It’s no spoiler to suggest that something very bad is going to happen in Netflix’s show of the same name. Except, it’s not just one “very bad” thing. Instead, creator Haley Z. Boston throws everything and the kitchen sink at us, if said sink was ripped out of a dread-infused, Lynchian nightmare.  

The first episode begins on what should be the greatest day of Rachel Harkin’s (Camila Morrone) life. She’s about to marry her soulmate, Nicky Cunningham (Adam DiMarco), in a lavish ceremony with all their loved ones present. But something feels off. Something’s not quite right. And that’s when the torrents of blood suddenly appear, trading something blue for something red.   

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen teases its title when we jump back in time to “5 days before I do”. Rachel and Nicky are on their way to the Cunningham family home where their wedding will be held. Of course, this being a horror, the family home is set deep in secluded woods where snow could trap you at any moment. Plus the wind in the trees sounds an awful lot like whispers, or heavy breathing…

Even before the loved-up couple reach their destination, they stumble across a a peeping tom and an abandoned baby which sets a rather creepy, ominous tone that grows in intensity with each disturbing new development.

By the time they actually arrive at the house, greeted by oddball family members who’ve already taken a hushed dislike to Rachel, the dread is palpable. And not in the straightforward way you might expect from a story executive-produced by the Duffer Brothers.

Far stranger things are afoot, especially in the first few episodes. By the time we hear the story of the “Sorry Man” – who apologises to women profusely as he slices open their stomachs – you’re going to be freaked out. Everything about these early scenes is uncomfortable at the bare minimum and often full-blown scary.  

The dream-like tone and imagery that accompanies these chills reminded me of Channel Zero at first, an early rival to American Horror Story that was far more unsettling in its outlook.

Much of this discomfort comes from the lack of answers that are given, hinting at everything from cosmic Lovecraftian horror to something just as scary much closer to home. 

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen is at its best when it’s as vague as its title, teasing rather than revealing the truth behind what’s to come. When the reveals do arrive though, earlier than you might expect, they effectively reset the genre of the show, bringing new forms of horror in at a dizzying speed.

Some of these shifts work better than others, and I did find myself missing the surreal, limbo-like atmosphere of those early episodes, but the sheer ambition of it all remains admirable and the writing brings everything together surprisingly well. 

The only issue is that some of the weird behaviour from the start isn’t fully accounted for, or is at least overlooked in the wider narrative. That hardly matters though, when the cast is so strong and the characters are so wickedly strange.

The Cunninghams are a freaky, oddball family riddled with neuroses and dark secrets. Dickinson star Gus Birney is an immediate standout as Portia, whose entitled smile verges on a sneer, even when her words are sickly sweet. Meanwhile, Jules (Jeff Wilbusch) and his wife Nell (Karla Crome) have far more going on than it first appears. 

And what skeletons, real or otherwise, hide in the closet of Jennifer Jason Leigh’s matriarch, Victoria? Leigh’s screen presence has always been a perfect fit for horror, and here she channels a caring yet sinister vibe that only the very best can pull off so convincingly.

Jules aside, the Cunningham men fare less well. Ted Levine’s father figure has less to do than the rest, and DiMarco doesn’t get the chance to unleash in the same way, sticking to one note for most of the season.

But a special shout out goes to recent Superman villain Zlatko Burić, whose eccentricities fit perfectly with the persistently odd atmosphere Boston has crafted here.  

Netflix

This is really Morrone’s show, and rightly so. It’s been a few years since she gained that Emmy nomination for her supporting role in Daisy Jones and The Six, and it’s about time she was given a lead role of this calibre to sink her teeth into. In fact, Morrone devours the role, fearlessly throwing herself into every scene, each more deranged than the last.   

And crucially, she’s not just reacting as a victim either. Rachel is exactly the kind of female protagonist that horror often excels in foregrounding, fully rounded and ready to fight back against what every insane fuckery might unfold. 

Morrone is just as effective in the nightmarish aspects of this story as she is in the occasional moments of dark humour threaded throughout. The institution of marriage and what that bond actually means comes under fire regularly, twisting very real fears about commitment into something even more monstrous yet still recognisable. The result is just as smart as it is unhinged.

The same could perhaps be said for Boston herself, who’s come out of the gate with something truly unique and special. Everything from the writing to the aesthetic speaks to blockbuster production values — the visuals are far stronger than anything in the final season of Stranger Things, for example — but with an indie sense of daring that sets it apart.  

As such, it’s easier to forgive some logistical inconsistencies or a few less believable moments. None of that detracts from how bold this is for an original mainstream horror story in 2026. The happily ever after crafted by the Duffers for Stranger Things could have learned plenty from this.

Should you watch Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen?

It’s rare to see horror of this calibre on the small screen these days. And it’s even rarer to see a Netflix original try something different in this vein. Come for the freaky scares and stay for the even freakier performances that will have you questioning every romantic decision you’ve ever made.