Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen review: Netflix's blood-soaked thriller values gore over lore

Ever witnessed a wedding where a happily ever after just doesn't seem on the cards?

Netflix's blood-soaked new horror series takes that fear to the extreme, shouting from the rooftops with every title card, that Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen by the end of its eight episodes. You can't say you weren't warned...

A week before their wedding, Rachel Harkin (Camila Morrone) and Nicky Cunningham (Adam DiMarco) travel to Summer House, the ancestral home of Nicky's family. But multiple strange happenings plague the couple on the way there, leaving Rachel, in particular, more than a little on edge at the beginning of her wedding week.

Things only get more unsettling when they get to Summer House and meet the rest of Nicky's imposing family, including his parents, whose marriage he idolises, brutally honest brother Jules (Jeff Wilbusch) and his no-nonsense wife Nell (Karla Crome), larger-than-life sister Portia (Gus Birney), and quiet and watchful nephew Jude (Sawyer Fraser).

As Rachel gets closer to her big day, she's filled with an unmistakable sense of dread. But surely everything will be fine once she and Nicky get married, right? Right?

Created by Hayley Z Boston and executive produced by the Duffer brothers, marking their first release since Stranger Things, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen makes for a thrilling watch, perfect for a rainy weekend binge.

It's an interesting premise from showrunner Boston, which taps into fears that have been unintentionally instilled into many from a young age about choosing the right person to marry - and what may happen if we get that wrong.

The eight-part series is perfectly paced and wastes no time in throwing us into the action, never getting dull while taking its time to show the events of the week in all their gory glory. The best episode slows things right down, focusing in on the events of the wedding morning, to give us a frantic real time view of Rachel's unhinged experience.

Plus, its a stellar showcase of its talented ensemble cast. Shining Vale star Birney puts on a brilliantly amplified show as Portia. She somehow manages to not overdo it, while still completely running with her caricature of a character, who gets more and more antagonistic as the series goes on.

Morone, however, best known for her roles in Daisy Jones & The Six and The Night Manager, is the star of the show, giving an enthralling depiction as Rachel. By gradually revealing titbits about Rachel's past, Boston's writing gives us an innate understanding of who she is, with Morone easily bringing charm, wit, and a bit of edge to the character, effectively placing her awkwardly on the outside of the Cunningham family.

It's also refreshing to see showrunner Boston's vision come through so clearly, especially when it comes to the visual identity of the show. Of course, a wedding is a feast for the eyes and it's been used here to its fullest extent, resulting in beautiful creative choices from Boston and her directors.

That's helped a lot by how unflinching the show is in its horror elements. This show does not hold back on the gore and it's all the better for it, upping the bloodshed notch by notch, almost to ridiculous levels, to ensure we know, by the very end, that no one is safe.

But such care being taken with the visual identity of the show is a double-edged sword, as it exposes some flaws in the storytelling.

For one, Nicky's character feels incomplete. Despite being one of the main characters, he's by far the least interesting character in his own family and, by the end of the series, it doesn't feel like we know enough about him - a pretty big issue considering how much the series hinges on him and his relationship.

Some of the show's lore also just doesn't feel fleshed out enough. Midway through the series, a crucial secret is revealed, something which proves game-changing for the entire show. But, after so much speculation, the actual reveal falls a little flat and it doesn't feel like we dig into it quite enough, particularly when it comes to elements like Zlatko Burić's crucial role.

In many ways, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen acknowledges and pays homage to the horror that's come before it - an admirable mission, but one that also reminds us of how good the genre can truly be.

One memorable scene specifically serves as a reminder of Netflix's storied history with horror TV, particularly of Mike Flanagan's work on hits like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, which Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen struggles to live up to.

But while it doesn't quite reach the heights it could have, this new addition to Netflix's horror roster should still earn a place in your weekend viewing. Just think carefully about who you have sitting next to you as you watch it, for, how well do you really know them?

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is released on Netflix on Thursday 26 March. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media.

Add Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.