The Chupacabra on “The Imperfects”
The notion that monsters make the best heroes has been previously explored, for example in shows like Being Human, whose characters featured a werewolf, vampire. and ghost. The Imperfects on Netflix has a similar cast of unlikely prime characters, this time a banshee, a succubus, and my favorite, a chupacabra-shifter, who in his transformational state rather closely resembles a werewolf with the exception of external spiny projections that go from his forehead down his back…
Now Juan Ruiz, the chupacabra-shifter, essentially blacks out when he transforms, and in that transformational state has enhanced speed, razor-sharp claws and teeth, and one assumes, enhanced vision and hearing as well. He tends to eat at least part of his victims in his feral state, and when transformed back, has no recollection of how he got blood on his face or what he was doing that caused that. In all fairness, most of his victims were posing a serious threat to himself or his female companions the banshee and succubus. Just to be safe, however, those companions have been known to keep Juan bound up in situations where he is likely to be “triggered.” They’ve been known to playfully refer to him as “Chupi,” even going to far as to torment him by saying things like “cute Chupi” or “You’re a good Chupi.” “I hate you guys!,” responds Juan…
Now the show’s unlikely trio appear to be in their late teens to early twenties, prompting some to call this series a “coming of rage” show. Their condition is the result of a rogue scientist experimenting on them without their permission using stem cells, and their powers are unfortunate side effects of that experimentation. The trio spend much of the series pursuing the rogue scientist in an effort to get him to “fix” them, all the while being pursued by armed and shadowy agents intent on their control or if necessary, extermination. This in turn leads to some epic confrontations along the way. “They want monsters?,” notes the banshee, “We’ll GIVE them monsters!” With that, the banshee can blow people away with her voice, the succubus emits pheromones that can get their pursuers to fall under her control and shoot each other, and the chupacabra springs, bites, slices, and dices…
Now variations on the show’s themes as mentioned have been done before, and probably better. Still, the show has promise, which makes it unfortunate that Netflix cancelled the series after one season. Still, it remains possible that fan demand might bring the show back, since it was just finding its footing after one one season, and there are different directions that the series could go with just some tweaking…
(language and graphic violence warnings for the following clip. This ain’t Barney the Purple Dinosaur, folks…)
Everyone is someone else’s idea of a monster, so they say…so I guess that makes me one, too, at least in spirit…
Explore posts in the same categories: alternative realities, furry, horror, sci fi, televisionTags: The Imperfects Chupacabra
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September 3, 2023 at 12:28 am
The one-and-only provider in my neck of the woods does not carry Netflix. But, even if it did, I doubt I’d subscribe. Because, just as CW is the current king of needless TV series remakes, Netflix seems to be the current leader in one-season wonders! At least with regard to properties licensed from Marvel Comics.
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September 3, 2023 at 9:29 am
I’ve also heard Netflix referred to as the “Home of Mediocre Movies.” Many are indeed quite forgettable. This “Misfits” series was made in Canada, so like “South Park” counseled us, we can “Blame Canada!” 😸
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September 3, 2023 at 12:32 am
I will commend the visual effects designers for what seems to be a suitably dramatic combination of the Puerto Rican and Texan varieties of chupacabra (as described in real-life sightings)
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September 3, 2023 at 9:35 am
I will miss the Chupacabra character, or at least the CGI effects for him. That alone was worth viewing the series for.
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September 5, 2023 at 4:37 pm
I can see what you mean. He does bear a superficial resemblance to that delightfully ditzy hyena, Ed, from the original (and undeniably far superior) version of…THE LION KING!
Hakuna matata. 🙂
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