HOT TOPIC
MALL RATS

A HOLIDAY
WHODUNNIT

It’s closing time on Christmas Eve at Crestfall Mall, and a beloved decades-old animatronic Santa mysteriously vanishes. Security guard Dev is fresh on the scene - he’s also fresh on the job, and has literally no idea what he’s doing. But there’s one thing he does know: someone's getting pinned for this, and it won't be him. What ensues is his DIY investigation into four suspects: the cynical Hot Topic clerk, the know-it-all cinema employee, the beauty-store influencer, and the conspiracy-obsessed pretzel guy. Each of them was present, all remember it differently, and, to be honest, none of them really give a sh** about finding Santa.

Season Two of Mall Rats was an attempt to elevate the franchise with a more substantial narrative arc, higher audience involvement, and a creator partnership that felt fun, not forced.

Cue the red thread - it’s a whodunnit, baby.

We drew on TV-level storytelling mechanics, but structured them for social (TikTok + IG Reels). The content nods to the chronically online, but unfolds as a cohesive mini-series with narrative continuity and cliffhanger hooks. Each episode is strong in silo, but provides an enticing hook that incentivises people to watch the rest of the series and gain more context.

Between each of the six episodes, our creators shared clues and red herrings via their own channels. They tagged each other, pointing fingers and further the conversation. Social viewers played along, sharing theories (and fan-girled that their fave creators were playing so heavily into the bit, together.)