The title warned you ...

            Netflix’s Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, an 8-part horror series developed by Haley Z. Boston and produced by the Duffer Brothers of Stranger Things fame, is slick, spooky, and atmospheric, full of a lot of twists and turns – some you see coming, and some you probably won’t – a fast-paced, weekend-binge worthy show with appropriate amounts of gore and gross-out moments.

            The story follows Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicky (Adam DiMarco) as they journey to Nicky’s parents’ secluded home in the mountains, where they are to have their wedding. Rachel, of whom it is hinted might have some kind of psychic ability, worries Nicky’s parents won’t like her (they have yet to meet), while Nicky assures her they will. Once there, Rachel feels more and more that something is really wrong with her fiancé’s family. The family not liking the new girlfriend and the spooky, quasi-paranormal vibes of her family-to-be are a fairly uninspired trope, but that’s about the last time the series gets completely predictable. From there, it’s a roller coaster ride of everything from the “Sorry Man,” a family ghost story, to the creepy taxidermized family dogs, to the odd as hell encounter at a nearby bar, and finally, the unraveling of a decades-long family ghost story, the show is a healthy blend of familiar tropes and fresh takes that will keep the viewer hooked until the very end.

            Fans of the Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things series, be advised: this is a very different story. Lacking the 80s whimsicalness and karaoke-worthy nostalgic soundtrack, SVBIGTH is gritty, dark, and patently adult in tone, theme, and gore. Showrunner Boston seems to be delving deeply into pre-wedding anxieties and the daunting prospect of publicly, legally committing oneself to a “lifetime” partner, a far cry from the Spielbergian vibe of Stranger Things. And the fact that it is different, even a little unique, is one of the things that makes the episodes binge-worthy. The show sticks to a fairly singular premise (spoiler alert: it’s in the title) and keeps you playing along until the very end. A couple of the twists and turns seem a little much at times, but the climax (see: the title) still ends up being worth it.

            Rachel – smart, spiritual, wise beyond her years, and Nicky – a little awkward, maybe even a little dorky- seem to be something of a mismatch, but that’s part of the charm and the value of the performances they turn in. Other standouts are genre favorite Ted Levine as Nicky’s creepy father and Jennifer Jason Leigh as the family matriarch, whose final wish (she’s dying) is to see the wedding happen.

            Dark, a little wicked, pretty spooky, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen is worth a watch, and illustrates that Netflix can still churn out top-notch entertainment.