Teacup, the new horror adaptation endorsed by Stephen King, is off to a solid start on Rotten Tomatoes.Teacuprecently debuted on Peacock, arriving just in time for the spookiest month of the year. The eight-episode series isbased on the Robert McCammon novelStinger, withThe Handmaid’s Talestar Yvonne Strahovski andGrey’s Anatomyalum Scott Speedman in lead roles. The story centers on an unlikely group in rural Georgia that must work together to face a mysterious danger threatening their survival. King praised the show before its premiere,comparing it toLostandFrom.
When taking all reviews into account,Teacupis off to a solid start onRotten Tomatoes. The adaptation has a72% based on 18 reviews, with the score breaking down to 6.30 out of 10. However, when narrowed to what the website deems as Top Critics, the rating falls to 44% based on 9 reviews.The score is bound to fluctuate as more reviews come in. But, at this time of writing, five reviews lean negative while the rest lean positive. The consensus is included below:
Stylish and genuinely scary,Teacup’s human drama has some spillage but the atmospheric frights of this horror series leave a pleasing aftertaste.
What The Reviews Say About Teacup
There’s A Divide About The Show’s Effectiveness
In one of the more positive reviews, Megan Navarro ofBloody Disgustingpraises showrunner and executive Ian McCulloch and writes: “McCulloch’s careful plotting and effective atmospherics pay off, resulting in an intense, rewarding inaugural season.” But the issue of plotting and how effective it might be to stretch out to apotentialTeacupseason 2is a source of disagreement. Daniel Feinberg ofThe Hollywood Reporterfound that the Peacock show was “evasive to the point of utter boredom,” dinging the James Wan-produced horror for strenuously avoiding answers.
Teacupconsists of eight half-hour episodes, with two episodes released weekly and the finale dropping on Halloween. At just two episodes a week, with each being roughly 30 minutes.
Several of the reviews fluctuate like this, with some arguing thatTeacupis a successful adaptation that blends family angst and effective scares. But while a lot of the reviews highlight thatthe horror mystery does have memorable visuals and standout moments, the disagreement largely resides in whether the show works across eight episodes. Promola Khosla ofIndieWireargues it does, citing the show’s lean release schedule: “The tone is perpetually fraught. That’s fine for a two-hour movie; trickier for a six-hour binge; and totally manageable in weekly installments.”
Our Take On Teacup
Sample The First Two Episodes
With aTeacupcastthat also includes Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre, and Luciano Leroux, the first two episodes do a good job of introducing the central characters and some of their conflicts. But by the end of the second half-hour, something happens that will nudge the audience into figuring out whether they want to remain with the Wan-produced horror series. Though the overall response is mixed, the Peacock Original is relatively short and fast-paced and that makes it easy to try.
Teacup
Cast
Teacup is a horror thriller series that follows a group of people thrust into the middle of rural Georgia who must face off with an unknown threat to stay alive.
