Ian McCulloch used this subtle element as Teacup’s unifying moment, interview

The newest series joining Peacock programming, Teacup transforms Robert R. McCammon’s Stinger novel into a chilling, twisted, and complicated tale that has the audience constantly off guard. As each new layer is revealed, determining characters’ intentions requires peering into their true selves, which might not always be as it seems. The man who created this intricate world, Ian McCulloch, revealed that he used this one element to give the audience a sense of stability.

During the spooky season, scary movies and psychological thrillers fill the playlist. While some people shriek at the intensity of a gory moment, storylines focused on moral dualities and complicated choices often leave a mark that takes far longer to fade.

For Teacup, McCulloch weaves a multi-faceted tale. While the story begins with an explanation of what a “tempest in a teacup” can mean, that metaphor cannot be contained in a delicate piece of china. The underlying buzz that keeps everyone jumping shows how talented McCulloch and his writing truly are.

Ahead of the Teacup premiere, McCulloch graciously spoke to Culturess about the Peacock series and shared his insight on what makes this story so intriguing.

"The thing about fiction is much like real life. It is difficult. But, in fiction, you get the satisfaction of seeing it play out, and hopefully triumph in the end. Teacup is not a tragedy, but it is hard fought and there are victories along the way. The audience has to realize that you do not always get the victory, but there can be some hope," McCulloch said of the show.

One key aspect that McCulloch created in the plot is that the characters have empathy. Even though they can get lost along the way, there are moments where the respite comes even if the world turns upside down the next moment.

McCulloch has expertly created that moment of escapism yet unbalance. Viewers get wrapped up in the moment, sucked into the allure. It is the uncertainty, the twist that does not come, or the divergent path that came from left field, which makes Teacup the show that viewers will have to watch multiple times to appreciate the subtitles and intricacies.

One curious aspect of Teacup is McCulloch's expert use of music. Woven into every episode is a song, an earworm, that lingers in the mind long after the credits role. Although some people might think that these musical interludes are just afterthoughts, McCulloch had a very specific purpose with each of these songs.

“You've dropped right into the world of Teacup and things start happening very quickly. With that in mind, we don’t have a lot of time for the audience or the characters to be on ground level or to feel comfortable. They are off balance and things are always happening," McCulloch shared of his music choices.

“I wanted to make to makes sure that the audience had that feeling, and other feelings, like thrills, mysteries, and scares. To contrast that, in an abstract way, I turned to something that gives me comfort, which is music," he continued. "For me, music, like Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, and other artists, is that thing. It is not necessarily the same genre of music, but it has a sense of ease or comfort. It gives that sense of bringing everyone to ground level and it feels good.”

While a first viewing of the series might not have the audience fully appreciating the musical moments, it is like that constant buzzing of the tempest in a teacup. It is there, it can be heard, and it is not going away. Comforting or foreboding, people will have to wait for the story to unfold to appreciate the final outcome.

Ian McCulloch has created a world that is far from an idyllic farm in the middle of the country. For the viewer who wants to be pushed beyond their comfort zone, appreciates the thrill of the unexpected, and longs to figure out the next move, Teacup is the show to watch.

Teacup premieres on Peacock on October 10. Season 1 has a total of eight episodes, and two new episodes will drop each week till the season finale on October 31.