Horror is one of the most enduring forms of storytelling. From ancient stone carvings to campfire ghost stories, radio shows, and of course literature and film, human beings have always found ways to spook each other with terrifying tales of the bizarre. With the internet and message board culture came the rise of Creepypasta, intimate short-form horror tales that went viral as a form of digital urban legends, slowly working their way into the mainstream.
That wellspring of terrifying tales is the rich source from which Syfy and series creatorNick AntoscacreatedChannel Zero, the ongoing anthology series that expands some of the most famous Creepypasta stories into imaginative, tightly-scripted six-episode narratives. The previous installments,Candle CoveandNo-End House, demonstrated Antosca’s eye for world-building and chilling detail, and the third season,Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block, improves on that solid foundation to become the most imaginative, fantastical entry in the series yet.
Inspired byKerry Hammond’s creepypasta “Search and Rescue Woods,“Butcher’s Blockintroduces us to the Woods sisters, Alice (It Follows‘Olivia Luccardi) and Zoe (Teen Wolf’sHolland Roden), who move to a new town looking for a fresh start after a particularly violent run-in with their family’s propensity for mental illness. Alice is a social worker eager to help the less fortunate children in the area, while no doubt working out some of her own family demons in the process. Zoe is recovering from a mental breakdown and addiction problems after experiencing the “insidious onset” of the schizophrenia she inherited from their mother.
Unfortunately for the pair, they’ve chosen to make a new home near a sinister place plagued with disappearances. Not your average forgotten slum, the titular Butcher’s Block is a dangerous realm where otherworldly phenomenon slips through the cracks of society to prey on those who won’t be missed. Fans of “Search and Rescue Woods” will recognize some familiar imagery (most notably the mysterious, pristine staircase to nowhere that appears in the middle of the woods, seemingly at random). However,Butcher’s Blockadapts the source material more freely than the previousChannel Zeroinstallments, tying the tales of the dangerous woods into neighborhood squalor and the enigmatic, meat-peddling Peach family, who once owned the town before disappearing after a family tragedy.
I’m loath to give away to give away too many of the wicked twists and turns, but suffice it to say,Butcher’s Blockmakes great work of unfolding the mystery of the Peach family – headed up byRutger Hauer’s disarming patriarch Joseph Peach – and each new reveal further connects the Woods sisters to the sinister forces poisoning the infamous town.Butcher’s Blockalso makes great use ofKrishabreakoutKrisha Fairfield, who co-stars as the sisters' new curmudgeonly landlord, who spends her spare time on taxidermy and has no interest in her tenants, but does have a deep and personal interest in the town’s history. In the four episodes provided to the press, Antosca makes thrilling work of tying these ends together in unexpected, deliciously pulpy ways.
As the title suggests,Butcher’s Blockis more immediately visceral and carnal than the previousChannel Zeroinstallments. There are stomach-churning moments of fleshy frights, but if you’re worried about the show turning into a sloppy splatterfest, put your fears to rest.Channel Zeroremains inventive and unusual, tapping into the surreal and mingling it with potent character drama to conjure psychological terror. As the very intentionally named Alice heads further down the rabbit hole of madness and violence inButcher’s Block, the series dives headfirst into uncanny urban horror fantasy.
Antosca and directorArkasha Stevenson, who helms all six episodes of the new season, wear their influences on their sleeves – usually, in bright swaths of red, from the crimson hoodies that evokeDon’t Look Now, to the bold wallpapers and technicolor lit hallways that pulled straight fromLuciano Tovoli’sSuspiriaplaybook. Elements ofDavid Lynch’s style are also at play consistently from (there’s a heavyFire Walk with MeandEraserheadvibe throughout), but most effective when they’re used to needle at the phobia and terror of insanity, and the threat of losing yourself to an inherited evil.Butcher’s Blockfinds ways to literally and figuratively prod at the human mind in ways that will leave your skin damp with panic and crawling with disgust.
That visual language and emboldened aesthetic giveButcher’s Blocka distinct flavor from the previous two installments. It’s easily the most striking and eye-catching season, but it also has a distinctly twisted sense of humor that pops up between – and sometimes during – the moments of ringing terror.Butcher’s Block makes big, bold swings and the payoff is aChannel Zeroinstallment that feels unique. It’s the most ambitious, imaginative and aesthetically rich season yet, and it suggests a growth and experimentation that could allowChannel Zeroto continue for years. The internet has plenty of creepy stories ripe for adaptation, and Antosca clearly has enough worlds in his head to do them justice.
Rating: ★★★★ Very good
Channel Zero: Butcher’s Blockpremieres Wednesday, February 7th on Syfy.
