It’s official: Creepshow is a huge hit for Shudder, the horror streaming service owned by AMC Networks. The TV adaptation of the George A. Romero/Stephen King horror classic has been setting records since its September 26 premiere, which means it’s probably only a matter of time before a second season is announced. The series is the brainchild of special effects make-up artists and filmmaker Greg Nicotero and has been rolling out weekly with new tales of terror.

According to Shudder, their Creepshow series is a graveyard smash, setting records in terms of “viewers, subscriber acquisitions and total minutes streamed.” Here are some of the facts and figures:

• Since Creepshow premiered on September 26, 54% of all members on Shudder’s direct-to-consumer platforms* have viewed an episode of the series. As new episodes premiere weekly through Halloween, this number will continue to rise.
• Episode 1 had more minutes streamed in its opening weekend (September 26-29) than any title in Shudder’s history, nearly equal to the #2, #3 and #4 titles combined, all of which are feature films with significantly longer runtimes.
• The first week of Creepshow set a record for total minutes streamed on the service… a record that has been broken in each of the three weeks since.
• The series is bringing in record numbers of new Shudder members, so far delivering the 14 best subscriber acquisition days in Shudder history, and 21 of the top 25 days.
• Creepshow has been as big a hit with critics as it has with fans. At 96% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, it is one of the best-reviewed new shows of 2019.

Here’s the part of the story where I tell you I wish Creepshow were just a little bit better. I know that’s a statement that will probably outrage some of my good friends in the horror community, but I’ve been a little disappointed at how cheap the show looks. I get it: this isn’t a big-budget endeavor. And it doesn’t have to be. But the quality of the footage looks considerably bland as if the show wasn’t color corrected properly. This is all the more frustrating because Romero’s Creepshow is so colorful, loaded with shots meant to emulate garish comic book horror pages.

All that said, there’s still plenty of fun to be had, and I’m hopeful that when and if a second season arrives Creepshow will have worked out all the kinks and return stronger than ever.

“Creepshow is a breakout series that’s hit the trifecta for streaming services: Shudder members love it, critics love it and it’s driving record numbers of new subscribers,” said Shudder GM Craig Engler. “Greg Nicotero and his team have delivered an amazing show that honors the original movie by George A. Romero and Stephen King while forging an identity that’s uniquely its own.”

The fifth episode of the series debuts on Shudder tomorrow, October 24. The season finale, featuring a segment directed by Tom Savini, premieres on Halloween. The series features a cast that includes Creepshow stars David Arquette (Scream franchise), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog), Tobin Bell (Saw), Big Boi (Scream: The TV Series), Jeffrey Combs (Star Trek, Re-Animator), Kid Cudi (Drunk Parents), Bruce Davison (X-Men), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Dana Gould (Stan Against Evil), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica, Lucifer) and DJ Qualls (The Man in the High Castle, Supernatural) and features adaptations of stories by Stephen King, Joe Hill, Joe R. Lansdale, Josh Malerman and more.

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