B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping some of my favorite horror reality shows of yesteryear into the ol’ VCR. 

This one is going to hit you right in the nostalgia. For those who don’t remember, or for the youths who somehow stumbled upon this, we went through a bizarrely wonderful time from the late 90s to the early aughts where we collectively decided to shift the focus of reality TV to the horror genre. And I’m so glad we did. 

Today, we’re talking Fear (I dare you to get Godsmack’s “Voodoo” out of your head now), Scaredy Camp, Scare Tactics (the original with Shannen Doherty, thank you), and Scariest Places on Earth. 

These little gems might not have stuck with anyone but me over the years, but I think of them fondly (she said, realizing she sounds like she’s sitting in a rocking chair thinking of an old lover). 

Me, realizing it’s been 20+ years since most of these shows were on the air.

Fear 

Fear walked so that Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej could run. Part reality competition, part ghost investigation, Fear placed six strangers in haunted locations. The main objective was to complete assignments, or “dares,” given via a computer (that was the size of my microwave and narrated by what sounds like an 80s sitcom dad) for the chance to win $3,000 each (with the second objective being to hopefully scare the shit out of these poor people). 

The challenges mostly consisted of spending 15+ minutes alone in dark and creepy af spaces with only a camera and walkie talkie; other challenges were batshit crazy and had them recreating alleged scenes or rituals to tease the spirits. Think Halloween: Resurrection sans Busta Rhymes. 

Unfortunately, Fear only lasted two seasons, and we only have 16 episodes to remember it by. The good news is, you can find all 16 episodes on YouTube for free in decent quality (remember, this was 2000-2002, and they didn’t have a camera crew with them). If you’re missing early 2000s reality TV, I promise Fear will hit the spot. 

Scaredy Camp 

Sitting at a whopping 10 episodes and 2 seasons, Scaredy Camp is forever stuck in my memory. Truth be told, Scaredy Camp is essentially Fear mixed with GUTS. Children (actual children, I’m serious) were taken to a haunted summer camp to investigate the “real” legend and casually help a spirit move on. I say “real” because I feel like it’s “real” convenient that they found two haunted summer camps, and I believe in ghosts. 

There’s something charming about Scaredy Camp. First and foremost, the children on this show do confessionals/team huddles, and they’re absolutely precious. Also, these children are far more athletic than I will ever be. If you’re looking for a way to simultaneously quench your thirst for Are You Afraid of the Dark? and reality TV but with children, Scaredy Camp awaits for free on YouTube. 

Scare Tactics 

Scare Tactics proves my theory that scaring the shit out of people for entertainment was en vogue in the early 2000s, right alongside low rise jeans and pageboy hats. Now, I know there have been other iterations of Scare Tactics, but I’m a purist, so I’m specifically referring to the episodes hosted by Shannen Doherty. 

Scare Tactics is like Punk’d but if Ashton Kutcher used cryptids, paranormal activity, aliens, and, in some cases, murder, to scare the absolute piss out of unsuspecting people. Not only were Shannen Doherty’s outfits INCREDIBLE, but I give their practical effect team major props. If you aren’t sure exactly what I’m talking about, I promise there’s a clip buried deep down in your brain of people being scared in an RV. 

Like its predecessors, episodes of Scare Tactics can be found for free on YouTube. For optimal viewing, I recommend ordering a pizza and/or your favorite takeout and popping it on after a rough workday. 

Scariest Places on Earth 

Last but certainly not least, we have Scariest Places on Earth. For those who aren’t well-versed, Linda Blair hosted, Zelda Rubinstein narrated, AND The Warrens (RIP) tagged along on numerous investigations. Similar to the other shows we’ve covered in this list, Scariest Places on Earth found families and friends investigating some of the most legitimately haunted places in the world. There are places on here I wouldn’t enter. Like THAT haunted. 

I also personally think that this show is the scariest entry on our list. CC: THE FREAKIN’ WARRENS WERE ON THIS SHOW. Yet, I know for certain that KP and I watched every single episode in all three seasons. 

Honorable Mention 

I’m not going to give Paranormal State the same treatment as the others on this list because it came later (2007), but I definitely want to give it a mention. I was OBSESSED with it in high school, and I used to record the episodes on weekends and watch them on Sundays with KP (we had a tradition of binging horror content on Sundays that you can read about over at Hyperreal). I know Ryan Buell has a sordid history, so please know this show is just a source of nostalgia for me, and I, in no way, condone any of his actions. 

A Bonus Paragraph! 

Okay, so, I was going to end this piece after the Honorable Mention section, but I feel weird leaving it on that note (y’know, the whole apology for what I found when Googling Ryan Buell), so y’all are getting a bonus paragraph. Reality horror shows are oh-so near and dear to my heart. They definitely influenced my love of horror, and I appreciate KP also appreciating horror. I know how fortunate I am to have had THE most supportive mother imaginable. This piece, along with everything I write, is for her. In her eulogy, I said, “For KP. For Always,” and that feels like the right way to end this bad boy. 

For KP. For Always.