The Creep Tapes episode 2: Elliot gets baited by bird-watching

Spoilers for The Creep Tapes episode 2 below

The second episode of The Creep Tapes sees Peachfuzz try a slightly different tactic (and look). Instead of inventing an online advertisement in search of a filmmaker, Peachfuzz gets a little more creative this time, baiting a bird-watcher via a post that supposedly contains the coordinates for sightings of the rare American avocet. When Elliot (David Nordstrom) arrives on location, he finds an open parachute and an upright sneaker, making it appear like there might be a corpse beneath it.

Peachfuzz has been waiting, hidden, nearby to accost his victim and play the part of a traumatized skydiver who suffered from a chute malfunction. Just the idea of this guy creating an online posting to lure an unsuspecting birdwatcher and then going through the motions of staging the scene and waiting for him speaks to the theatricality of the killer and also his deeply calculating nature. It's, fittingly, very creepy.

Once he sees that Elliot had a camera in hand, Peachfuzz jumps at the prospect of him filming him so he can make a testimonial and sue the company that messed up his skydiving adventure. That story eventually falls apart and instead Peachfuzz plays into Elliot's desire to see interesting birds, specifically the avocet.

He asks Elliot if he ever thinks about baiting his birds, or even capturing them in a bag and bringing them home. Elliot says no, of course not. Baiting is considered unethical for bird-watchers because of potential harm to the animals.

And as the episode continues, Peachfuzz makes things increasingly unnerving by talking about his little growing obsession with Elliot and equating himself to a special bird. Elliot is out looking for a "special bird" when he has one (him) right in front of him!

Then he takes off in Elliot's car, driving down the road before stopping and getting out. He and Elliot have an argument from a distance until Peachfuzz finally comes back and confronts Elliot. He's been lying. There is a bag of birdseed in his car labeled "bait."

As the appeal of the game begins to dwindle, Peachfuzz seizes an opportunity when an actual bird appears in the distance. He gives Elliot a choice: go toward that "special bird" in the distance, or stay behind with him, the "regular" one. Of course, Elliot picks the real bird and Peachfuzz gleefully says "I baited you!" Before chasing after him with a plastic bag and ultimately suffocating him to death.

The first two episodes of The Creep Tapes are now streaming on Shudder and AMC+. New episodes release on Fridays.