Spoiler-Free Review of “Hysteria!” on Peacock: Bruce Campbell and Julie Bowen Star in this Bizarre Series

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Let’s Be Satanists…”

Hysteria! premiered on October 18th 2024 on Peacock with all eight episodes available to stream now. The horror thriller series stars Bruce Campbell, Julie Bowen, Anna Camp, Emjay Anthony, Kezii Curtis, and Chiara Aurelia. Each episode runs for approximately 50-55 minutes.

When a football player goes missing, a small town begins to blame anyone influenced by the occult, including a Satanist rock band made up of teens.

Here is the trailer:

Hysteria! has a fun cast and a decent enough premise just in time for Halloween, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Peacock

Starts off with lots of potential.

This series is set in the 1980’s and I loved the soundtrack. I thought the opening was really creepy and weird, drawing me in to another place and time. I also really liked how this show drew from other iconic movies in the horror genre. It paid tribute to this era in a fun way and I enjoyed the band’s songs!

Images courtesy of Peacock

Bruce Campbell and Julie Bowen…

They’re the reason I tuned in and the reason I stuck with this series as long as I did. I love both actors and it was great to see them together in this. Anna Camp is always fun as well (although I’ve seen her play this exact same character before in True Blood).

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Peacock

Misused its best players…

As much as I love Bruce Campbell and Julie Bowen, I had mixed thoughts about their characters. I really missed Bruce Campbell’s sarcastic charm and humor and I think this series should have let him shine in that department. He did a solid job as the sheriff, but it also felt really flat at times. I liked Julie Bowen’s character, but even here I was searching for something more. It might have just been the content, but I was left feeling disappointed.

Extremely slow with too much fluff.

I hate when series do this. I think that this show was trying to be the next Stranger Things and it failed to reach anything close to that. There were some fun and dark moments, but it took long to get anywhere. I was fine with the ambiguous ending (although I have mixed thoughts on it), but I was completely drained of energy by the time I got there. The episodes were WAY too long and there were too many of them in my opinion, dragging things out unnecessarily.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Peacock

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Hysteria! is a confusing watch, but it does have some darker fun moments sprinkled in if you’re looking for something to binge-watch during spooky season.

I really wanted to like this one, but it went in too many different directions without ever really hooking me.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Hysteria! in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Luckiest Girl Alive” on Netflix: Engrossing and Emotional Watch

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“So maybe I keep some secrets from him…”

Luckiest Girl Alive premiered on Netflix on October 7th 2022. Based on the novel of the same name, the drama film stars Mila Kunis, Chiara Aurelia, Finn Wittrock, Connie Britton, and Jennifer Beals. The film runs for an hour and fifty-five minutes.

A successful writer is about to be married, but her life begins to unravel when a true crime documentary maker approaches her, bringing up her traumatic past.

Here is the trailer:

Luckiest Girl Alive tells a gripping and compelling story using both the past and present in an effective way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Exceptional performances.

This was probably my favorite performance by Mila Kunis and I really thought that Chiara Aurelia (Cruel Summer) did an amazing job. This character was really layered in the past and the present and while I often prefer one timeline to another, I thought both of the timelines were equally interesting and compelling.

I also loved every outfit on Mila Kunis. She really looked and played the part to perfection.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Gripping from start to finish.

This story had a lot of elements, but the core plot really held my attention until the very end. Some parts were very difficult to watch, but overall this story was an important and necessary watch. It really moved me and hooked me completely.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Needed some more trigger warnings…

There is content dealing with sexual and gun violence and I personally feel that Netflix should have had a few more warnings displayed at the beginning of the film. This should be known prior to starting your watch.

Also, while the main plot was really interesting, the film did branch out into several subplots that were unnecessary and took away from the real story, which was interesting enough on its own.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!!!

A compelling and important watch featuring two very electric performances.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Luckiest Girl Alive in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Cruel Summer” on Freeform: Mean Girls with Bite

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Who do you believe?”

Cruel Summer premiered on Freeform on April 20th 2021. The series is set to air ten weekly episodes. It stars Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, Harley Quinn Smith, Michael Landes, and Froy Gutierrez. Each episode runs for approximately 50 minutes.

The events we witness take place over three summers in the 1990’s as a teen goes missing and another girl mysteriously takes her place.

Here is the trailer:

Cruel Summer adapts a typical teen thriller formula into something different by presenting us with three timelines that jump back and forth. It’s something bold and unique, but does it get in the way of this already entertaining plot? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Cruel Summer Spoiler Free Review 1

Images courtesy of Freeform

Mean Girls meets Single White Female.

Sure, it’s been done before, but this is a formula for success. I really loved this vibe and I was drawn into the plot and mystery completely. I can’t predict what is going on and I am actually really excited to see what happens next.

I also really like that I’m not sure who to root for just yet. The opening two episodes present us with different perspectives and of course things are not as they seem.

The performances are actually pretty on point and I thought that Kevin Smith’s daughter, Harley Quinn Smith was really great and I’m excited to see her in this role.

Cruel Summer Spoiler Free Review 2

Images courtesy of Freeform

90’s nostalgia.

Much like Little Fires Everywhere, this show is also bringing us some 90’s nostalgia with the fashion and music soundtrack. I’m not sure it was truly necessary for this show, but it’s an added bonus and I am enjoying the throwback so far.

The Cons:

Cruel Summer Spoiler Free Review 3

Images courtesy of Freeform

Trippy time jumps.

While I appreciate that this show is trying to do something different, the trippy time jumps become really confusing and distracting. I actually think that the show is really good without these flashes every few minutes and while the actresses do a great job of reminding us which Jeanette and Kate we are dealing with, my head started to hurt after a while.

So am I in or out?

Cruel Summer Spoiler Free Review 4

Images courtesy of Freeform

I’m in!

Even with the trippy time jumps, this show is really addicting. I think that it might quickly become one of my favorite shows and I am really excited to see the mystery unfold over the next several weeks.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Cruel Summer in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

Main promo smaller

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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