Horror fans hooked on Prime Video series with an impressive 93% Rotten Tomatoes score - hailing it the next American Horror Story
Horror fans are hooked on a new Amazon Prime Video series with an impressive 93 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score - hailing it the next American Horror Story.
Three of four seasons of anthology programme Channel Zero, first released between 2016 and 2019, have recently been uploaded to the streamer.
Like beloved anthology show American Horror Story, which has run since 2011, each series has a self-contained chilling storyline.
The first season, for instance, named Candle Cove, follows a child psychologist (Paul Schneider) and his mother (Fiona Shaw) investigating his brother's disappearance - mysteriously linked to a creepy children's TV show they used to watch.
The programme has been popular with critics, with season one boasting a whopping 93 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes - and the second and third instalments rated a perfect 100 per cent.
And fans love it just as much too, taking to Rotten Tomatoes to leave their verdicts - with some even suggesting it rivals cult horror classic American Horror Story.
One said of the first series: 'Somewhere between American Horror Story and Stranger Things, Channel Zero: Candle Cove provides a meandering plot through the subtle horrors shared by children around the world.
'Relying on few jump scares or over-the-top special effects, Candle Cove still delivers spine-tingling terror. For who prefer chills to thrills, a must-watch.'
Another agreed: 'One of the most chillingly effective shows on television.
'A great cast (headed by the incredible Fiona Shaw) bring to life a ghost story/murder mystery set in a small town that, of course, harbours dark secrets; a la Stephen King at his very early best.
'With its ability to evoke the 1980s without a gigantic budget and its lowkey but effectively terrifying telling, the creators of the overblown Stranger Things or the horrid American Horror Story should take note. This is how to do it.'
The show was cancelled after four seasons in early 2019 by American TV channel Syfy - which some viewers could not believe.
One said, after watching the final season: 'A phenomenal final chapter in the series, if not my personal favourite chapter of the bunch.
'The only downside to it is the fact that it is the last chapter... ever.
Fans love the show just as much as the critics, taking to Rotten Tomatoes to leave their verdicts - with some even suggesting it rivals cult horror classic American Horror Story
The show was cancelled after four seasons in early 2019 by American TV channel Syfy - which some viewers could not believe
'It is inexplicable to me how lesser properties such as American Horror Story, Slasher or Walking Dead keep getting renewed while this truly frightening disturbing and well-written series was cancelled despite near unanimous critical acclaim.
'Well, at least it went out on a high note with its small but dedicated fan base. Here's hoping it will be revisited someday.'
A critic for Collider went as far as to say 'Channel Zero did what American Horror Story couldn't' in its later series.
They explained: 'This is the problem with modern American Horror Story. It's such an incredibly inventive world but no matter what it focusses on, it never seems to know what it wants to achieve.
'There's no doubt that [American Horror Story co-creator] Ryan Murphy is a master of bending genes but by blending so many themes, the overall show has lost sight of what it started out as.
'In comparison, Channel Zero never lost sight of being an amalgamation of themes but it did it all while remaining truly terrifying.'
Another review, for GameSpot, said it is 'one of the best horror TV shows ever': 'Channel Zero was criminally underrated in its day but has the makings of a modern cult classic.'
The show was created by Nick Antosca, also known for creating 2019 TV drama The Act, about the American woman Gypsy Rose Blanchard who murdered her mother, accused of making up that Gypsy was severely ill and disabled.
It takes its inspiration from an internet phenomenon known as a creepypasta - a play on the word 'copypasta', referring to a brief story or image that has become online horror legend by being widely shared by users.
Channel Zero's second series, called No-End House, has a young woman and her group of friends discover the truth about a house of horrors tourist attraction.
The third instalment, Butcher's Block, meanwhile, follows a young woman and her schizophrenic sister who move to a new city, haunted by a series of disappearances - which the women begin to investigate.
It comes after fans of rival streaming platform Netflix raved about an 'uncomfortable' supernatural horror movie that made their 'skin crawl'.
Blockbuster Truth Or Dare was first released back in 2018 but was heavily edited to cut out some of the gore and tone it down to make it suitable for a PG 13 rating in America.
It has since grown a huge fan base and is available to stream on Netflix for UK viewers, in an 'extended version'.
'Dark fears and sinister forces collide when friends play a twisted game of Truth Or Dare in this extended version of the Blumhouse thriller,' the synopsis reads.
Starring Pretty Little Liars Lucy Hale, Teen Wolf actor Tyler Posey and Violett Beane, amongst others, the supernatural horror film is listed on Netflix UK as Blumhouse's Truth or Dare: Extended Director's Cut.
Many fans have shared their verdicts on the original movie over the years and one posted on Google reviews: 'I really liked it. It made me crawl in my skin because it was so uncomfortable to see, and a good type of frightening for me.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ana de Armas' John Wick spin-off Ballerina underperforms at box office despite Tom Cruise's rave review
Ballerina: From the World of John Wick is the latest action adventure to be soundly defeated by Disney's Lilo and Stitch. The live-action adventure starring an adorable Maia Kealoha, along with Hannah Waddingham and Courtney B. Vance, continued to ride the wave to the top of the box office over the weekend, in spite of some tough new competition. Lilo & Stitch remained the champ for the third week in a row, earning and estimated $32.5 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Newcomer, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, made a soft landing in second place, in spite of good word of mouth, pulling in $25 million domestically and another $26 million internationally. Tom Cruise, who is rumored to be dating de Armas, even raved about the film, which he called 'outstanding' in an interview with AP. The film has earned an A- from Cinemascore, per Deadline, and a 94-percent rating from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, although critics were less enthusiastic. Meanwhile. Lilo & Stitch continued to ride the wave to the top for the third week in a row, earning $32.5 million. So far the live action romp has pulled in $772 million globally The thriller is the first spin-off from the John Wick franchise and Keanu Reeves does put in an appearance in this story of a Russian assassin who goes on revenge-fueled killing spree after the murder of her father. The unexpected success of Lilo & Stitch over typical summer blockbusters may not be such a surprise. The film, a live-action version of the 2002 animated Disney adventure, debuted over the long Memorial Day weekend, beating the highly anticipated Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning by nearly double. As schools dismiss for summer across the US, more and more families are likely looking for ways to beat the heat for a couple of hours. So far, the movie has made more than $772 million globally, making it the third most lucrative film of 2025 so far, behind A Minecraft Movie, with $951,379,547 and the Chinese film Ne Zha 2, which has earned $1,898,972,049 worldwide so far. Final Reckoning, starring Tom Cruise, dropped from second place to third, earning $15 million domestically. The movie looks poise to surpass 2023's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning which earned more than $571 million worldwide. Final Reckoning already has global totals of more than $450 million. Karate Kid: Legends starring the original 'Kid' Ralph Macchio along with martial arts master Jackie Chan dropped from third to fourth place, earning $8.7 million over the weekend. Another franchise project, Final Destination: Bloodlines, rounded out the top five, scaring up some $6.5 million. Lilo and Stitch will get some new competition in the family friendly category next week with the release of the live action How to Train Your Dragon. The reimagined film was a hit in April, where an unfinished version was screened at CinemaCon. 'How to Train Your Dragon' is spectacular,' wrote film critic Scott Menzel of X, calling it 'A visually stunning and emotionally engaging retelling of the animated classic.' The Life of Chuck, starring Tom Hiddleston and based on a Stephen King novella will enter the fray, along with the romantic comedy Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans.
The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
Backstage with Shakira as we reveal the truth about her life on the road and she teases massive UK shows
'DON'T you see, baby, this is perfection?' Shakira sings in front of a 65,000-strong crowd at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. As she wiggles her bum and gives the audience a cheeky grin, it is hard to disagree with the Colombian superstar. 10 10 10 Two decades after she first sang that line from Hips Don't Lie, she is reaching incredible new heights — and it has now been confirmed that hers is the biggest female tour of 2025 so far, by both box office takings and ticket sales. Outselling Beyonce and Lady Gaga, Shakira has hit a new stride in the five years since she last performed at the Florida venue for her Super Bowl halftime show with Jennifer Lopez, which for many artists is considered the pinnacle of their career. But now she is having the best time on the road with her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour — translated as Women No Longer Cry — which is why she invited me, Bizarre's Howell, out to Miami where she lives with her two sons. Shakira took me backstage for a UK newspaper exclusive at the first of two sold-out shows on Friday. After her performance, I couldn't help but tell her how much I'm looking forward to her long- rumoured UK dates next year. 'Better journey' Confirming they will indeed be happening, she says: 'I can't wait.' After giving me a massive hug, the down-to-earth and downright lovely star continues: 'You flew all this way just for me? Thank you so much.' And reflecting on the show, she beams: 'I had so much fun.' That's evident from the moment Shakira bursts on to the stage, after a film showed an AI version of the singer with a missing arm, emerging from a pile of sand and putting itself back together. That symbolism is important because this is Shakira's first tour since a torrid spell which threatened to derail not just her career but her life. Huge pop star set to make a spectacular comeback with a string of UK gigs She has been dragged through the Spanish courts over an unpaid tax bill, which was settled in November 2023. At the same time, she had a highly publicised split from former footballer Gerard Pique after 11 years together. It followed allegations he had cheated. The hurt has inspired a lot of Shakira's art. She opens the two-hour show with her 2024 song La Fuerte, which features lyrics about waking up alone and deleting an ex's number. In an empowering speech, she tells the crowd: 'Many of you know that the past years haven't been the easiest for me, right? But who doesn't have a fall here and there, right? What I've learned is that a fall isn't the end, but the beginning of an even better journey.' 10 10 10 And there are more nods to those difficulties in her personal life. During Te Felicit, a song in which she says congratulations to a man who has broken her heart, she tries to reprogram a dancer dressed as a male robot so that he isn't a misogynist. But he still touches her bum and turns out to be a dud in bed when she gets cosy with him in the centre of the stage. During one interlude, there are visuals of a wolf with two cubs, representing the She-Wolf singer and her sons Milan, 12, and Sasha, ten, who both lend their vocals to song Acrostico. But Shakira balances her own turmoil with fun and froth — with a whopping 14 outfits on show. For her second song, the catchy Black Eyed Peas collaboration Girl Like Me, she unzips her jacket to show a silver vest top, which she then tears off to reveal a glittery pink mini dress. There is a sea of lights across the stadium as fans wave their light-up wristbands in unison. And Shakira pulls on everything from sparkly bodysuits to ball gowns and bra tops. I'm told it took ten months to design the show, and given the attention to detail you can see why. At 48, Shakira seems to have discovered the elixir of life, because she looks and moves like someone half her age. By the halfway point of the concert, temperatures are 30C and I have sweat running down my face. Yet Shakira, who is marking three decades since her first headline concert, is running across the stage and twerking without so much as a moist brow. In fact, she looks even fitter and healthier than when she first became a household name in the UK in the early-Noughties. She is in tip-top form for this tour, which kicked off in February and Shakira describes as her 'most ambitious'. She is constantly working out and has two physiotherapists with her on the road. And I can attest that her backstage catering area, where I had dinner before the show, has plenty of healthy options including grilled red snapper, Peruvian chicken and cauliflower steak. A significant part of the show features Spanish-language songs, which have sometimes held the singer back in the UK, given most of us Brits can barely understand a word. Tender moment But as more and more non- English acts gain traction here in Blighty — such as K-Pop stars BTS and Blackpink and Spanish-speaking rapper Bad Bunny — now is her time. At the show she is joined by two special guests: Puerto Rican singer Ozuna, to perform their song Monotonia together for the first time, and Spanish Alejandro Sanz for the danceable La Tortura. During Soltera she pole- dances on a giant letter S before changing the pace for the piano-driven ballad Ultima, which she sings atop a mound of diamonds. When the tour does eventually come to our shores, it is bound to be the English language tunes that keep the audience on their feet. There's an understated rendition of her 2002 belter Underneath Your Clothes, a traditional dance with knives for her megahit Whenever Wherever, and a mass howl-along for She-Wolf, complete by a gigantic wolf image that towers over the audience. Then she throws an on-stage, multi- coloured carnival for 2010 smash-hit World Cup anthem, Waka Waka (This Time For Africa). One surprising omission from the setlist is Beautiful Liar, her 2006 collaboration with Beyonce, which topped the charts here. But in a tender moment, Shakira reveals it was her fellow artist's 2023 Renaissance tour that inspired her to organise her own. Shakira, whose North American dates were upgraded from arenas to stadiums due to overwhelming demand, explains: 'To see this place this packed, it's a dream for me. It's surreal. 'The last time I came to Hard Rock Stadium, I saw Beyonce's show and I said to myself, 'How amazing would it be if I could play the stadium one day?' 'How amazing that tonight, I'm here playing two stadiums. I have the best crowd in the world. You make all of my dreams come true.' There is no doubt that she is stronger than ever before. This show cemented Shakira as a true music icon. OZZY UP FOR GIG ONLINE OZZY OSBOURNE's massive farewell performance at Villa Park on July 5 sold out in minutes, but you'll now be able to watch the legend on a livestream. Fans who missed out on the chance to attend the Back To The Beginning concert, which has a star-studded line-up including Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Tool, Slayer and Pantera, can buy tickets to watch a stream at – meaning you can host the big concert at home. 10 Ozzy's wife Sharon said: 'We had such overwhelming demand from fans around the globe who couldn't get tickets to the show, and they took to social media, pleading with us to broadcast a livestream. 'Seeing as this is such a historic event, we couldn't let them down.' JET setter Rita Ora was back on stage at the World Club Dome festival in Frankfurt on Saturday, mere hours after singing at Washington Pride on Friday. But I couldn't help but wonder if she'd lost her suitcase in the rush over, as she was missing some gear when she performed in her bra and pants. HARRY TASH FOR XX BASH HARRY STYLES made a rare public outing to party the night away at a Jamie XX gig on Saturday. The Watermelon Sugar singer, who is on a break from music, was spotted in the VIP section at Lido Festival in East London, where producer Jamie had curated the line-up ahead of his headline performance. 10 Harry wore a blue baseball cap, hoody and jacket for the event to try to go unnoticed, but was still spotted by eagle-eyed fans. The moustachioed star had an extra-special treat when Jamie reunited his band The XX on stage, bringing out Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim. But he won't have long to wait for music from them as I'm told they've almost completed their first album in eight years. This week in Bizness... TODAY: The new live action remake of How To Train Your Dragon, featuring Gerard Butler and Nick Frost, finally lands at cinemas – 15 years after the original hit animation arrived on screen. TOMORROW: Sydney Sweeney joins Julianna Moore and Domhnall Gleeson in London for the European premiere of their film Echo Valley ahead of its Friday launch on Apple TV+. WEDNESDAY: James kick off ten days of shows at Hampton Court Palace Festival, with Rag'N'Bone Man, Tom Jones, Chaka Khan, Elbow, Bananarama and Gary Barlow also on the bill. SUNDAY: The Capital Summertime Ball takes over London's Wembley Stadium with a star-studded line- up including chart-toppers Mariah Carey, Will Smith, Benson Boone, Lola Young and Tate McRae.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Meet the forgotten Olsen sibling! Insiders spill on life in twins Mary-Kate and Ashley's shadow... and pivotal secret job
Lookalike twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen rocketed to fame as kids on the '90s sitcom Full House, both starring as Michelle Tanner. But despite their instant celebrity, they managed to avoid many of the pitfalls that other child stars suffer, largely because of a stealth presence keeping guard. As they grew up, Mary-Kate and Ashley quickly became tabloid fixtures and then famed designers. But did you know that they have one little-known older brother Trent who looked to be on a similar path to stardom until he left Hollywood behind forever?
