It had been 13 years since John Carpenter's THE WARD. He should have stayed retired. Carpenter lends his name to the series and directed this one episode. His voice introduces the program, and he sounds lazy and tired.
Carpenter's episode, The Phone Stalker, is 'based on a true story' of a Long Island woman getting harrassing phone calls from an unknown man. Potentially interesting, and there's a stray moment or two of interest, but sadly, Suburban Screams is like a basic cable True Crime re-enactment show - only with dick pics! Production values are minimal, with the Czech Republic standing in for New York. The acting is, to be charitable, passable. The episode just peters out and abruptly ends.
Hard to believe after this long of a layoff, Carpenter would get off his couch to direct this. Oh, wait, Carpenter DIDN'T get off his sofa, for you see, he directed from his living room in L.A.! (see photo) The shoot was in Prague, but Carpenter was comfortably sitting in his jammies “directing” via link-up. Even though he's listed as Executive Producer Carpenter himself has said he had little input over cast, crew and storylines and was inundated with studio “notes” (one of which was, apparently, the inclusion of said dick pics).
If you are a Carpenter fan, do yourself a favor and NOT watch this sad footnote.
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams is streaming on Peacock - you have been warned.
Carpenter's episode, The Phone Stalker, is 'based on a true story' of a Long Island woman getting harrassing phone calls from an unknown man. Potentially interesting, and there's a stray moment or two of interest, but sadly, Suburban Screams is like a basic cable True Crime re-enactment show - only with dick pics! Production values are minimal, with the Czech Republic standing in for New York. The acting is, to be charitable, passable. The episode just peters out and abruptly ends.
Hard to believe after this long of a layoff, Carpenter would get off his couch to direct this. Oh, wait, Carpenter DIDN'T get off his sofa, for you see, he directed from his living room in L.A.! (see photo) The shoot was in Prague, but Carpenter was comfortably sitting in his jammies “directing” via link-up. Even though he's listed as Executive Producer Carpenter himself has said he had little input over cast, crew and storylines and was inundated with studio “notes” (one of which was, apparently, the inclusion of said dick pics).
If you are a Carpenter fan, do yourself a favor and NOT watch this sad footnote.
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams is streaming on Peacock - you have been warned.
