The Netflix limited series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen kind of lets you know what to expect right from the start, but does it actually deliver? Rachel is getting married in 5 days. Together with her fiance Nikki, she embarks on a road trip to his family’s vacation home for the intimate wedding ceremony of their dreams. But being prone to superstition and paranoia, Rachel can’t shake the relentless feeling that something bad is going to happen. That’s not a spoiler, it’s right there in the title.
This is eight episodes of atmospheric, uncomfortable, strange, somewhat mysterious, and sometimes bat-crap crazy. Within the first 5 minutes of this, I had this weird feeling that the show was slightly similar to another odd Netflix limited series, Brand New Cherry Flavor. And not that the stories really share anything in common, there was just this vibe that I was getting. Well, finally after about four or five episodes, I decided to look the show up on the Internet Movie Bible, and sure enough, both Something Very Bad and Brand New Cherry were created by the same person. So, then I really knew what I was in for, a tale that’s bizarre, twisted, and most likely lacking a happy ending.
This stars Camila Morrone and Adam Demos as the soon-to-be newlyweds. They’re surrounded by other cast members like Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ted Levine, Gus Birney, Carla Chrome, Jeff Wilbusch, and Zlatko Buric. Now, they all make up this tight-knit family that’s functional, but also dysfunctional, and they’re all quirky in different ways. Now, the story takes us through the 5 days that are leading up to the wedding ceremony, beginning right at the end with enigmatic but foreboding visuals that are sure to promise tears, maybe even violence. And right from the beginning of the storytelling, there is this air of unease.
It’s undefined, but certainly oppressive and lingering. The couple seems to get along wonderfully. They’re cute, flirtatious, operating as a team as they embark on this road trip to the family vacation home. And the dread is established from a lot of the angles and the ways that the characters are framed, giving us [snorts] uncomfortable close-ups that then highlight small expressions of fear, maybe uncertainty. And these then transfer to us, even though we have no idea why the character may be reacting this way.
And most of the time, it also seems as though the character is unaware also, just bothered by some unknown. The storytelling is vague in a lot of areas. Not that it’s off on tangents or is just directionless, it’s just not direct in letting us in on all the dynamics and inner workings of the family members. This then casts a pall over the whole family gathering, made even more awkward or distressing thanks to the lack of warmth that Rachel is met with from Nikki’s parents and siblings. This was an effective way of maintaining the nervous energy of the plot, but it also made the progression feel stalled at times.
The payoffs were hesitant, sometimes stretched out for a few beats too long, which then made some sequences and even episodes feel longer than really were necessary. There’s also this annoying tendency within the story to hamper Rachel’s strength of resolve. Now, I get that she wants to fit in with her new family-to-be, and she doesn’t want to rock the boat, but she’s also established as this strong, capable woman who is confident in her beliefs and desires. So, when she’s asked to compromise again and again, the acquiescence, it just feels somewhat unnatural and then against her character type. On the other hand, though, the huge positive from her caving and giving in to strange requests or demands is that the story thrives with discomfort, creating scenarios that made me squirm just simply from how unpleasant the interactions became.
When the story lets us in on more of the lore that’s really propping up the plot, things begin to fall into place, but instead of creating sequences that are then obvious or less interesting, they become more repulsive because we can see where things are most likely headed. And it’s not going to be a happy ending. The themes of family, belonging, choice, even duty, play large roles within the arcs. Now, some are explored in obvious ways, clearly spelling out the elements within the dialogue so that they can’t be missed, but others are a little more subtle, using more of the subtext of situations to address the ideas before typically introducing more overt methods to explain. Now, I appreciate how this works in the story’s favor to twist all of the relationships so that they retain depth rather than simplifying them all down to one-dimensional connections.
There’s a small but powerful monologue from Ted Levine towards the end of the series that highlights many of the positive themes the show introduces, while also allowing key plot elements to eke out a bit of foreshadowing for the finale. Now, this isn’t the type of show that you want to watch when you’re already feeling down or maybe feeling despondent. Melancholy permeates throughout the episodes, and even when there are moments that appear to be uplifting, they’re usually still marred by arguments or stressors leading to further dour emotions. It’s a bit like watching a family train wreck, where you know drama is going to rear its head and cause issues, and you’re fairly certain that it’s going to be tumultuous, but you misjudge the level of disdain or maybe baggage everybody’s been carrying around, and the explosiveness of meanness and anger becomes toxically shocking. And I don’t say this to deter you from watching.
The more I got into it, the more I couldn’t stop. But for transparency, after the first episode, I felt icky, and it took a bit, like a day, to start the second episode. And after that, I wanted to find out all the answers, but I was still carrying around the ick from all that negativity that’s on display within the family. For the majority of this, it’s an atmospheric thriller drenched in dread, but the last few episodes, they begin to delve more into the horror aspect, with the finale being the massively gnarly payoff that the very beginning promised us. It’s dark and effective, and it may not be the ending that you hope for, but there is also this certain peace to it.
I got to tell you it’s 100% satisfying, but it is complete. And honestly, I’m not sure I would have appreciated a different ending. Something lighter or maybe just an ending that contained more justice, it wouldn’t have been in line with the rest of the narrative. So, from that angle, the ending is a fitting one, and it maintains the consistency and heart that the series had all the way through, even if it is messed up and twisted. So, overall, while I don’t think this is a series that I will revisit often or maybe even ever again, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen certainly delivers on the title’s promise, providing a story full of discomfort, dread, dysfunction, mystery, love, heartbreak, and brutality.
Everything that makes up a typical family dynamic. The pacing can drag in spots, and the lead character is often required to go against established type, but for a cautionary tale full of ominous hints, distressing interactions, and nasty imagery, this creates a lasting impression that won’t fade from your mind quickly. I give Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen three and a half out of five couches. While the ick factor is high, the shroud this cast is memorable and uncomfortable.
All right, are there any shows or movies that have had a lasting ick effect on you? I would love to hear what affected you in the comments below.
