward the window, instilling in me a dual curiosity: 1) whether the figure inside would indeed be his mother; and 2) if his intention was to terminate her existence. These possibilities were not mutually exclusive scenarios in my mind.
However, Mom catches Wolfy off guard from behind, revealing this to be a playful ritual they share. She outsmarted him this time.
Inside, Wolfy expresses his disinterest in Ritz crackers (ostensibly not the airplanes of his fancy), exuding a mood of irritability. Mom, however, has a pleasant surprise in store: a room meticulously decorated to resemble his childhood sanctuary. Yet, it isn't the same chamber; it's part of a new rental, devoid of his beloved special bed. Consequently, Wolfy collapses to the floor, succumbing to melancholy.
Once more, I find myself uncertain about witnessing this character's conduct, yet mercifully, the episode takes a turn once Albert (portrayed by John Craven) enters the scene. Initially, Wolfy storms out of the room, clearly agitated that his mother had kept the news of Albert's arrival from him. However, he cleverly uses this moment to startle her and escalate their playful dynamic.
As the trio settles down for dinner, Wolfy reverts to the character we have grown to know and, dare I say, admire, throughout the Creep franchise. He bombards Albert with a blend of friendly yet subtly menacing questions. He inquiries about their chance encounter, only to delve deeper, probing whether they have indulged in intimate acts in the guest room – which happens to be adorned as Wolfy's own. He finds their activities delightful, yet his demeanor shifts when Mom remarks on Albert's effect on her breasts. Wolfy seemingly claims some sort of ownership over these breasts, despite Mom's insistence that she never breastfed him. The air is thick with an almost incestuous vibe, sending shivers down my spine. Of course, it's just a prelude to something darker.
For now, Albert deftly breaks the tension by pointing out an issue with Wolfy's car axle, offering to fix it if Wolfy has a jack. Without much hesitation, Wolfy tosses him the keys, paving the way for Albert to uncover the corpse in the trunk.
Wolfy's methodical enumeration of the three possibilities swirling in Albert's mind, calmly dismissing the first two as neither a dream nor a prank, stands out as my favorite moment in The Creep Tapes Season 1, Episode 6. This is the kind of dialogue that resonates deeply with me. Notice also how, after embedding an ax into the back of Albert's head, Wolfy casually informs his mother that he liked Albert too. Purely hilarious, if not somewhat disturbing.
As per usual, the murder unfolds with swift and brutal efficiency, prefaced by a fleeting moment where Wolfy dons his wolf mask and gyrates his hips with a strange sense of ceremony. Yet, what stands out even more is Mom's startling indifference to the slaying; her only grievance stems from her fondness for Albert. It becomes evident that Wolfy will have to toil solo in digging the grave (a hint at their shared history of lethal collaborations).
He obliges, and as they sit beside the freshly dug hole, Wolfy reminisces about a scene plucked straight from "Forrest Gump," a film that stirs discomfort within him. Mom disagrees with his fascination for it, but Wolfy aspires to emulate Forrest's ability to forge friendships effortlessly, an aspiration oddly consonant with his character portrayal in prior installments of the "Creep" saga. Indeed, he intends to terminate these lives, yet paradoxically seeks genuine connections with his victims.
Nonetheless, "Mom (and Albert)" concludes on a note far more unsettling than any axe blow. Wolfy requests, and is granted permission, to suckle at his mother's breast—a scene that somehow eclipses even the goriest of his crimes in terms of disturbing imagery.
