IR TV Review: CREEPSHOW - EPISODE 5 (“Time Out/The Things In Oakwood’s Past”) [Shudder-S3]

The balance of parables of sensibilities versus roads better not taken are at the crossroads are key in the two stories of “Creepshow” Season 3 Episode 3 with "Time Out" and "The Things In Oakwood's Past". "Time Out" moves to the possibility of knowing things ahead of time but understanding the notion of foreshadowing while not inferring with consequence. For some people winning isn't enough but also inherently requires sacrifices. The lead character in this story wants to provide for his family but he loses sight of the true importance of life simply because the item that allows him to becomes successful also isolates him from the true work being done. Like all stories of path, there are rules which sometimes cannot be broken. Again though the parable of time, loss becomes the essence of time that cannot be retrieved.

"The Things In Oakwood''s Past" is another fray into the animation subcategory that worked so well in the special last season. While this episode is a littlle less robust and technologically savvy, it does still play into the cool factor while being gory enough to keep it in the range of fun but still R rated. TThe appearance of a genre heavyweight works well but his inclusion is not as dynamic as it could or should have been. The resolution as to the mythology is functional and yet the almost black and white lines of fortitude seems a little rigid though inherently archetypal. The aspect of curiosity coming close to killing the cat and everything else in between is always dynamic as long as the character (or characters) perhaps learn something. The truth here is that the irony does not set the characters free but instead lets those who survive bask in their own ignorance. B

By Tim Wassberg