The Creep Tapes Recap #3: Jeremy

We are in the middle of Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass’s The Creep Tapes. In an episode that should definitely be consumed in the month of Heretic hitting theaters, we see Josef get a little bolder with this week’s victim. We also see them go back and forth in their fake personas as we realize what a gorgeous house this is to die in. While this episode returns us to familiar places, it continues giving Duplass opportunities to swerve further into left field, and we are welcome.

The Creep Tapes – Season 1, Episode 3: “Jeremy”

An internet personality named Jeremy (Josh Fadem) is this week’s victim. Like many before him, he brings us along to his imminent demise. Unlike the others, he thinks he has the upper hand and is springing a trap on an unsuspecting priest. He thinks Father Tom Durkin (Duplass) will make the perfect dupe for his show “Gotcha“, which exposes people to his audience. Jeremy has no idea that he has gotten more than he bargained for when Durkin steps out into the snowy evening. Duplass has made his character’s entrances an event all season. However, the dialect choices he makes for Father Durkin upon introduction sent me screaming. We also must discuss how he enunciates Guatemala later in the episode when the facades are coming down.

Unlike the usual deal, Josef leaves Jeremy to his own devices. While Jeremy continues building excitement about this upcoming battle with a priest, we wonder where our serial killer is. It has the dread of losing a spider in your bedroom for the audience while Jeremy is painfully unaware. He eventually sets out to find out where the Father is hiding in this gorgeous mountain getaway and overhears heavy breathing from a closed door. He catches Durkin exercising his demons and gets another huge sign he should leave. Once this awkwardness is over, the Father is ready to play with his prey.

No One Is Having As Much Fun As Mark Duplass

Each time Duplass takes this character out for a ride, he seems to be having the time of his life. However, as a fan of all the Peachfuzz personalities, I think Father Tom Durkin is one of my favorites. From spinning in his robes and flashing some leg to trying to get his future victim to drink some wine, there is something comically over the top in every frame. It also adds a creepier underscore to all the lines that stick out as having deadly double meanings, which I live for.

This energy also makes the moment he tells Jeremy, “I think people are scared of me,” even more terrifying and sincere. There is magic in this performance that is hard to describe. I am starting to think the only person having more fun with The Creep Tapes than all of us weirdos watching is the man playing the sociopath himself.

Peachfuzz Gone Wild

Watching Jeremy and Father go back and forth until Jeremy realizes he is on the receiving end of this gotcha moment is fun. Again, it is giving a little Heretic energy but with more humor. It also softens the blow, for the audience anyway, because we know how these playdates end. Before we cut to the chase, Father Durkin gives us the influences for the scenario (God’s Not Dead and Dinner With André) then does something unexpected. He shows Jeremy a tape of the real Father Durkin performing an exorcism on him as his Peachfuzz alter ego.

While the audience knows he takes on the names and personas of previous victims, this is the first time he’s shared that via VHS with anybody. We know Josef loves to give people glimpses of the danger they are in and play mind games. However, this moment stands out and is the boldest, in my opinion. 

I Love When They Run

Jeremy tries to run, and we get a very cool chase as the camera stays on Josef in full Priest garb chasing him down the snowy stairs. Jeremy makes it to the car and still naively thinks he will survive this. He soon finds out Josef has fucked up his car and is not done playing with him yet. We get some very unsettling shots of a psychotic Josef through the windows before he finally grabs his ax and prepares to do the Lord’s work. We do not see Jeremy’s demise up close and personal. From our vantage point, we see Josef going to town with the ax, and we get more of this sick sound design that has been a gushy joy this season. 

The Peachfuzz Rundown: 

Peachfuzz Alias: Father Tom Durkin

Deadly Double Meaning: “That man is capable of doing anything at any time, and that scares the bejesus out of them.”

Passing Strays: 

• While Jeremy’s show is different from Sara’s in Creep 2, it reminded me of her. I still wish we knew the specifics of what went down between her and Josef at the end of the film.
• Josef shows Jeremy the tape of the victim he is pretending to be. He has never peeled back the mask that far for any of his previous victims.
  • Will we ever see the whole tape of the actual Father Tom Durkin’s demise? I need to see how Josef introduced him to Peachfuzz.
• I really want a timeline of these kills because I am so nosey. 

New episodes of The Creep Tapes hit Shudder on Fridays.

Did you miss last week’s recap? Then check it out here!