On October 4, 2024, USA premiered the reboot of the iconic 'Scare Tactics', which has received predominantly negative reviews. In the series, which now is helmed by Jordan Peele, "this heart-pounding half-hour turns unsuspecting individuals into the main characters of their very own horror movies in a cinematic approach to the hidden camera concept. Set up by their friends and family, these unwitting participants are put in twisted scenarios with fully immersive stories. These novel and unique situations blur the lines between reality, horror and comedy."
As previously stated, critics were not impressed for the most part. Paul Lê of Bloody Disgusting notes, "Hardly a month after MTV’s Punk’d premiered in 2003, The Sci-Fi Channel (now Syfy) debuted its own unique take on the hidden-camera format. Both series indeed played elaborate pranks on folks, but Scare Tactics set itself apart by placing everyday people in horror movie-like scenarios. This creep-show survived on its concept for a good five seasons before finally closing up shop. However, much like any other lucrative horror franchise, there is always that possibility of a comeback. After watching the premiere of this new Scare Tactics, it’s safe to say not a lot has changed in ten years. Despite pitching the show as an “audacious reimagining,” original creator and producer Scott Hallock has, more or less, implemented the same formula as before. Of course, Hallock is now joined by actor and filmmaker Jordan Peele, who so far is only working in a behind-the-scenes capacity, and Peele’s production company Monkeypaw Productions. Universal also keeps things in the family by shifting from Syfy to USA Network. Of all the changes though, the most notable is Flip, a.k.a. The Dark Prince of Pranking. In lieu of a celeb host — a role previously filled by Shannen Doherty, Stephen Baldwin, and Tracy Morgan — we now have an enigmatic fictional character who guides us in and out of the segments. That creative choice gives this Scare Tactics more of an anthology feel." Adding, "This Scare Tactics is not so much concerned with reinvention as it is sticking with tradition. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the mindset here. Maybe out of a fear of isolating fans of the previous incarnation, or being afraid of trying new ideas — possibly something more immersive like a found-footage setup — the reboot carries over the same level of questionable camerawork and conspicuous performances. Then again, it’s likely no one here is completely in the dark about what’s to come anyway. Today most people get their fill of pranks from YouTube and social media, so it’s a surprise to see Scare Tactics back on TV. More surprising is its bizarrely low innovation. Nevertheless, the cast and targets all seem to be enjoying themselves, so perhaps it’s a “you had to be there” kind of situation. And while the pranks are never as funny as I had hoped, it’s all harmless compared to a lot of stuff out there nowadays."
Personally, as someone that adored the original run of the series, I agree and disagree. Back then, the pranks also were hit or miss, but the premiere episode and the prank featuring WWE superstars in the second episode were great. On the flip side, the prank with the arcade doll from hell felt so underbaked as did the possessed woman prank. The lack of a celebrity host is felt, as they tended to add more fun to the proceedings. If there were to be a season two, get a host. Outside of that, nothing really changed and the show feels like a throwback in the best way possible.
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| Photo by Katie Goertzen on Unsplash |
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