Channel Zero - Syfy Developing Horror Anthology

[Sawyer]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/syfy-prepping-anthology-based-web-806074

Syfy Prepping Anthology Based on Web Horror Phenomenon 'Creepypasta'
JUNE 30, 2015 3:00pm PT by Lesley Goldberg

"Channel Zero" is based on Kris Straub's user-generated story 'Candle Cove.'

Syfy is prepping a horror anthology based on an Internet meme of sorts.

The NBCUniversal-owned cable network is teaming with studio counterpart Universal Cable Productions for Channel Zero, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Channel Zero will be written by Nick Antosca (Hannibal, Friday the 13th) and produced by Max Landis (Chronicle, American Ultra), with each season focusing on a new story. The first season of the horror anthology will be based on Kris Straub's Candle Cove, a story that originates from a user-generated Internet horror phenomenon called "creepypasta." (Creepypasta is a form of horror stories that are passed around on web forums from multiple sites with the goal of disturbing and frightening readers. It takes its name from "copypasta," slang for copying and pasting a block of text from website to website.)

Straub's Candle Cove tells the story of a mysterious children's television show from the 1980s and its role in a series of murders — and one man's dark secret.

"We love the idea of doing seasons of TV like rich, character-driven horror novels, and for Channel Zero: Candle Cove we’ve expanded this great short story Candle Cove into something really nightmarish and haunting and surreal,” Landis and Antosca said in a joint statement. “We can’t wait to dig in deeper and bring this to life with Syfy and Universal Cable Productions.”

“Channel Zero: Candle Cove is a season-long imaginative and chilling horror anthology,” said Dawn Olmstead, exec vp development at Universal Cable Productions. “With its first story deriving from the cult favorite creepypasta, and the visionary minds of Landis and Antosca, it is elevated horror at its best. I’m still haunted by the first episode. It’s a chilling immersive ride.”

Added Bill McGoldrick, executive vp original content at Syfy: “Channel Zero: Candle Cove will feature contemporary storytelling and an innovative perspective that underscores Syfy’s commitment to bringing smart and provocative programming to a whole new generation of sci fi fans.”

Channel Zero comes as UCP and Syfy are prepping to launch Childhood's End, the first adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's iconic novel, as well as Brave New World and The Magicians, among others.

Should Channel Zero — which is in development — move forward, it would join a rapidly growing roster of anthology series including FX's American Horror Story and American Crime Story; Fox's Scream Queens; HBO's True Detective; ABC's American Crime and Secrets and Lies, among others, as broadcast and cable networks look to short orders to lure both top-name cast and live viewers in an increasingly crowed and competitive landscape.

Landis and Antosca are repped by WME and Writ Large.

I'd watch.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

Surpirised it's taken this long for something like this to happen. I wonder if they'll be something slenderman related.

 

[Sawyer]

Syfy Gives Channel Zero Two-Season Greenlight

 

[Sithborg]

Well, that's something, I guess. But, I know what kind of shenanigans they can pull. Poor Eureka.

 

[Sawyer]

Syfy’s ‘Channel Zero’ to Star Paul Schneider and Fiona Shaw (EXCLUSIVE)

 

[SuperBatman]

That is One Creepy Creature looks like Hes made out of Teeth

 

[Sawyer]

Premieres tonight.

 

[Rick the Ruler]

I'm surprised that channel such as SyFy has produced something... Decent.

I was familiar with the creepypasta before so I was mildly excited for the show. The concept of the series is interesting, there is some eerie stuff in the pilot and I'm excited to see what happens, but there are also some flaws.

Main actor, for me, lacks charisma. Some of the lines in the dialogue are unnecessary and the direction overall could've been done in the better style, it's pretty much generic. The story moves faster than I thought it would too. But, the pilot wasn't bad. I'm definitely watching this.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

Man! This was so much creepier than American Horror Story!

 

[X-Ray]

It was alright. It's got that "Stephen King's It" vibe to it. Especially once it was revealed towards the end that [blackout]Mike and his brother (and most likely all the kids) were the only ones who can see the show (Candle Cove).[/blackout]

 

[Greens]

First two episodes have been solid. Very subdued. Creepy premise.

 

[X-Ray]

Damn....

Spoiler

Not a good week for the actress playing Jessica. Dead on The Strain and now dead on this show.

 

[Link]

It's a pretty cool show! The acting isn't super good, and the writing isn't perfect, but it's entertaining and unpredictable. If only someone on American Horror Story understood nuanced horror this well, beyond shock value and gore.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

So, did anyone watch this? I'm surprised to see no discussion of it. It was genuinely creepy and scary, more so than AHS (although this season has been a little better than recent seasons). And the finale had a bit of a Twin Peaks vibe.

 

[Teelie]

I did and it was good if sometimes difficult to follow. I am not entirely sure what happened in the end. I know where it came from but not the how. Some of the characters were also bizarre (the tooth-kid, skin-taker, etc.) but it is something I will probably rewatch to see what I missed.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

I did and it was good if sometimes difficult to follow. I am not entirely sure what happened in the end. I know where it came from but not the how. Some of the characters were also bizarre (the tooth-kid, skin-taker, etc.) but it is something I will probably rewatch to see what I missed.

The way I took it:

(SPOILERS for show. DON'T look if you haven't watch the ENTIRE season):

Spoiler

Eddie had some kind of psychic power. The bullying (specifically having his finger broken) unleashed a darkness in him. The darkest part of his psyche was represented by the Skin Taker (the really weird creature in that other world) who in turn was represented by Jawbone, the skeleton puppet in Candle Cove. Eddie created Candle Cove show in his mind to fascinate/hypnotize kids.

Eddie was able to stop the teacher's seizures and as a result, she followed Eddie like a cult.

After Eddie's death, he could enter the real world as the Tooth Kid. This probably has to do with Eddie having an extra tooth and "charging" kids their teeth to "enter Candle Cove." The teacher would nurture the creature, waiting for Eddie's return.

Eddie needed Mike's body to return to life. Knowing this, Mike told his daughter to tell his mother to kill him. The mother does and now both Eddie and Mike are trapped in this other world.

Eddie can still try to use Candle Cove to influence kids, but Mike is there to stop it, representing it by showing Mike turning off the TV when Candle Cove comes on.

Speaking of which, I'm not sure if the last two segments were flipped by accident or if it was a creative choice. It confused me for a second. The second to last segment showed what happened a few months later. Then a commercial. Then they showed what happened at the climax.

 

[Teelie]

All of that makes sense and I understood most of it in the show but the origin of it, how that world came to be is where I am still not quite convinced [blackout]Eddie created it on his own with a psychic power[/blackout]. There must have been something there already to be tapped into. And I agree about the climax. I don't know if they intended to flip the last two scenes or if it was intentional to show it as a flashback.

 

[TheDreamMaster]

There's already a teaser out for next season, and the entire second season is already filmed.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?ebc=ANy...73nZEHsoD95BU8_lwFSCVrbsK7Dp8wA&v=Ubpd88AYWYM

 

[Teelie]

They did give it a two season order at the start.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

All of that makes sense and I understood most of it in the show but the origin of it, how that world came to be is where I am still not quite convinced [blackout]Eddie created it on his own with a psychic power[/blackout]. There must have been something there already to be tapped into. And I agree about the climax. I don't know if they intended to flip the last two scenes or if it was intentional to show it as a flashback.

Well I think that [BLACKOUT]his power manifested itself as a kid's show, is because Eddie himself is a kid.[/BLACKOUT] That may not be satisfactory an answer, but I think they left some things vague, as in part of the creepiness is the unknown.

 

[Arachnerd]

Binge-watched this last night since I found out about this show recently, and me being a creepypasta fan, I had to watch it.

Suffice to say, I actually thought it was pretty mediocre. Acting was so-so and the writing for the most part was too stilted for me. As for the events unfolding around the Candle Cove stuff:

Spoiler

Look, I know there's not a lot to work with the creepypasta. It's very short and pretty much comprised of people sending e-mails discussing the show, but did they really have to spiral it into "a boy, who coincidentally is a relative of the main character, has special vague powers and is behind it all" plotline? It was seriously disappointing. The actual creepypasta was very underused and simply window dressing for a story we've seen before, and I think there were a lot of other more interesting directions they could have taken. But it wasn't bad, per say. The last episode actually had a good conclusion and the twist caught me off guard a little.

Think it would have been much better if they stuck with the child cult storyline they hinted at, imo. Would have been more effective and closely connected to Candle Cove.

There were quite a few things I liked though. The Candle Cove stuff was neat, some of the creepy stuff was well done. For the most part I love that this show used tracking shots as well as long shots to build up atmosphere. The last episode was the only episode that I really liked, so I hope when it comes to the second season and the NoEnd House storyline, they improve a few things.

 

[rashad]

Channel Zero - Renewed for a 3rd and 4th Season by Syfy

 

[Teelie]

Nice to see confindence in SyFy for more science-fiction/fantasy/horror related content like this.

 

[Arachnerd]

Interested, although I hope they improve a few things down the road.

 

[Hotwire]

Just now found out about this! Watched the first two episodes and, DAMN it's creepy!