Parents' Guide to The Radleys

Adapted from a bestselling book by Matt Haig, this horror comedy combines great performances with some clever nods that really bring the classic horror trope into the present day. With comparisons to addiction and sexual assault, The Radleys doesn't shy away from difficult material, but generally keeps the tone light and the comedy central—that British comedian Jo Brand has a hand in the screenplay is no surprise—even as it allows for touching moments and some gruesome set pieces to boot. Here, vampirism isn't always portrayed as a powerful, predatory curse, but as a "family disease" from which the Radleys have chosen "sobriety" and are "in recovery"—they even have" The Abstainer's Handbook" to keep them on track. There's something important about the idea of what's normal and acceptable and the lengths anyone would go to to protect themselves or a loved one. There's no judgment here—the Radleys are just trying to get by, do the right thing, keep their family on the right path. There are some clever moments of humor, but the comedy can be a touch hit and miss at other times. Overall, TV director Euros Lyn breathes a breath of fresh air onto a well-worn genre, the touching, empathetic nature of his recent Heartstopper clear in its influence, and his ability to build familiar but slightly off-kilter worlds central to making this weirdly wonderful horror comedy hard to resist.