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Peacock's Satanic Panic Thriller Hysteria! Sets October Premiere with Terrifying First Look (WATCH)
All episodes of Hysteria! will premiere on Peacock Friday, October 18, with simulcasts planned for USA Network and SYFY.
The monsters are headed for the sleepy town of Happy Hollow in the first teaser trailer for Peacock's mysterious thriller series, Hysteria! Scheduled to premiere in October, the show — which stars Modern Family's Julie Bowen and evil's worst enemy, Bruce Campbell — takes place at the height of the Satanic Panic during the 1980s.
For the uninitiated, the Satanic Panic was a brief, yet intense, fear on the part of Reagan-era parents who believed their children were falling prey to dark, occult forces (the burgeoning popularity of Dungeons & Dragons didn't help the matter). The uproar turned out to be generally unfounded, but it certainly makes for some quality television, executive-produced by D&D acolytes John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.
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"'What are those kids up to? Whatever it is, it can’t be good.' That fear haunts every generation," co-creators Matthew Scott Kane (Stitchers) and David A. Goodman (The Orville) said in a joint statement. "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."
The statement continues: "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."
Watch Teaser Trailer for Satanic Panic Series, Hysteria!
What is Hysteria! About?
Set during the famous "Satanic Panic" of the late 1980s, Hysteria! kicks off with the disappearance of a star varsity quarterback, prompting suspicion of darker forces at work. Hoping to capitalize on their town's sudden interest in the occult, a struggling heavy metal band rebrands itself with disastrous results. By associating themselves with the supernatural, the musicians inadvertantly find themselves prime suspects in a string of murders, kidnappings, and bizarre phenomena. Let the witch hunt begin!
Peacock Releases First-Look Stills from '80s Thriller Hysteria!
Who Stars in Hysteria?
Modern Family alumnus Julie Bowen leads a roster of series regulars that also includes Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony), Emjay Anthony (Chef), Chiara Aurelia (Fear Street: Part Two), Kezii Curtis (Secret Headquarters), and Nikki Hahn (American Housewife). Evil Dead icon Bruce Campbell will pop in and out of the story as a recurring guest star alongside Garret Dillahunt (Burn Notice), Nolan North (Uncharted), Elijah Richardson (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Milly Shapiro (Hereditary), Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13), and Jessica Treska (Sharp Objects).
When Does Hysteria! Premiere?
All eight, 60-minute episodes of Hysteria! will premiere on Peacock Friday, October 18. In addition, the first episode is slated for simultaneous broadcast on USA Network and SYFY the same day, with the former airing new episodes each week.
The first and eighth episodes were directed by Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who serves as executive producer with Matthew Scott Kane, David A. Goodman, Chris Bender, John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, and Jake Weiner. Scott Stoops is a supervising producer.
