Robert McCammon’s cult classic horror novel Stinger is getting the screen treatment, with a twist, from Ian McCulloch in Carpet. Before the Peacock horror show, McCulloch worked primarily as a recurring writer and executive producer in the world of television, contributing to the likes of NBC’s. Chicago FireTaylor Sheridan S Yellowstone and the short-lived Stephen Dorff neo-western drama Deputy. While only a writer for 2-3 episodes of each, McCulloch was a consulting producer for much more of each series, with Chicago Fire His biggest tenure for all 23 episodes of season 4.
with CarpetMcCulloch takes a very unique approach to adapting McCammon’s novel, with a large amount and instead focusing the story on three families on a rural Georgia farm rather than a small town. The families find themselves trapped by a circle painted by the mysterious McNab, a man wearing a gas mask who warns not to cross the circle’s boundaries, and doesn’t trust anyone. The group then encounters a series of strange events, all of which seem to stem from something supernatural or paranormal that threatens them all.
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The maid’s storyYvonne Strahovski leads the ensemble Carpet Throw along Gray’s AnatomyScott Speedman, The ranchKathy Baker, Émilie Bierre, Caleb Dolden, Echos chaske spencer, EvilS Boris McGiver and smileS Rob Morgan. with The Conjuring Universe creator James Wan also on board as an executive producer for the adaptation, the show proves to be a winning mix of mysterious world-building, haunting images and gripping performances.
Before the premiere of the show, Screen Rant Interview creator Ian McCulloch to discuss CarpetThe challenges of making changes from McCammon’s novel to better fit his kind of storytelling, balancing character development with the answers to the show’s mysteries, and the chances of the show continuing beyond its debut season.
The mantra of McCulloch & the Writers’ Room was “Less is more“For adapting the novel
“… McCammon is very much on board with the show.”
Screen Rant: I’ve seen the first half of CarpetAnd I’m quite gripped by what I’ve seen so far. Now, I know when the trailer came out, you had this whole letter talking about wanting to keep some of Robert’s source novel while still sticking to the kind of stories you want to tell. Was there anything from the novel that you actually found yourself debating whether to keep or whether to cut in the show?
Ian McCulloch: Absolutely, there were a lot of things in the novel that I thought, “Oh, if only we could do that.” But once we made the decision to tell the story much smaller, a story on the ground about three families, against an entire town, you have to choose. The mantra in the writer’s room, and pre-production, and in production was, “Less is more. Less is more. Less is more.” The book, I think, is very big and flashy, and there are a lot of set pieces and letters and things to look at.
We wanted to do something more in the Jaws mentality, meaning the less you see the monster, the more you have the audience involved, the more effective it will be when you see something horrible. Not that there is a monster in our show – but maybe there is. I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I can tell you, I know what happens, but I won’t tell you, so you can watch it. [Chuckles] So, less is more, so we have to pick and choose. And then the great thing is if we’re so fortunate to have subsequent seasons, we have this treasure trove of things that we can pick and choose and bring into our show world from the book, because McCammon is very much on board with the show.
He came to set and had a blast, and it was just, yeah, a different experience. I think that’s what makes an adaptation exciting when it’s not word for word, sentence for sentence, character for character, because otherwise you could read the book, and you’d know exactly how it’s going to go.
Peacock left McCulloch to slowly roll out answers (up to a point)
“It was a challenge to make sure we were true to the mythology we were adapting from the book.”
I’d also like to touch on that, because you also mentioned that it’s a puzzle box mystery show, and there’s such a fine line to walk with these shows between giving the audience answers and also keeping the focus on characters. How challenging was the space for you and the writers to really find the right pace to give the audience some insight into what’s going on, and still keep us hooked until the end with the characters?
Ian McCulloch: In the writers’ room, the challenge was, “How do we give the audience clues, little breadcrumbs, without revealing any of the secrets, and without it becoming expositional?” What’s a writer’s nightmare, is at least a screenwriter’s nightmare, is if you feel like your characters are giving exposition, you know you’re doing something wrong. You shouldn’t have to do that. And to the network’s credit, the first half of the season, they didn’t ask us to give any answers. By episode 5, they said, “Okay, enough is enough, you need to tell us what’s going on a little bit.”
But they trust us, and I don’t think it was a challenge. It was never a struggle. It was a challenge to make sure we were true to the mythology we were adapting from the book. You play by certain rules, and you play by the rules and don’t give away how it works. It’s a balance, but it was more fun than it was a struggle, or, I guess, a challenge. It was a challenge, sure, but it was more fun. That was the key through the whole thing.
McCulloch said “Some thoughts“For Carpets future (but with a catch)
“I want to be surprised by what happens…”
So, you just mentioned the subsequent seasons. Obviously, we can’t get into spoilers, and I haven’t seen the second half of the season, but have you laid the groundwork and have, in your opinion, where the subsequent seasons can go with the show?
Ian McCulloch: Both yes and no. I have some ideas, but I’m a writer who doesn’t like to make his work easy, that is, I don’t know what will happen in the end. I write as an audience member. I like to see what happens when I write, which, by the way, I recommend that. It’s really hard and not the smartest way to do things. [Chuckles]
But if I knew everything that happened – say it would be six seasons – then I’m not fun. Then, I’m just dictating, I’m just a court stenographer. I want to be surprised about what happens, about what a character does, about where things go. So, do I have some ideas? Yes. Do I know what happens? Not at all.
About Carpet
TEACUP follows a peculiar group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat to survive. Inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel Stinger by Robert McCammon.
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Source: Screen Rant Plus