‘All killer, no filler’ thriller show praised by Stephen King gets UK release date

The master of horror compared the series to the hit shows From and Lost.

Created by Ian McCulloch (Yellowstone) and produced by James Wan (The Conjuring, Insidious, Saw), the series follows a disparate group of people on a Texas ranch who find themselves trapped by a mysterious, otherworldly threat.

The plot synopsis adds:

"As the ranchers begin to piece together the terrifying truth behind the horrific events that surround them, they are confronted with deep-seated past issues and resentment towards each other, forcing them to accept the sobering reality that they must ultimately come together for the sake of the town’s survival, or face an eminent and utter demise."

Inspired by the bestselling novel Stinger by Robert McCammon, the cast of Teacup includes Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid's Tale), Scott Speedman (Animal Kingdom), Chaske Spencer (The English), Rob Morgan (Don't Look Up), Bill Heck (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Kathy Baker (Edward Scissorhands) and Boris McGiver (House of Cards).

The show comprises eight 30-minute episodes, which are directed by some of horror's biggest up-and-coming filmmakers including Chloe Okuno (Watcher), E.L. Katz (Azrael) and John Hyams (Sick).

Having premiered last October on the US streaming service Peacock (which we do not have this side of the pond), the series earned solid reviews from critics.

Its premise, mix of genres, body horror moments and pacing have been particularly singled out for praise.

That said, some have noted that the show leaves some mysteries unanswered by the end of season one, something which may frustrate certain viewers given the series was not renewed for season two.

One person who enjoyed Teacup was master of horror Stephen King, who wrote on Twitter:

"If you like From or Lost, I think you'll enjoy this. It's strange, creepy, claustrophobic, and scary.

"Beware the Gas Mask Man. Short episodes. All killer, no filler."

You can read some other positive write-ups for Teacup here.

Bloody Disgusting: "McCulloch’s careful plotting and effective atmospherics pay off, resulting in an intense, rewarding inaugural season."

The Daily Beast: "An out-there thriller that rehashes and remixes to engaging B-movie effect."

Flicks: "Hot damn the show has oomph—a fine example of genre thrills and spills delivered with pressure-packed pacing."

Forbes: "Teacup is off to a scary start with a cast of complicated characters I want to learn more about and a mysterious and terrifying threat rapidly descending upon this quiet rural refuge."

TV Guide: "It's a relentlessly fun and exciting mystery thriller. Other shows should study it for lessons on how to pace a season of television."

Paramount+ has just announced that Teacup will be available to stream for people in the UK with the service from Friday, 18 April.

Episodes 1 to 4 will come out on that date, with the rest of the eight-episode series dropping weekly after.

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