Channel Zero Episode by Episode - Episode One - WTF IS GOING ON
Channel Zero - I’ve been hearing about it for ages, and I’ve seen the creepy tooth guy, but have no idea what it really is. But I had some time on my hands and decided to delve in. Full disclosure, as I’m sure most of you are aware - I’m terrible with TV shows. I’m not a big TV show person unless it’s watching The Office and Friends over and over again. Which is a shame because I know there’s so much great horror TV out there now!
But, I’ll give Channel Zero a shot and see what happens. But you can’t hold me accountable!!!!
Channel Zero is a horror anthology created by Nick Antosca. It airs on Syfy and is now available on Shudder. It’s based on popular creepypastas. The first season is based on Kris Straub’s story - Candle Cove.
Episode One - You Have to go Inside
“Mike, why are you scared to go home?” Mike Painter is a child psychologist who has a traumatic past. In 1988, 28 years ago, he lost his twin brother. This was during the “Iron Hill Murders.” Five children went missing, and four were found. Eddie, his brother, was never found.
Mike is having nightmares and terrible flashbacks. He decides it’s finally time to go home, and so he drives to Iron Hill. His Mother isn’t exactly thrilled to see him, which is super strange. If I randomly showed up on my Mom’s doorstep she’d cook me a turkey dinner and buy me new pajamas. His Mother wants to know why he’s back and when he says he wants to find out more about his brothers disappearance she isn’t thrilled.
He goes to the police station where his old friend Gary is now the sheriff. He tells Gary he wants the files from Eddie’s case. But Gary will only allow it if Mike goes over to Gary’s house to check out his weird kid.
Turns out, Gary married Jessica, who we can assume was a very close friend of Mike and Eddie when they were kids. Even though she’s not in any of the flashbacks. She has two kids with Gary, Dane and Katie. Dane is apparently the weird one but it’s only because he’s obsessed with David Bowie. Which actually makes him pretty cool. Katie is the weird one because she’s watching a weird puppet show on TV. Mike recognizes it immediately.
We learn it’s called Candle Cove and only aired for two months, September and October, in the fall of ‘88. All the adults at the dinner table remember seeing Candle Cove. One guy remembers specifically a character called Jawbone, “when I catch you, I’m gonna skin your hide.”
Mike’s hit the hardest though and immediately leaves in a panic. Which I think I’ll use that as an excuse to leave parties quickly in the future. SORRY, I’VE JUST SEEN A TV SHOW FROM MY CHILDHOOD AND AM TRAUMATIZED BYE.
Mike continues to have flashbacks and nightmares. He wakes up in the morning in the middle of the woods, clearly having been sleep walking. When he returns home he sees a stranger in the woods.
That’s when we learn Katie has gone missing. And I’m starting to think something’s not right with this weird puppet TV show you guys….
Mike has some more flashbacks of him and Eddie. Seems like they had a really rough go of it after their Dad left. Lots of horrible bullying and a scary dog.
Jessica, Gary, and Mike begin searching for Katie along with the other police officers. Jessica confronts Mike because she learned that he had been out at 3 am the night before. She’s suspicious of him. And it’s like woah girl chill out, he was just walking, poor guy. That’s when she drops the bombshell - turns out Mike just got out of the psych ward three days ago. He had a psychotic episode. And now some of the flashbacks are making sense where he’s stabbing himself with a pair of scissors.
Then Mike runs away because he realizes Candle Cove and Katie disappearing are probably one in the same. NO SHIT MICHAEL. He finds Katie’s brother Dane who says she’s gone to the crows nest. Which turns out is the spot in the fields by the signal tower where Eddie and Mike used to hang out and also where the bodies of the children were found.
He finds Katie there. And as they’re leaving a TERRIFYING CREATURE MADE OUT OF TEETH COMES OUT. I can’t even deal with this. The fucking sound of it you guys, just crawling around, being teeth. GUHHHHHH. The creature grabs some of the teeth Katie leaves behind.
Mike obviously does the right thing and brings Katie home, but everyone is still super suspicious of him as he knew exactly where Katie was. Also he’s rambling a lot about Candle Cove. Jessica asks him why he even came home in the first place, which...wow Jessica, RUDE. Mike says he’s been called home and then shows a scene of him putting Bactine on giant cuts all over his arm that read, “MIKE COME HOME.” Because clearly this spirit or whatever it is hasn’t heard of texting. Oh! Also! He realizes one of the cops was the stranger he saw in the woods. Though I’m not sure of the significance of that yet…
His Mom wanders in and just drops a bombshell on him when he asks her if she remembered Candle Cove. Turns out she remembers it differently, Mike and Eddie made that show up and would just lay in front of the TV staring at static.
WOAH
Mike decides to leave because clearly this has been A LOT. But he gets a phone call, I’m assuming from Eddie, “where are you going? We’re just getting started again.”
AHHHHH
Okay, obviously I have A LOT of questions. But this is only episode one so I will chill.
I’m intrigued enough to continue….see you later for Episode Two! We’re just getting started...again….
