Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen Could’ve Been a Classic

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Be warned, the following contains minor spoilers for Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, a Netflix series that released all eight episodes on March 26.

The story centers on a woman with a hidden past and a strange ability to sense impending disaster, who falls in love with a wealthy, carefree man. It features familiar horror elements – strained family dynamics, a hurt animal mirroring the protagonist’s pain, and plenty of gruesome scenes. While it hits many classic horror beats, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen presents them with such skill and originality that it could have been a truly great work if it were a bit more concise and focused.

The new series, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, created by Haley Z. Boston (known for her work on Netflix’s Brand New Cherry Flavor and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities) and produced by the Duffer Brothers, centers on Rachel and Nicky as they prepare for their wedding. Their relationship began three years prior when Rachel, acting on a hunch, skipped a flight, and Nicky supported her decision. They ended up driving from Austin to Chicago together and fell in love. Camila Morrone plays Rachel as someone still surprised by her good fortune, constantly needing reassurance that her partner, Nicky (Adam DiMarco), is real. She’s captivated by his acceptance of her intuition, and despite initial doubts about marriage, she said yes to his proposal. Now, they’re driving again, this time to Nicky’s family’s secluded mansion for their wedding, which Rachel’s parents won’t be attending. As the wedding approaches, Rachel meets Nicky’s family – his mother, Victoria (Jennifer Jason Leigh), sister Portia (Gus Birney), and brother Jules (Jeff Wilbusch) – who, while polite, see her as an outsider. This wealthy family is very close-knit and protective, and Rachel’s unconventional style – including her tattoos, nail polish, and marijuana use – might not fit in with their world.

Despite a confusing start – the show begins with a wedding, then jumps back to the days leading up to it instead of telling the story in order – the opening scene is its strongest. The series is most compelling when it focuses on the conflict between what society expects of Rachel and her own growing sense that something is terribly wrong. This creates a feeling of intense anxiety, highlighting how vulnerable walking down the aisle can feel – like being scrutinized and judged. The scene powerfully shows Rachel’s perspective as she looks toward Nicky waiting for her, with the sounds of the guests fading into the background and her own breath becoming more pronounced. The lighting is dim and washed out, the room feels oppressive, and the faces of the wedding guests are unreadable, even hostile. An unsettling growl builds in the soundtrack, and the show quickly cuts from Nicky preparing to put a ring on Rachel’s finger to scenes of bloody hallways elsewhere in the house.

The series creates a deeply unsettling and ominous atmosphere, making it incredibly tense – I even had to stop watching the first episode at night! While it begins with Rachel and Nicky’s wedding, the show is really about the idea of soul mates and how far that concept can be taken. It cleverly puts its characters in situations that reveal the hidden strains within relationships that seem perfect on the surface. If their connection isn’t genuinely selfless, focused on each other’s happiness, something terrible will happen – and you can probably guess what that is. The show is full of classic horror tropes – rattling doorknobs, footsteps, distorted reflections, and splashes of blood against a cool, green backdrop – layered on so thickly in the first half of the season that it’s relentlessly suspenseful. Like films such as The Night House, The Invisible Man, or Rebecca, this series expertly combines the traditional haunted house story with a more contemporary take on manipulation and gaslighting.

The show initially builds suspense through implication, but it eventually becomes too direct, ultimately weakening its impact. In an era where many struggle to interpret media, the series spends too much time explaining everything, needlessly lengthening the story and destroying the atmosphere of mystery. The actors deliver strong performances – Morrone expertly portrays a character masking anxiety, and Wilbusch gives depth to his role, transforming a difficult character into someone sympathetic. Even the makeup choices, particularly the lipstick, are noteworthy. However, the final three episodes suffer from poor pacing and writing. While they contain some intense moments, including a particularly striking sex scene, they lack thematic resonance. Overly explicit dialogue drains all the tension the show carefully created, causing the story to lose momentum and fall flat.

The series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen starts strong, cleverly building on familiar themes in female-focused horror. Many horror movies explore societal anxieties through the lens of women’s experiences – like the fears surrounding menstruation and puberty (Carrie, The Witch), same-sex relationships (Heavenly Creatures, The Neon Demon), or the challenges of motherhood (The Babadook, Under the Shadow). This series adds a fresh angle by examining the unsettling aspects of marriage. It boldly suggests that the most frightening part of traditional relationships isn’t necessarily overt danger, but the unspoken expectations and rituals we blindly accept. Watching the protagonist, Rachel, rebel against her partner’s family’s strict traditions is satisfying, and there’s an intriguing hint that she might be better suited with another family member. If the series’ exploration of love and marriage – a mix of hopeful faith and nagging doubt – were condensed into a two-hour film, it could be truly exceptional. As it stands, it’s a promising start and a strong finish, but gets bogged down in slow, uneventful moments. A fantastic movie is hidden within Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, and it’s frustrating that it’s stretched out and doesn’t fully realize its potential.

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2026-03-27 00:55