“Wreck” Review – Infectious Horror-Comedy Series from Hulu Isn’t Quite What You Think

A slasher series set aboard a cruise ship, with a plucky duck mascot employed as the face of its killer, sure sounds like a delightful time, doesn’t it? That setup is only the tip of the iceberg in the inaugural six-episode season of “Wreck,” created by Ryan J. Brown and helmed by Chris Baugh (Boys from County Hell). Hidden behind the Quacky the Duck mask is a larger murder-mystery conspiracy, charming characters, and a reverence for the horror genre.

“Wreck” introduces its setting, the MS Sacramentum, and its inciting mystery with an opening sequence that pays tribute to Halloween H20. Pippa (Jodie Tyack) breaks up with her boyfriend, Danny (Jack Rowan), then gets pursued across the deck by the ship’s mascot, Quacky, who is ominously wielding a knife. The screen fades to black before Pippa’s fate gets revealed. Cut to three months later, 19-year-old Jamie (Oscar Kennedy) enters the ship’s ranks as a new employee using a false identity to find out what happened to his sister, Pippa.

His search uncovers far more than he bargained for when the body count rises.

Oscar Kennedy as Jamie, Thaddea Graham as Vivian and Anthony Rickman as Olly in Wreck

Ryan J. Brown ensures that wit and humor take center stage with the humorously convoluted lengths Jamie goes to in his bid to find the truth. Jamie goes by Cormac to assimilate, while the real Cormac (Peter Claffey) remains stowed away in Jamie’s cabin so he can keep tabs on an ex-girlfriend who stars in the ship’s Cher tribute act. While Cormac’s dumb jock persona brings the laughs, Jamie’s newly forged friendship with Vivian (Thaddea Graham) delivers the heart. Vivian’s brand of sarcasm may elicit smiles, but her bond with Jamie over their closeted status provides a solid foundation to build rooting interest. That friendship goes far when their respective romantic pursuits aren’t quite as endearing.

As wacky as things will get, the series is grounded by its charming lead characters.

Director Chris Baugh brings a vibrant energy that presents an expansive, colorful world below deck. Ruthless supervisors, hazing rituals, parties, relationship woes, and more slow Jamie’s pursuit of Pippa’s cause of death. Color gels, glittery show costumes, and hormones collide, lending visual interest to the comedic side of “Wreck.” Offsetting it are the kills, which take a bit to really get going.

Quacky the Duck might be a scene stealer, but Brown has far more on his mind than a straightforward slasher. That means that it quickly becomes apparent that “Wreck” isn’t so much of a slasher but a murder-mystery whose initial reveals give way to narrative twists indicating a much larger corporate conspiracy at play. Those hoping for a conventional slasher that takes itself seriously might come away disappointed; this series is much more invested in Jamie and Vivian and exploring the treacherous scenarios traversing international waters creates.

It’s clear by the end of season one’s six-episode run that Brown is only getting warmed up with the overarching mysteries. The season ends with many unanswered questions; don’t expect any tidy conclusions here. The character-centric series endears with the friendship between Jamie and Vivian, and the infectious energy propels the pair through many horror-comedy antics. “Wreck” does pack each episode with a ton of horror references, though it could benefit from increasing its horror presence. The slasher is merely a hook to reel in viewers before pulling the rug out repeatedly. And that’s okay; “Wreck” is more interested in delivering the unexpected. It’s a breezy horror-comedy full of surprises.

“Wreck” is now streaming exclusively on Hulu.

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