Creeped Out

Lore & Background

Creeped Out was first announced by the BBC on 28 March 2017. According to the creators, inspiration was drawn from Steven Spielberg and Amazing Stories in particular. The series is an anthology, with each episode featuring a new setting, story and new characters, although some details connect the stories. This concept is similar to the American television show Amazing Stories, in that major details shift and change in almost every episode. Each episode begins and ends with an appearance from The Curious, played by William Romain, a mysterious man whose face is always concealed by a mask. His self-stated purpose is to be a collector of stories. Co-creator Bede Blake said: 'It's designed to be an evolving urban legend. You don't know what's under that mask... Story-wise, he's not a threat to the children. He has his name because he is naturally curious. He's not somebody out to do harm. He's an observer.'

Reader's Guide

Creeped Out represents a notable entry in children's horror television, blending sci-fi, horror, adventure, suspense, fantasy and mystery. The series won a BAFTA for Best Drama at the Children’s BAFTAS 2019, and has been nominated for numerous other awards including the Royal Television Society North Award for Best Drama, the Kidscreen Award for Best New Series, and three Canadian Screen Awards 2020. For writing it has been nominated for a Writers Guild Of Great Britain Award and a British Screenwriters Award. The popular television magazine TVTimes gave the series four stars, comparing it to Tales of the Unexpected, and called it a 'series of eerie and mysterious stories, ending with a moral.' Chris Bennion for The Times said 'the stories are pleasingly macabre and inventive.' Den of Geek called the series 'unmissable' and 'brilliantly chilling.' The series was commissioned for a second series by CBBC and Family Channel, released on 24 April 2019.

Did You Know?

• The series premiered in the UK on Halloween 2017.
• The Curious, played by William Romain, always wears a mask and is described as a collector of stories.

Origins & Creative Vision

Creeped Out was born from the collaborative vision of writers Bede Blake and Robert Butler, who developed the series as a joint production between CBBC Productions and DHX Media. The BBC first revealed the project on 28 March 2017, describing it as a collection of stories spanning science fiction, horror, adventure, suspense, fantasy, and mystery designed to thrill young audiences. Blake and Butler have openly credited Steven Spielberg and the classic anthology Amazing Stories as key creative touchstones. As Syfy Wire noted, their ambition was essentially to blend the spirit of Amazing Stories with the tonal range of The Twilight Zone, then recalibrate everything for a younger, more contemporary viewership. In a Den of Geek interview, Butler revealed that both CBBC and DHX granted the writing team remarkable creative latitude, describing it as freedom to pitch virtually anything they wanted, while still offering guidance and guardrails when the material needed steering. The series found its audiences across multiple territories: it debuted on CBBC in the United Kingdom on Halloween 2017, arrived on Canada's Family Channel in October 2018, and was distributed in the United States as a Netflix original series.

Format & The Curious

At its core, Creeped Out operates as a true anthology: every episode introduces a fresh setting, a self-contained narrative, and an entirely new cast of characters. Yet the stories are not wholly isolated. Recurring details weave through the series, such as the fictional town of Karter Bay, which anchors both 'Slapstick' and 'The Call,' and Zucco's Pizzeria, a location referenced across 'Trolled,' 'No Filter,' 'Marti,' and 'Kindlesticks.' This patchwork of shared world-building gives the collection a sense of continuity without sacrificing the surprise of a new story each week. Framing every episode is The Curious, a masked figure played by William Romain who appears at both the opening and the close. His stated role is that of a story collector, though co-creator Bede Blake has described the character as an 'evolving urban legend' whose masked face keeps him deliberately enigmatic. Blake emphasized that The Curious is not a menace to the young protagonists; rather, he is an observer, driven by natural curiosity rather than any intent to cause harm.

Reception & Critical Praise

Critical response to Creeped Out was notably warm across the board. The television magazine TVTimes awarded the series four out of five stars, drawing a parallel to the classic Tales of the Unexpected and praising it as a run of eerie, mysterious tales that each land on a moral note. Chris Bennion, writing for The Times, highlighted the show's 'pleasingly macabre and inventive' storytelling, suggesting the episodes strike a satisfying balance between darkness and ingenuity. Den of Geek was even more effusive, labeling the series both 'unmissable' and 'brilliantly chilling,' a pairing that captures the show's ability to be both entertaining and genuinely unsettling for its target demographic. The production schedule also reflected the show's momentum: following the broadcast of 'The Call,' the series paused for a month-long break before returning with 'Bravery Badge.' The positive critical reception helped set the stage for the show's broader recognition, including the commissioning of a second series by both CBBC and the Family Channel, announced on 9 August 2018 and ultimately released on 24 April 2019.

Accolades & Industry Recognition

Creeped Out's most significant industry milestone came at the Children's BAFTAs in 2019, where the series took home the award for Best Drama. Beyond that headline win, the show accumulated a substantial list of nominations across multiple countries and categories. It was put forward for the Royal Television Society North Award for Best Drama and the Kidscreen Award for Best New Series. In Canada, the series earned three nominations at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards, one of which was for Best Youth Show. The writing team's craft was recognized with nominations at both the Writers Guild of Great Britain and the British Screenwriters' Award. On the performance side, young actors received multiple nods: Berkley Silverman was nominated for a Young Artist Award, while Jordan Poole earned a Young Entertainer Award nomination and a Young Artists Award nomination. Justin Kelly also received a Young Artists Award nomination and, notably, won a Joey Award for his performance in the episode 'Kindlesticks,' underscoring the series' impact on its young cast.