Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions are rebooting the hidden camera prank show Scare Tactics for USA Network, premiering tonight at 10 p.m. ET. The original comedy horror show aired on Syfy between 2003 and 2013, running for five seasons with hosts Stephen Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and the late Shannen Doherty. Horror-centric pranks pitted unsuspecting victims against zombie grandmas, UFO abductions and Big Foot attacks. Monkeypaw's iteration will be hosted not by a celebrity figure but by what is described as “a spectral pre-teen named Flip.”
The newest iteration of Scare Tactics “will feature devious pranksters setting up friends and family, known as targets, in hilariously twisted scenarios that blur the lines of reality, horror, and comedy,” reads the official synopsis. “From a casual dinner party that takes an unexpectedly cannibalistic turn to a pair of newlyweds that are the proud new parents of something … less than human, the targets will navigate one unreal decision after another as audiences laugh, jump, and are left breathless for more.”
No target is off the table this season, including WWE Superstars The New Day, who find themselves at the heart of a paranormal occurrence during a run-of-the-mill promo event with fellow Superstar Cody Rhodes.
Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld serve as executive producers via their Monkeypaw banner (Get Out, Us, Hunters, and Lovecraft Country). Rosenfeld joined us to chat about what's to come when Scare Tactics premieres tonight.
Monkeypaw is well known for their work in the genre space and their (Oscar-winning) scripted horror. So what made them want to revive a reality TV show? Rosenfeld cites multiple reasons the team was eager to take on the project, but being avid fans of the original was the foremost driving force. “We are huge fans of the original. We're students of fear and there's something so fascinating and exciting about watching the way different people handle it. We mostly make genre and scripted horror, but when this came in we thought we could be genuinely additive because the team was so strong. We've evolved the concept a little bit, but at its core: it's Scare Tactics, and we're so glad to be a part of expanding the show's legacy.”
The comedy element was another draw for the team. “There's a thin line between horror and comedy, and Scare Tactics is a great illustration of that. It's about surprise and eliciting a visceral reaction. Ultimately, of course, Scare Tactics is a comedy, but we reach those laughs by putting a real person who has no idea that they're on television in the middle of a horrifying scenario they think is real. The comedy for the audience comes through the catharsis of watching how that person reacts. I promise it's not as sadistic as it sounds!”
The Monkeypaw team worked closely with one of the original show's co-creators to ensure the Scare Tactics vibe remained present throughout. “Scott Hallock, the co-creator of the original run and engineered thousands of unique scares, was there to ensure we were getting it right. Our showrunner Elan Gale is maybe the most subversive mind in unscripted television, so we knew that we'd be able to do some weird shit.”
Rosenfeld particularly enjoyed the spectrum of fear reactions. It comes down to a lot more than just fight or flight. As for his favorite prank this season, it's more about the reaction than the prank itself. “There are a lot to choose from, in part because of the many different ways people react to fear. Sure, we have a lot of reactions where people scream and run away, but also people who freeze, bargain, or crack a joke. Watching people deal with the cognitive dissonance is truly fascinating. We have one where our subject is invited to an elite private dinner and slowly realizes he may have to become a cannibal. It's the kind of horror that comes from a person wanting to be polite, and nobody around them is acting surprised, so they play along. The choices he makes are truly fascinating.”
Rosenfeld isn't giving anything up regarding dream pranks that didn't quite make the cut this season. Maybe we'll see them on the next one. Our dream prank would be a carefully crafted prank for Jordan Peele. Rosenfeld shares, “It would really mess him up if he got attacked by his own doppelgänger in a red jumpsuit. Might drop an email to Tom Savini right now….”
We'll be waiting for that! In the meantime, you can check out the Scare Tactics premiere on USA Network Friday, October 4 at 10 p.m. ET. The debut episode will also air simultaneously across Bravo, SYFY, and E! New episodes will make their debut streaming debut on Peacock one week following their USA airing.