Considering one of Netflix's most popular shows, Stranger Things, exists squarely within the horror genre, it's somewhat strange that the streaming service hasn't delivered way more freaky and frightening TV shows (at least with its U.S. productions). But that's all changing soon, and now we have the limited series Brand New Cherry Flavor to look forward to, and it looks like it'll be one hell of a doozy for star Rosa Salazar, arguably best known for whooping ass in the fan-beloved actioner Alita: Battle Angel.
Brand New Cherry Flavor has quite a few excellent factors going for it that make its imminent arrival all the more eagerly anticipated. For one, the cast includes the aforementioned Rosa Salazar, a rare horror turn from the always great Catherine Keener, The Good Place's Manny Jacinto, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Jeff Ward and Perry Mason's Eric Lange. And then behind the camera, we have creator Nick Antosca, who was the creative force behind the A+ horror series Channel Zero (which also starred Ward in one season), as well as Hulu's acclaimed The Act, the needs-to-still-be-renewed-for-Season-4 Hannibal, and the upcoming Child's Play TV spinoff Chucky, among other projects. Antosca is a TV horror mastermind, and he'll be co-showrunning with Lenore Zion (Channel Zero, Billions).
And then there's that trailer itself, which features whatever the fuck that thing is in the picture above. The first look at Brand New Cherry Flavor tiptoes around the central narrative of Rosa Salazar's filmmaker Lisa N. Nova setting up a project in Hollywood in the early '90s, only to fall into a hallucinatory and nightmarish world full of sex, disturbing art, magic, zombies, hardcore carnivore kittens, dangerous hit men and more. If the Concrete Blonde track used for the trailer is any indication, there may also be vampires roaming around this version of Hollywood.
So WTF is that thing outside Lisa's window? Doesn't look like a kitten, or a hit man, or a sex...thing. Shadowy figures with brightly lit eyes do not go well with me having a perfectly undisturbed day.
And seriously, this would be the point in the article where I'd put a picture of a GIF of those kittens having a feast on that dog's innards, but it will always be too early in the day for that. So let's close things out on a nice, calm, non-gory shot of Manny Jacinto, who is rocking the most '90s sweater-and-hairdo combo imaginable.
As revealed in the trailer, Brand New Cherry Flavor is set to debut on Netflix during the most appropriate date of Friday, August 13, so keep your machetes and hockey masks nearby for protection. And also keep our 2021 Fall TV schedule nearby to see what else is popping up on the small screen after your nightmares have subsided.
