Scott Speedman and Yvonne Strahovski's 'Teacup' Is Weird, Compelling, and Probably Bad

The first novel I ever truly loved was Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, a coming-of-age fantasy set during the Civil Rights era. It holds a place in his body of work much like Stand By Me does for Stephen King—not an outlier, but not what he’s primarily known for either. McCammon’s reputation rests on his horror novels like Swan Song, Mine, and Stinger.

Stinger was adapted into a horror mystery on Peacock by Ian McCulloch (Yellowstone). While the original was set in a small Texas town cut off from the outside world, McCulloch shifts the focus to a Georgia ranch. It feels like one of those shows—similar to From—that thrives on its mystery but may unravel when it attempts to explain too much.

This seems particularly true of Teacup. The show centers on Maggie and James Chenoweth (Yvonne Strahovski and Scott Speedman), whose son Arlo disappears and returns acting strangely. He’s prone to violent outbursts and cryptic messages, as if something else is controlling his mind.

The plot thickens with the arrival of a masked stranger who draws a blue line across the ranch and warns no one to cross it. Soon, the consequences become clear when a dog—and later, a woman—cross the line and their skin is gruesomely stripped away. It’s a strikingly dramatic and visceral moment.

The core mystery unfolds against the backdrop of the Chenoweths’ deteriorating marriage. James is having an affair with another woman, part of a family also stuck on the ranch because they brought a horse to be treated by Maggie, who’s a veterinarian (animal lovers, beware). Trapped alongside them are James’ mother, played by Kathy Baker, and a couple of odd neighbors.

It’s a compelling setup, but midway through, the story starts to telegraph where it’s going, which caused my interest to wane. Without giving too much away, it dives into a genre I find less appealing unless Spielberg is at the helm.

That said, the show’s wild, gory, and entertaining, with each episode running about 30 minutes. But four episodes in, it feels like it’s teetering on the edge of falling apart. The only reason I’m still watching is the short episode length and the fact that there are two new episodes each week. As much as I like Scott Speedman and Yvonne Strahovski, they aren’t given much to do beyond looking anxious.

I’m sticking with it for now, if only because I’m curious to see how it ends. However, I’ve heard the first season leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and I’m skeptical about its chances for renewal. My concern is that providing any answers might kill the intrigue. Curiosity can carry it for four or five episodes, but it’s not nearly as gripping as a mystery drama like From, partly because it doesn’t invest enough in its characters, and the collective hotness of Strahovski and Speedman is not quite enough to keep me on the hook.