A couple of years ago, I started seeing promos and ads on Facebook and TV for the Syfy show, Channel Zero. It did not really do much for me and the show aired and passed me by. There are so many horror themed TV shows and so much going on in the world of TV, I simply forgot about it, even if one the promo images was very disturbing. The poster of a person made of teeth really struck me as, sick.
Fast forward to 2018, this year and I see the DVD at Walmart for…season 3. That surprised me so much. I had no idea that the show has lasted for 3 seasons and there is even a new one on the way. So, that was the nail, I needed to watch the show. I checked out Amazon to see if I could find season 1 and buy it. I like to take my chances sometimes. But I got lucky, the first season is on Shudder.
So, I signed up for Shudder…and I watched the first few minutes before bed and I was in. That is something about me, i will give anything a chance, if I am hooked within the first few minutes, I am sure to enjoy whatever it is. Well…did I?
I have never fallen into the trap of Creepypasta, like the Slender man or whatever else their is out there. I did not realize that is what Channel Zero is about, well the first season anyway. Creepypasta, is a rather new thing in horror, horror related anyway. Kind of like internet urban legends spread through the internet. Just like the urban legends of my youth which were usually local and spread by word of mouth. Creepypasta is spread to a bigger audience and people eat it up.
Channel Zero – Candle Cove, is based around the creepy pirate-themed puppet show was first broadcast in 1988 only in Iron Hill, Ohio. That same year 1988, Iron Hill suffered a series of unsolved child murders. 28 years later, Candle Cove is mostly forgotten, and lives only in the memories of adults who watched it as kids in 1988. When Mike Painter returns to town 28 years later, Candle Cove appears to the children of Iron Hill.
Mike Painter, which is the name from the actual Creepypasta, left his home of Iron Hill soon after the killings in 1988. His twin brother Eddie was one of the victims of the killings. Now he is a well know child psychologist and the beginning of the show has him doing an interview which seems to be some kind of nightmare. He is asked by a voice on the phone, “why don’t you come home?” He is being drawn back to Iron Hill.
The show is filled with flashbacks to Mike and his brother Eddie and many other kids from 1988. He tries to put together the pieces and figure out the mystery behind the show Candle Cove. The people, friends are unsure of what he is doing and they do not trust Mike. There are so many strange things going on within the town, it almost feels like Iron Hill is a town out of a Stephen King story.
Each episode was filled with terror and it has the relentless feeling of dread. Like I said in the beginning, the first few minutes hooked me and with each cliff hanger of the episodes, I wanted more. One of the best things about this show is the lack of episodes. I may say lack, but it was perfect. Each season seems to be wrapped up into a nice little 6-episode package. This is great and keeps away from filler or drawing out things for more episodes. I will say one thing, my only complaint, the last episode did not deliver as well as the first 5, but I did not feel cheated.
I do 100% recommend Channel Zero, at least the first season, I have yet to watch the other seasons. I hope they are similar to the first, and I mean by being very good and non-stop terror. So, yeah I suggest you watch Channel Zero Candle Cove. To me, it is one of the very best shows Syfy has put out.
I look forward to season 2 and 3. Season 4 is set to air late 2018.
IMDB.com has a rating over 7.2 overall
I give season 1, Candle Cove a 8.0 rating.
