There is something very eerie about stories that focus on dysfunctional families. Plus, if you add the themes of marriage, relationships, and a troubled past, the narrative becomes even more unsettling. Netflix's new series, Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen, explores these themes and blends them with psychological horror to deliver a slow-burning descent into dread. If the trailers made you feel that this show is about one particular concept, you are in for a massive surprise because what you see in the trailer is just the tip of the iceberg.

Created by Haley Z. Boston and produced by the Duffer Brothers, Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen chronicles the journey of a woman named Rachel Harkin (played by Camila Morrone) who is about to get married to the love of her life, Nicky. The duo is taking a trip to Nicky's family cabin for the ceremony. If you think that things take an ugly turn after they reach the cabin, then you are wrong. Things started to get eerie well before that, and the couple finds themselves in a terrifying situation. 

But that's not all. Once Rachel reaches the destination and starts spending time with Nicky's family, she realizes something is wrong, and something sinister is waiting for them. As the show progresses, it becomes clear that Rachel's marriage is in jeopardy, and the primary cause for that is a curse that has been coming down through generations, like an inescapable shadow that refuses to loosen its grip. Rachel is ready to do everything she can to save her marriage, but would that be enough? Or she would have to do something horrifying to break free from the curse. Let us take a look at what happened.

In the initial set of episodes, the series makes it clear that Nicky is part of a dysfunctional family, and Rachel learns that the hard way. She begins experiencing scary situations and feels that Nicky's family does not like her. But the situation is far from being that simple, and Rachel realizes when she sees Nicky's father digging a grave. Horrified by what she saw, Rachel told Nicky everything. When he confronted his family, the duo received shocking news: Nicky's mother, Victoria, has a brain tumor and might die soon. 

The family did not share this news with the couple because they thought it would ruin their wedding. Moreover, Victoria wanted to see her son get married without causing any trouble. For a moment, it felt like things would get better from here. But what happened was exactly the opposite. A mysterious man enters the cabin and abducts Rachel, taking him to an unknown place. A few moments later, Rachel is seen sitting in what appears to be a hotel room, watching television. It is revealed that the abductor was Rachel's father, who brought him to the hotel to show her something significant.

He showed her a video of her mother's last night and how horrifying her death was. Suddenly, the door of the room opens, and Jules, Nicky's brother, enters the room with a gun. He followed Rachel and finally reached the hotel. However, she calms him down and tells him that the man standing beside him is her father. A physical altercation takes place between the men, while Rachel flees and enters restaurant-cum-bar. There, he meets a man who knew her name even when she had never met him. 

The man tells her what happened to her mother and why she always feels that something bad is going to happen. In reality, it is all because of a curse. It started with her great-great-great-great-grandfather, who died right before their marriage. His bride was devastated and begged the Lord of Death to bring her soulmate back. Death said that it would bring her soulmate back only if she believed that he was her soulmate. But the deal was not that simple, and death cursed her children with the same burden. Eventually, it was passed down to him.

He had the chance to put a break on the curse, but he decided not to marry her soulmate, Marianne. After some time, Marianne found another man, Thomas Harkin, who was Rachel's great-great-great-great-great grandparent. As a result, the curse continued and has now reached Rachel. So, if she marries Nicky before sundown on their wedding day, she can be saved. However, there's a catch. Rachel should believe that Nicky is her soulmate; if she does not and they get married, she would die, just like her mother. Moreover, if they do not get married before the sun sets, the curse will spread to Nicky's entire bloodline.

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The man also told her that he was a witness to her parents' marriage because of a punishment. When he decided not to marry Marianne, death cursed him and told him to witness every marriage in the Harkin family and see their demise with his own eyes. Now, Rachel has a decision to make, and she only has 48 hours before the curse takes her life. After learning the truth, she takes help from Jules and his wife, Nell, to know more about the curse and if it is real. Rachel and Nell break into the county clerk's office to obtain more data about her family.

Shockingly, she finds out that the curse is real and most of her family members, especially females, died on the day of their marriage. However, there was one relative who got married, and her marriage lasted for 57 years. Sadly, there is no way of contacting her because the relative has passed away. But Rachel knows what to do and takes the help of Nicky's sister, Portia. A couple of days before the wedding ceremony, Rachel and others summon the relative, Arlene, to learn how her marriage worked despite the curse. 

Arlene's spirit told Rachel what she needs to do, and it is more terrifying than getting married. To break free from the curse, she would have to perform a ritual, and in that ritual, she would need the seed of her partner, her own flesh, her mother-in-law's hair, and the blood of her adversary. Fortunately, she manages to do that and prepare a drink that she needed to drink. It is believed that if she drank that, it would automatically make her Nicky's soulmate. But later, it is revealed that she did not consume that drink and walked down the aisle believing that Nicky was actually her soulmate.

When Rachel thought everything would be okay, Nicky did something unexpected: he refused to marry her. Why? He believes Rachel does not want to get married, and if they tie the knot, it would make her feel claustrophobic. The couple gets into an argument, while the sun comes down, and as soon as it does, everyone related to Nicky starts dying. Later, the same happens to Rachel, and she is covered in blood as she falls to the ground covered in snow. Elsewhere, the man, who told Rachel everything, witnessed whatever happened at the wedding ceremony, and death has finally come to get him. He dies, and as soon as he dies, Rachel opens her eyes and comes back to life.

She leaves the house and continues her life journey. Rachel’s story ultimately becomes less about escaping a curse and more about confronting the weight of inherited fear. The generational trauma, masked as something supernatural, reflects how deeply belief and doubt can shape one’s fate. When she chooses not to rely on the ritual and instead trusts her own emotions, the narrative shifts from destiny to agency.

Her death, followed by her resurrection, feels symbolic, almost like a rebirth into a life no longer dictated by the past. It suggests that breaking cycles is not always about defeating them head-on, but surviving them and choosing differently afterward. In that sense, Rachel does not just come back to life; she comes back free, carrying the scars but no longer bound by them.

The final 20 minutes of Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen are filled with deaths and a lot of blood. While everyone is enjoying the wedding ceremony, Rachel knew that something terrible was going to happen after Nicky refused to marry her. As the sun came down, death started consuming the souls that he had promised. Everyone related to Nicky started dying horribly, and it started with his mother, Victoria. Meanwhile, his sister, Portia, also became a part of the curse and died shortly after the death of the family's matriarch. 

Surprisingly, Jules and his wife, Nell, do not suffer the same wrath. This means they are soulmates, and that is the reason why the curse never got to them. It is yet to be seen what happened to Nicky and his father.

When Rachel came back to life, Nicky was alive and was lying on the bed. He saw her, but could not say anything to her. We never get to see what happened to him and his father, and whether they are alive. As of now, the show has not been renewed for another season. But if it does, the makers can explore this theme and continue Rachel's storyline. 

For now, viewers can enjoy a twisted show filled with good storytelling, great performances, and a haunting atmosphere that keeps you on edge from start to finish.

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