Considering the genre’s popularity in film, horror should be more popular on television than it currently is. Although FX’s anthology series American Horror Story and AMC’s The Walking Dead gain huge numbers every week, they fall short because, frankly, they aren’t scary. While each of those shows boast spectacular set pieces that deliver the occasional fright, “bone chilling” is a phrase that would never be used to describe either.
That’s where the Syfy channel’s Channel Zero comes in: a new horror anthology series that finds inspiration from various creepypasta on the internet. Its first season debuted a couple weeks ago, and the first two episodes have established that its main purpose is to make the audience as terrified as possible.
This first season concerns a child psychologist played by Paul Schneider (or as the internet has labeled him, “Mark Brendanaquits”, after his exit on Parks & Recreation) who returns to his hometown to investigate the mysterious circumstances that led to the murder of a group of children, including his twin brother, during the 1980s. It involves a mysterious children’s program called Candle Cove that somehow hypnotizes and manipulates the actions of its viewers. As soon as he is reintroduced to old friends, Candle Cove comes back on the airwaves to haunt the town’s children once again.
What sets apart Channel Zero from other horror series is its dedication to the craft. This is a purely cinematic show, often using surreal and dream-like sequences to lay the atmosphere on thick. Paul Schneider’s Mike is a wholly unreliable narrator whose mental health can easily be called into question, keeping the audience constantly in the dark, and even better, afraid. Is it possible that he could be involved with the murders? Maybe. Maybe not. It’s for us to decide as we’re being pulled into the dark recesses Channel Zero’s world.
The reason this show needs to be highlighted, besides that it’s really great, is the fact that it’s on the Syfy channel. If you’re anything like me, you’re hesitant to even stop on the channel while surfing, let alone check out an original series. They’re a network known for low quality original movies like Sharknado and shows that look like Charmed, but with shitty lighting. They haven’t had a truly wonderful show like Battlestar Galactica in years, and Channel Zero is finally something that could very well change the network. If the series becomes a hit, it could mean a couple things: Syfy will begin to take their original programming more seriously, and they can show that horror is a worthy investment on television.
