Those who remember, in the 1980s, the fear that a devilish influence was infecting America's children, called the “Satanic Panic,” will probably get a kick out of Hysteria! The upcoming 2024 TV show is only the latest of many modern titles to comment on that bizarre, Reagan-era phenomenon — such as great horror movies like Ti West’s The House of the Devil and Season 4 of Stranger Things.
However, it also appears to be paying tribute to classic horror movies of the ‘80s, especially with the casting of one of the decade's most beloved horror movie icons in a special appearance. So, what exactly is the plot of Hysteria!, who can we expect to see in the cast, and who is running the show? We reveal all that we know so far about the upcoming horror TV show below.
What Is The Hysteria! Premiere Date?
Hysteria! will be available to watch with a Peacock subscription on October 18, 2024. What better time for a spooky series like this to premiere than during the spookiest time of the year?
The First Full-Length Hysteria! Trailer Teases A Fun, Spooky Commentary on '80s Paranoia
The first teaser trailer for Hysteria! was light on plot details but heavy on '80s nostalgia and spooky imagery, with Julie Bowen's Linda Campbell getting startled by a demonic encounter while dancing to Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” in her kitchen. The more recent, full-length trailer shows far more to be intrigued by. See for yourself by checking out the clip here:
The trailer does a great job teasing the series' commentary on how controversy can lead to popularity but also far less favorable consequences, especially in the 1980s. Of course, it appears that show is aiming for more than just a reflection of the Satanic Panic era but an exaggeration that incorporates real, metaphysical evil into the mix. That being said, it's a good thing that we have an expert in all things evil and dead, Bruce Campbell, showing up, as evident by his heavily inclusion in the clip.
What Hysteria! Is About
As previously established, the plot revolves around the unsubstantiated fear that Satanism was influencing America’s youth in the 1980s. According to Peacock’s official logline, the show will depict the phenomenon through the eyes of a young, amateur heavy metal band, who see the paranoid reactions to their high school’s star quarterback disappearing as an opportunity to boost their music careers.
However, things begin to take a turn for the worse when the teens’ town becomes plagued by killings, abductions, and reports of strange, unexplainable activity that, given their newfound reputation, puts them under suspicion. This dark plot description suggests that the upcoming show is aiming to be more than just another good horror TV show, but a thrilling drama that's grounded by shocking elements of realism. Then again, the somewhat offbeat tone of the trailer suggests a story that does not always take itself too seriously.
The Hysteria! Cast
The Hysteria! cast is a mixed trick-or-treat bag of a few long-standing horror veterans and newcomers alike. Take a look at the actors due to experience the hysterics one by one.
Julie Bowen (Linda Campbell)
According to Variety, Julie Bowen — best known for the Modern Family cast — stars on Hysteria! as Linda Campbell: the mother to one member of a group of misfit teens who get caught up in the Satanic Panic. She previously played the mother of a teen involved in a dark situation in 2022’s The Fallout and dipped her feet in the horror genre with roles in Netflix’s Hubie Halloween and the Amazon Prime original horror movie, Totally Killer.
Emjay Anthony (Dylan Campbell)
According to Deadline, Linda’s son, Dylan, is part of the misfit trio involved in the titular hysteria and is played by Emjay Anthony, who made his horror debut in the 2015 holiday horror movie, Krampus. Before then, he played Jon Favreau’s onscreen son in 2014’s delicious food movie, Chef, and later went on to star in the Bad Moms movies, a demonic possession film called Incarnate, and played Keanu Reeves’ son in Replicas.
Chiara Aurelia (Jordy)
As fellow teen misfit, Jordy, we have Chiara Aurelia, who is already one of the most experienced horror veterans among Hysteria!’s younger cast members. She starred in the 2017 Mike Flanagan movie, Gerald’s Game, before appearing in Netflix’s Fear Street movies cast (for Part Two). She also played the younger version of Mila Kunis’ character in Luckiest Girl Alive.
Kezii Curtis (Spud)
Playing young drummer, Spud, in Hysteria! marks Kezii Curtis’ horror debut. He is best known for his small part in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, 2020’s Charm City Kings (which is unfortunately no longer available on Max), and Paramount+’s Secret Headquarters.
Nikki Hahn (Faith)
In the role of Faith – a teenage girl traumatized by a shocking crime – we have Nikki Hahn, who was on Season 2 of American Horror Story during her days as a child actor. She was also in a 2016 horror film called The Remains, more recently scored a recurring role on American Housewife, and has been seen on series like Magnum P.I. and Genius as a guest star.
Bruce Campbell (Chief Dandridge)
The most notable horror legend among the Hysteria! cast is Bruce Campbell, who is best known for playing Ash Williams in the Evil Dead movies. According to Variety, he will play the police chief for the small town where the series takes place.
Anna Camp (Tracy Whitehead)
Anna Camp stars in Hysteria! as Tracy Whitehead — a mother often mocked for her religious beliefs until she gains a dangerous level of authority in her small town following concerning circumstances. The actor also has a few horror credits on her resume, such as Shudder’s From Black, but is best known from the Pitch Perfect cast as Aubrey.
Garret Dillahunt (The Reverend)
Garret Dillahunt, who stars as “The Reverend,” could also be considered a Scream King for his regular role on Fear the Walking Dead and facing even more zombie action in the Army of the Dead cast for Netflix. However, the actor has acquired a notably eclectic career that includes starring in HBO’s Deadwood cast, the Fox sitcom Raising Hope, and the Best Picture Oscar winner, No Country for Old Men, to name a few.
Nolan North (Gene Campbell)
As Dylan's father, Gene, we have Nolan North, who easily has the heftiest filmography of the entire Hysteria! cast, having acquired more than 400 credits for his main claim to fame: voice acting. He has starred in countless animated movies and series, but is even better known in the gaming world, especially for originating the role of Nathan Drake in the Uncharted franchise.
Elijah Richardson (Cliff)
Playing Cliff is Elijah Richardson, who is already known for a few acclaimed small screen projects – namely Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Netflix’s Emmy-winning When They See Us. He also worked with Disney+ for the 2022 movie, Hollywood Stargirl, and with Paramount+ for Fantasy Football.
Milly Shapiro (Ingrid)
Ingrid actor Milly Shapiro became an instant Scream Queen with her feature film debut in the acclaimed A24 horror movie, Hereditary. Unless you count her roles on J.J. Villard’s Fairy Tales on Adult Swim, appearing in Hysteria! as Ingrid marks her first major return to the genre.
Allison Scagliotti (Officer Olsen)
Playing a cop named Olsen is Allison Scagliotti, who has starred in titles that border on horror – namely Syfy’s Warehouse 13 as Claudia Donovan, ABC Family’s (Freeform) sci-fi series, Stitchers, and a comedic coming-of-age witch movie called Chastity Bites. One of her most iconic roles is her recurring stint on Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh as Mindy Crenshaw.
Jessica Treska (Judith)
As Judith, we have Jessica Treska, who is best known for HBO’s Sharp Objects and as the lead of 2022’s The Virgin of Highland Park.
Matthew Scott Kane Is The Showrunner
This dark new series comes from showrunner Matthew Scott Kane, who is something of a horror veteran himself, having worked on the sets of American Horror Story Season 6 and the 2019 Conjuring Universe spin-off, Annabelle Comes Home, as a production assistant. Hysteria! is the first series to be produced by Kane, who also wrote an episode of the aforementioned Stitchers.
Signed on to direct the first episode of the series is Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who has also helmed episodes of TV shows like Single Dads and You’re the Worst. As a film director, his efforts so far include the Sundance favorite coming-of-age dramedy, The Kings of Summer, and the 2017 King Kong movie, Kong: Skull Island.
Jonathan Goldstein And John Francis Daley Are Producing And Directing
Also signed on to produce this new show are Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, who have recently gained a reputation as one of the most talented directorial duos working today. Thus, fans of the filmmakers behind the acclaimed 2018 comedy, Game Night, will be happy to learn they are also directing an unspecified number of episodes of the series.
Daley and Goldstein actually have a unique connection to the story behind Hysteria! — and not just because Daley played a young social outcast from the 1980s in the Freaks and Geeks cast years ago. The duo directed the fun, adventurous 2023 movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which is based on the popular role-playing game that, believe it or not, played a role in the Satanic Panic craze, which is something the film’s cast members, Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez, were shocked to discover.
I cannot imagine that Daley and Goldstein’s own real-life interest in D&D and the game’s strange connection to Satanic Panic had anything to do with their decision to sign on for this new series but it is an amusing little detail, nonetheless. Perhaps the role-playing game might even make an appearance. We will have to wait until Hysteria! premieres on Peacock to find out. In the meantime, check out some of the best horror movies on Peacock while you wait.
