I’m so happy that Scare Tactics is back just in time for Halloween

20 years ago today, SyFy (still referred to as the SciFi Channel) premiered a hidden camera prank show called The premise of the series was to place real people in terrifying, often paranormal or bizarre situations after which observe their reactions. I loved this show after I was younger. I’m so happy that Halloween returns this season with a seemingly greater budget and under the guidance of horror master Jordan Peele.

The latest season introduces some changes to the format. This time the show is hosted by Flip, not a random celebrity like Shanon Doherty or Tracy Morgan. Flip described as “a ghostly teenager obsessed with horror movies and fascinated by human fear.” I’m unsure Flip, together with his giant TV head and off-brand Crypt Keeper vibe, really works, but that doesn’t matter either. has seen quite a few host changes and various visual rebrands over the past twenty years, which have never detracted from the true joy of the show: watching random people thrown into terrifying and spooky situations and seeing what happens. And fortunately, this new edition doesn’t change this aspect of the formula in any respect.

First episode which is now available (together with the second episode) on YouTube, it’s the proper return for a brand new series since it shows that this version of the show can pull off each crazy, paranormal pranks in addition to more tense, slower-paced ones.

In the primary joke, a person becomes a witness to a marriage attended by a pregnant woman and her husband. But slowly it becomes clear that these individuals are probably a part of some devil-worshiping sect and that her child is not human. The second joke from the primary episode involves a person being invited to a flowery dinner of exotic dishes. Eventually the meal takes a unique turn and he serves what he thinks is human meat. The suspense of whether, just like the actors who cheat on him, he’ll eat it or not is wonderful.

This is the second episode of the show featuring WWE stars and a scary doll that leads someone to a deadly clown.

Of course, every joke ends with someone revealing the reality to the victim and allowing him to loosen up and laugh about what just happened. It’s at all times fun to observe people change immediately when their brains realize they don’t seem to be in danger, but they’re actually in a prank show. The mixture of anger, relief and joy at all times makes me giggle.

it’s an excellent show to observe Halloween (vol old jokes are also available on YouTube) since it seems like an anthology collection of horror movies spanning multiple genres, but featuring real individuals who have authentic and diverse reactions to the terrible events surrounding them.

is the proper show to observe with friends as a palette cleanser between movies for a horror movie marathon. It will make you laugh and argue about who in your group can be most terrified by a certain joke. It’s like , but with more devil children and blood. And I’m so glad it’s back just in time for Halloween.

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