When a beloved varsity quarterback disappears during the “Satanic Panic” of the late 1980s, a struggling high school heavy metal band of outcasts realize they can capitalize on the town’s sudden interest in the occult by building a reputation as a Satanic metal band, until a bizarre series of murders, kidnappings, and reported “supernatural activity” triggers a leather-studded witch hunt that leads directly back to them.
Peacock dropped the trailer for their Satanic Panic horror comedy series, Hysteria!, which debuts on the streaming service on October 18th. All eight episodes, featuring Julie Brown and Anna Camp, with a special appearance by the great Bruce Campbell, drop on the same day, perfect for spreading out over the final two week of spooky season.
The trailer was sent out this week. Check that out, along with a batch of stills, below a note from the show's executive producer and writers Matthew Scott and David A. Goodman.
“What are those kids up to? Whatever it is, it can’t be good.”That fear haunts every generation. Children of the Atomic Age went on to terrifying their families by turning on, tuning in and dropping out in the sixties. Those same “free spirits” went on to vote for Reagan and called for censorship of the “obscene” and “satanic” heavy metal bands their own kids worshiped. Now, those kids are adults who rail against pronouns, TikTok, and a movie about Barbie. The cycle doesn’t end. And it’s hard to escape the feeling that someone, or something, is sitting by watching it all, and laughing.Hysteria! is about both sides of that generational fear. It’s about the thrills of being young, rebellious in spirit and aspirational at heart – and the horrors of growing up and realizing that the world you thought you knew has shifted beneath your feet.Our hope is that parents and children (of the appropriate age, of course) can enjoy the chills, the laughs, the music, and the heart of Hysteria! together. Growing up is scary. So is parenting.