31 Days of Horror: Check out spooky, charming Netflix series The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell
In October of 2018, Netflix debuted a new original series called The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell as part of its Netflix and Chills campaign. With only six episodes at less than 30 minutes each, it was an easy binge series, and I personally was hooked almost immediately.
McConnell was known for her Instagram account, on which she posted her elaborate goth and horror inspired baked goods. She went viral in 2015 after posting photos of the spooky eyes and fangs she built and installed on the front of her parents’ home for Halloween. The large pieces were cut from foam core insulation boards and hand-painted, and McConnell said her inspiration had come from the animated film Monster House.
McConnell brought her baking expertise and her eye for design to The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell, and the series features insanely detailed items such as a haunted house cake, a gorgeous deep red satin dress, and multiple spooky-themed pastries. Step-by-step instructions are given to create them for yourself, but most are so elaborate that the average person simply wouldn’t have the time to make them…that’s honestly part of what makes the series so much fun.
Christine plays a version of herself, and she shares her home with puppets made by The Jim Henson Company. Her “housemates” include Rose, a roadkill raccoon that was reanimated, mummified cat Rankle, Edgar the werewolf, Bernard, a basement dwelling monster that lives in the basement, Tentacled Milly, who lives in the fridge, and ghost Vivienne (played by Dita Von Teese).
Other characters are Christine’s mysterious boyfriend Norman, who she met at the local cemetery, grouchy neighbor Mr. Ketcham, and Christine’s cousin Evie, who has discovered that her own parents left everything to Christine in her will. Evie is plotting to kill her cousin.
While The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell looks on the surface to be a kids’ show, it really isn’t. There are some scares and a good bit of risque humor and content, so be aware of that if you plan to view it with your family. But it’s just a delightful show, perfectly set up for Halloween viewing, and the tutorials are immensely entertaining.
McConnell’s kitchen in the series includes cabinets with a spider web design that she came up with herself, and I hope to someday be able to have something similar in my own home. I was also inspired by the afore-mentioned eyes and fangs, and my husband and I created our own set for the front of our home. Instead of foam core, we used cheap vinyl Dollar Tree placemats, painted the features on them, then cut them out and attached them to our house. Are they are jaw-dropping as the ones McConnell made? No, but we still use them every year, and people always comment on them.
Sadly, Netflix did not renew The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell for any further seasons, so there are only the six episodes, but I re-watch every year during October. I strongly urge you to check it out for yourself!
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