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Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread

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Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread

Old 10-11-16, 02:21 AM
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Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread




Candle Cove centers on one man’s obsessive recollections of a mysterious children’s television program from the 1980s, and his ever-growing suspicions about the role it might have played in a series of nightmarish and deadly events from his childhood.



6 episode 1st season

SyFy greenlit 12 episodes total. Season 2 will also be 6 episodes and will air next Fall (2017)
Old 10-12-16, 02:20 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I enjoyed this, although it was kind of slow.

Not really true horror. It felt more like a psychological thriller. But there were a few creepy scenes. I did somewhat feel like an old episode of Tales from the Darkside/The Outer Limits. Especially with this whole sinister imaginary TV program.

The previews for the rest of the season did look interesting. There's a lot of shit on right now, but with only 5 more episodes left I think I can make the time and plow through this season.
Old 10-12-16, 06:39 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I hadn't intended to watch it until the weekend, but my "Flash" recording had a glitch (I'll catch it today), so I watched it as it ran. Overall, I enjoyed it, though it plays more as a book adaptation that should come to a finite end, rather than a series.
Old 10-12-16, 08:54 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Sounds interesting. I may check it out given the short season.
Old 10-12-16, 01:11 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by DWilson
I hadn't intended to watch it until the weekend, but my "Flash" recording had a glitch (I'll catch it today), so I watched it as it ran. Overall, I enjoyed it, though it plays more as a book adaptation that should come to a finite end, rather than a series.
This season (Candle Cove) is self contained. It will have an ending.

Season 2 is called The No-End House.
Old 10-13-16, 08:00 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I really liked it. Pulled off creepy very effectively. I'm in.
Old 10-21-16, 03:03 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I found the first episode for free on Vudu and watched it last night. The monster that showed up at the end was kind of creepy. I definitely have the next five episodes on my to-watch list.
Old 10-22-16, 04:02 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

After two episodes this show reminds me a great deal of something Stephen King could have written back in the 1980s. It has the creepy influence over children by an overtly sinister kids' entertainment program, a horrific monster that deals in lost teeth, and an adult that must use his childhood memories of the evil to solve the current wave of problems. This is definitely influenced by King's "It" on some level.

It's been solid over the first two episodes. I really like the monster design. Its teeth motif is very original and unsettling. The only complaint I have is that pacing could be better.
Old 11-07-16, 01:50 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I've been watching this, and something about the pace of the show or it's low-key energy just depresses the heck out of me.
Old 11-14-16, 03:02 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

An interesting interview with Channel Zero's showrunner. He admits he didn't think many people would watch Candle Cove and decided to go with more deliberate pacing.

http://filmmakermagazine.com/100496-...-channel-zero/

It's been very effective in managing the creepiness factor.
Old 11-14-16, 07:00 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

For those that are not caught up...so sad at the loss of one of the characters on the show. Also, I am still a bit confused about the scene where a character tries to move and is strung up like a marionette and then a moment later he wakes up but is no longer a marionette? Did I blink and miss something, or was it his waking up after we see his nightmare of being strung up in his head.
Old 11-15-16, 01:55 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by Inhumans99
For those that are not caught up...so sad at the loss of one of the characters on the show. Also, I am still a bit confused about the scene where a character tries to move and is strung up like a marionette and then a moment later he wakes up but is no longer a marionette? Did I blink and miss something, or was it his waking up after we see his nightmare of being strung up in his head.
I'm not sure it was supposed to be clear-cut. Was it a dream or reality?
Old 11-15-16, 08:31 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by DJariya
This season (Candle Cove) is self contained. It will have an ending.

Season 2 is called The No-End House.
So Season 2 won't have an ending?

Watched the first episode today ... I'm hooked! The puppet show is creepy as shit and reminds me of shows that were inadvertently scary to kids -- I guess I've always had a bit of a puppet phobia. Love the set-up so far.

Didn't realize this was only going to be 6 episodes. The first 5 are available on my On Demand and I taped the finale tonight. Will likely watch the whole thing tomorrow since I am off work for awhile.
Old 11-15-16, 09:10 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Each season of Channel Zero stands by itself. Kind of like American Horror Story.
Old 11-15-16, 11:15 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I couldn't get into the storyline because it has to do with an urban legend my generation (Gen-X) was just not a part of. I have a Millenial friend who just can't get enough of the show.
Old 11-16-16, 10:41 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by Eric F
I couldn't get into the storyline because it has to do with an urban legend my generation (Gen-X) was just not a part of. I have a Millenial friend who just can't get enough of the show.
Urban legend...? I'm a millennial, and a huge horror fan, and can't say I'm familiar with such an urban legend. That said, I give such things zero consideration - its either fiction/entertainment, or fake. If you mean Slender Man? The TV angle is totally different, as far as I'm aware. Here, something was taking over kids through TV - there, kids killed as offerings to join Slender Man. The only commonality is kids killing, which, well... if you needed that tenuous connection to get into this show, it must have really sucked more than I thought.

My only bleh moment? They *really* needed to have shown Mikes death in sequence. If there was any person watching who didn't know 100% how that was going to go when he whispered in Lily's aear...? Welcome to Earth, since you were born yesterday. Them cutting to months later, then back again... disrupted the flow for me.

As intriguing as this concept was, the trailer for No End House looks equally interesting. I'll definitely be back for more, this was a fairly well done limited series - AHS' utter catastrophe of a disaster could learn something about changing things up in such ways from season to season.
Old 11-16-16, 09:09 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Well done series and will watch the next one. However, I feel it peaked at the fourth episode and went downhill from there. The finale had it's moments but was a bit of a letdown.
Like a Stephen King novel, which this is kinda scripted after, strong start good story but lost steam at the end.
Old 11-17-16, 01:41 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Echoing all the sentiments above. Not rock solid, as the end did droop a bit (the time shift was very awkward) and it could have done a bit better at setting up the mythos, but it was enjoyable and definitely worth watching.

I would have liked to have learned a bit more about the "mythology" of the Candle Cove TV show between 1988 and the present. I think that would have given the (actual) show more impact. We got the one scene with Mike's mom and the guy at the local public access TV channel, but I felt they just fouled that one off. Using a public access channel was well conceived. However they went too overboard with trying to make the guy a creepy MacGuffin and didn't quite strengthen the mythology enough.
Old 11-17-16, 05:24 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by Abob Teff
Echoing all the sentiments above. Not rock solid, as the end did droop a bit (the time shift was very awkward) and it could have done a bit better at setting up the mythos, but it was enjoyable and definitely worth watching.

I would have liked to have learned a bit more about the "mythology" of the Candle Cove TV show between 1988 and the present. I think that would have given the (actual) show more impact. We got the one scene with Mike's mom and the guy at the local public access TV channel, but I felt they just fouled that one off. Using a public access channel was well conceived. However they went too overboard with trying to make the guy a creepy MacGuffin and didn't quite strengthen the mythology enough.
Here's my take on it - I think it was a comment on kids TV. I think the total lack of any backstory was intentional, as was it shutting off when adults were around. I see it as a comment that kids can be entertained by simple things. This show had no story to it. It was created by a freaking 8 or 9 year old. It was just mindless, pretty pictures and catchy tunes. And he used that to "embed a signal" that allowed him to control them. When they went that route, Candle Cove became a D-story to the central theme. Focusing more on that would have made an incoherent mess.

I agree, they could have gone with Candle Cove and the backstory of the show. Where the hell did it come from, and how did it hook these kids. They had a different story in mind, clearly, and I can't fault them for that. Because I do see what they were going for, I think. Would an alternative, and perhaps more obvious take on the concept, have been potentially far superior? Absolutely.

But they had a story in mind, their story, and it was original and coherent. After this season of AHS, I have faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more respect for such creative and artistic designs, because clearly, even in this day and age, that is not a given still.
Old 11-17-16, 06:07 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Teaser for season 2, which airs next Fall

Old 11-17-16, 09:31 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

When I say the "mythology" I don't directly mean the tales of Jawbone and Pirate Percy, I mean what became of the show's legend. That is one of the generations (my generation) gripped in the midst of the nostalgia revolution. Obviously there was some cult following or residual effects as evidenced by the public access TV guy. I don't know ... I guess they touched on it with creepy cable guy but it was a bit clunky for me. I suppose you are right that it didn't really matter, just an aspect I found interesting.

I agree with you on your take on the creative talent, Coladar. I like that we seem to be in a new era of anthology TV: Black Mirror, Stranger Things, Channel Zero, American Horror Story, Fargo, True Detective, etc. We are going to have hits and we are going to have misses (*cough*AHS*cough*). One of my biggest criticisms of most shows shows is the wheel spinning just to fill an arbitrary number of episodes. It is fantastic to see "non-traditional" talent being featured in this manner.
Old 11-17-16, 10:19 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by Abob Teff


I like that we seem to be in a new era of anthology TV: Black Mirror, Stranger Things, Channel Zero, American Horror Story, Fargo, True Detective, etc. We are going to have hits and we are going to have misses (*cough*AHS*cough*). One of my biggest criticisms of most shows shows is the wheel spinning just to fill an arbitrary number of episodes. It is fantastic to see "non-traditional" talent being featured in this manner.
Would "Stranger Things" qualify as an Anthology? It's a single ongoing storyline that will continue into the second season (at least that's my understanding).
Old 11-17-16, 10:25 AM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Hmmm ... I thought is wasn't going to be directly related, but I could be wrong.
Old 11-17-16, 02:34 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

I found Candle Cove entertaining up through the end. If anything, the show started out a little too slowly for my tastes. Creepy monster design and decent F/X for a Syfy series.

Having the children kill her was a very surprising moment. Vaguely surprised that Syfy would clear that scene.
Old 11-17-16, 09:54 PM
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Re: Channel Zero (SyFy) -- Horror Anthology Series -- Series Thread -- Premieres 10/1

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger
I found Candle Cove entertaining up through the end. If anything, the show started out a little too slowly for my tastes. Creepy monster design and decent F/X for a Syfy series.

Having the children kill her was a very surprising moment. Vaguely surprised that Syfy would clear that scene.
Yeah, after years of hating Sci-Fi Channel (Canceling Stargates and transitioning to reality nonsense crud, renaming itself SyFy, etc.), I'm giving the network insanely huge props for the apparent freedom they're giving to creators of late. Z-Nation lets curses fly and gives a positive light on freaking drug use/opiates, same language deal with Van Helsing. The Expanse is equally maturely oriented. The Magicians... god, that show is pure distilled awesomeness. Sexual content, again giving a positive shine on substance use (whether the correlation between magic being addictive like a drug, or the finale alternate world where opium was in the atmosphere and gave everyone a constant high.), occasional extreme violence...

Quite frankly, Channel Zero was one of the tamest/least mature series to air on the network this year. I dunno who's in charge over at SyFy just now - what executives are running the show content wise - but they are genuinely taking some pretty significant risks/shifting toward relatively extreme maturely oriented content for their scripted lineup.

It's really like night and day between where they were only but a couple of years ago, and now; equally so, they've become one of the most dramatic and extraordinary embraces of mature content in original programming network wide amongst basic cable, both consistently+universally.

But I definitely agree - even on the most openly mature of networks like HBO or Showtime, kids doing extreme bad or having extremely bad things happen to them has remained an utter and complete taboo. So having the kids commit a truly brutal and horrific murder was definitely some kind of serious risk taking on SyFy's part. Equally so, when the kids were killed 30 years ago, a sister almost disembowelling her own brother, and a brother (Mike) doing the very same to his own young child brother, but instead with fatal results.

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