The Twisted Metal show’s most twisted and most metal episodes

You’ve heard of the “good word”? Peacock’s Twisted Metal The show was a great time.

For my money, it’s the best TV adaptation of a PlayStation game about an unlikely duo traveling across a post-apocalyptic landscape of 2023. Peacock’s original series in 2023 continue a great run, beginning with the classic detective show Poker Face Continue with the (positive) bewildering mystery of Mrs. Davis.

In keeping with our tradition, we have broken down the seasons. Love, Death & Robots by amounts of love, death, and robots, we’re going to do the same with Twisted Metal. Which episode is more metal or twisted?

Let’s define our terms: By “twisted,” we mean something shocking and surprising, perhaps bordering on the edges of good taste. By “metal,” we mean something rad as hell. We’re going to grade each of these on a scale of 1 to 5. A 1 on the twisted scale is akin to a Mike’s Hard Lemonade, with a 5 being something like “I can’t believe Hannibal was on network television.” On the metal scale, a 1 is elevator music, while a 5 is “your head is on fire, Sweet Tooth-style.”

Skip Bolen/Peacock

“WLUDRV”

It’s twisted! 4. We’re introduced to the post-apocalyptic setting, and a gun pops out of John Doe’s (Anthony Mackie) car’s roof and shoots a guy right in the nards. Raven (Neve Caslon) pretends that she has a baby and looks visibly horrified. Anthony Mackie is also sprayed in yellow slime before getting his ans scented.

What is metal? 3. One of the show’s longer extended car gun fights ends up with a PlayStation copy of Twisted Metal going across John Doe’s windshield. Sweet Tooth is first seen as multiple cars explode.

“3RNCRCS”

It’s twisted! 5. We’re giving Sweet Tooth’s exhilarating variety show the full marks here — using the hotel TV welcome message as source material was particularly inspired. The fact that the episode featured a cannibalist cult and graphic scenes of human meat being roasted did not help.

What is metal? 2. Some circles may consider Sweet Tooth’s meal accompaniment for his show (white tiger served three ways) metal, but we’re instead going to call out his excellent salmon suit. Watch him do the dishes while doing it! You go, big guy. Show them what you’re about.

Peacock

“NTHLAW1”

It’s a bit twisted, isn’t it? 5. This episode features Agent Stone’s petty-tyrant origin story, from mall cop to self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner. The story culminates with a mass murder of civilians. Also, there’s a torture montage (featuring Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” tiny pencils, and some light waterboarding), and Quiet murders Stone’s creepy henchman mid-wank session. Twisted!

What is metal? 3. John and Quiet persuade Stu to be a good person. What’s more metal than that? Ok, well, a lot of things. Quietly shooting that man with a pistol’s butt gets you some points.

“WHZDARE”

It’s twisted! 3. John and Quiet embark on an extensive mission after almost dying from a poisonous plant. They help an old woman to end her life according to her wishes. We are also introduced to the Holy Men in this episode, via a body hanging upside down on a cross with a “Got milk?” sticker over their mouth. John shares an even more graphic tale of a man who was eaten alive from the inside after sleeping on an anthill.

What metal is this? 4. Five words: Viking funeral for Granny’s trucker convoy. This convoy is a lot of fun (especially where John and Quiet are trapped on the road by their trucks) but it’s the send-off for Granny that is really the highlight.

Photo: Skip Bolen/Peacock/Sony TV

“CRZSRDS”

It’s twisted! 3. Quiet begins to hallucinate her deceased brother after John is betrayed by Quiet to go alone to Topeka. Sweet Tooth blows a guy’s head off by putting a grenade in his mouth. There’s a “MMMBop” needle drop. And then there’s whatever is going on with the guy wearing a gas mask over his pelvis and rubbing vegetable shortening over his nips.

What metal is this? 5. This episode features one of the highlights of the series: Sweet Tooth’s machete massacre of Stone’s men. It’s a bloody performance with dismembered parts and tons of body fluids. There was a rapturous reception and an audience of lawyers. Stone and Quiet also have their first Twisted Metal-style car battle, including a rocket that goes through two of Quiet’s open windows.

“DRVTHRU”

It’s a bit twisted, isn’t it? 5. We’re introduced to the indentured servitude contracts that Quiet and Loud were duped into signing, and learn about how amputations are used as punishment to keep servants in line. John and Quiet also have some sex inside a ballpit, and then argue, and try to exit the ballpit gracefully. This part of the ball pit isn’t metal, but is still funny.

What is metal? 4. After Loud’s manager at Astral Burger threatens to turn him over to the police, Quiet kills him and the two cops, starting the siblings’ ill-fated journey together.

“NUTH0UZ”

It’s twisted! 4. Sweet Tooth is a character that has a very interesting backstory. No, Variant where the child actor Sweet Tooth, out of jealousy kills his co star (a dog), and locks both his mother and stepfather in a prison cell. After years, he comes to see them and converses with their skeletons.

What is metal? 1. This is not a metal episode. (Although Sweet Tooth does destroy the skeletons which in theory sounds metal but in reality it’s more tragic). John and Quiet kill many milkmen in the chaos of a bar fight who are trying to steal their packages.

Photo: Skip Bolen/Peacock/Sony TV

“EV3L1N”

It’s a bit twisted, isn’t it? 4. It’s hard to imagine a more twisted episode than one with Jason Mantzoukas playing a drug pirate preacher. (“Are you possessed?” “I was once. By a demon baby. Little fucker made me kill a whole church of people.”) But this episode also sees the demise of John’s beloved car Evelyn, after John stops Mantzoukas’ Preacher from trying to have sex with it.

What metal is this? 3. Quiet is rewarded with another successful hatchet attack, and that’s pretty cool. And there’s also something undeniably metal about the Holy Men’s entire deal, too — the leather outfits, S&M-style masks, and love for fights, drugs, and alcohol. Preacher’s flying, acrobatic kicks are pretty damn metal as well, and the episode ends in one of the series’ biggest explosions.

“R04DK11”

It’s twisted! 1. One of the least twisted episodes, but former Stone lackey Mikey is now Stu and Sweet Tooth’s new “puppy,” and Mark the Vulture says, “Now she’s up in heaven doing angel dust with baby Jesus.”

What is metal? 5. There’s a graveyard of cars tall and wide enough to be a city wall, which is approximately how metal things can possibly get. Sweet Tooth’s head is finally set on fire by this episode.

“SHNGRLA”

It’s twisted! 4. Betrayals! Stu accidentally shoots Sweet Tooth and leaves him dead. After all they’ve been through! But then… Sweet Tooth shows up and kills Mike. Ah, reunions. Meanwhile, Quiet shoots John so he’ll go into New San Francisco without her, but surprises await for both of them: John is being entered into a tournament with season 1’s greatest hits, and Quiet encounters John’s very alive sister and her gang.

What is metal? 5. Quiet going full vigilante justice/Twisted Metal Robin Hood has taken the metalest turn possible. This is also the Twisted Metal. The first part of the episode is essentially a video game. There’s also more of Sweet Tooth’s head on fire, many cars on fire, and John and Quiet leaving Stone with one last bullet to kill himself.

Season 1, Episode 1 Twisted Metal Peacock is streaming.