The Twisted Metal series, now streaming on Peacock, is really, really good–better than anticipated, and genuinely funny in its own right. While turning the iconic PlayStation game into a TV series might sound practically impossible, the creators clearly understood and aced the assignment: Craft a narrative that incorporates vehicular combat, a killer clown, quasi-supernatural elements, and nostalgia for late-’90s/early-’00s American culture, and top it off with a dollop of dark humor. Be stupid and crass, but not incoherent.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for the new Twisted Metal series on Peacock. If you haven’t seen it yet, steer clear.
And wouldn’t you know, they pulled it off–at least partly due to them hiring the right people. Developers Paul Wernick and Rhet Reese, who also wrote Zombieland and Deadpool, specialize in this type of self-aware, fourth-wall-breaking, smartass humor.
Ironic fan service is enough to suck you in and keep you watching, at least for the first few episodes. But halfway through the 10-episode season, you also realize that you’ve come to care for these bizarre characters, especially co-leads John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz). And by the time there’s a multi-car rumble in a massive parking lot, and Sweet Tooth lights his head on fire, you’re completely invested–on a visceral level, sure, but on an emotional level, as well.
Still, as much as we loved the story being told and the characters telling it, there’s of course tons of Easter eggs for fans of the video game franchise in there, too. Here are the 56 best references to Twisted Metal and Easter eggs that we were able to track down while watching the Peacock series. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments.
