Copyright 2023 Distractify. Another post on r/Netflix takes a more personal approach in its criticism of the series. Matarazzo stated, "Thank you guys for your concern for these people. An Egyptian sarcophagus arrives at the Gaten Museum. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Temps hired to investigate frequent accidents on an isolated stretch of road find themselves in an angry mama monsters unhappy hunting ground. Yep, sounds like the perfect setup for a ghoulish prank. I think that, much like in real crisis situations, people often remain surprisingly subdued in the face of peril and hope that all the red flags and alarms are not actually spelling their end. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. On top of acting, Storrs is a writer and producer for the show as well. The eight-episode series is supposed to launch later this year, but what has sparked mass outrage is Deadlines description of the upcoming reality show: Each episode of this terrifying and hilarious prank show takes two complete strangers who each think theyre starting their first day at a new job. In one episode, a young woman is charged with the home care of a patient named Teresa, who has undergone extensive cosmetic surgery. If that's the case, it certainly takes from the excitement of the show. An electrical outage in a top-secret government warehouse triggers a shutdown and releases a hostile alien on the terrified staff. There ya go. Hosted by Gaten Matarazzo, who plays the role of Dustin Henderson in theNetflixoriginal show,Stranger Things,it is a prank show that follows the concept oftwo strangers that are unwittingly introduced to each other by show actors, under the ruse of a tryout for a new job. Netflix's new hidden camera show Prank Encounters arrived on the platform on Friday (25 October). Thank u so much for checking us out! If it were to thaw, well, that would be bad. All Rights Reserved. gone bad, or any of the classic horror stories. https://t.co/xdbFOWQfaK, Yeah because when I get a new job to support myself. A dark and ominous night. FAKE!Jim stabs Gaten. When an ailing ex-astronaut checks into a night clinic, two women find themselves locked in a cosmic battle with a gruesome souvenir from space. 2023 GRV Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved. ET If you've watched Stranger Things, you know just how adorable Gaten Matarazzo is. But instead of a job, they're actually hired to be a part of a terrifying nightmare. Good thing this dangerous prehistoric entity is kept securely frozen in cold storage. See also Starring: Gaten Matarazzo Watch all you want. Nothing to see here, folks. This is probably why we have such a collective fascination with candid camera shows like Punk'd and now Netflix's Prank Encounters. Temps hired to investigate frequent accidents on an isolated stretch of road find themselves in an angry mama monsters unhappy hunting ground. The Netflix series revolves around pranking people who are just starting a new job, and the internet isnot into it. 1,206, This story has been shared 1,169 times. A Netflix spokesperson addressed the controversy in a statement released to TIME. We make very clear to everyone that its a one-night assignment, he explained. And that turned out to be a lovely, enriching addition to television. I was expecting much more out of your company. This job is fake!Jim: What?Gaten: The look on your face.Jim: Thousands in student loan debt. Executive produced and hosted by Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, Prank Encounters comes from Ben Silverman and Howard Owens Propagate Content, the company that was responsible for creating Apples much-mocked Planet of the Apps as well as Red Team for Amazon. 1,446, This story has been shared 1,206 times. Did this inventor really create a device that can read people's minds? Some viewers of the show have highlighted the show's filming, with many suggesting that the shots are captured via a handheld video recorder rather than a stationary hidden camera. 961, This story has been shared 885 times. What Time Does 'That '90s Show' Premiere on Netflix? [9] Matarazzo also responded to the initial controversy when the show was announced on his Instagram account. However, during a time when having health insurance feels like a luxury, a prank show that revolves around bait-and-switching new jobs is tone deaf. The reality show takes unsuspecting people and allows their friends or family to prank them in various horror-themed scenarios. Matarazzo probably has a busy schedule with Stranger Things, which might make it difficult for him to film too long. How come the victims don't swear at all. It's vile and if the description is accurate should never be released. AND GET FREAKY WITH US ONINSTAGRAMANDFACEBOOK, Screenshot: Prank Encounters season 2 - Netflix. Kevin's rejoinder helped to ameliorate the "problematic nature" that first offended viewers, and said that the unwitting participants basically become unsuspecting stars of a short film, thanks to Gaten and the other team of secret performers. Not everyone is very excited about the premise. (7 episodes, 2021) Its also worth noting that despite his Stranger Things fame, Matarazzo is still just a 16-year-old kid. A baby.Gaten: HA! At the end of it all, Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo comes out to reveal that everything that had happened was fake and it was all caught on camera. Kevin Healey, the show's executive producer, and a long-time prankster responded to the criticisms, saying that the program's marks "left super happy. The show is described as a "hidden camera prank show", however, perhaps there is the addition of a camera team, too. Similar in concept to the 2003 series Scare Tactics, Prank Encounters is billed as a horror-themed hidden camera show. Days after the announcement of this prank show, Netflix subscribers and fans of Matarazzo took to social media begging Netflix to cancel the show and for the Stranger Things star to reconsider. Netflix's new hidden camera show Prank Encounters arrived on the platform on Friday (25 October). i love how thoroughly prank encounters sets up the situation and gets the victims involved. Spooky, right? If there's a Prank Encounters season 3, it will most likely be around eight episodes, ten if Netflix gets suddenly generous. Scare Tactics creator Scott Hallock revealed to Reality Blurred in 2019 that they cast their subjects through a reality TV casting company. It's also possible that the success of the pranks determines the number of episodes. There's been quite a bit of backlash online with people claiming that the show is taking advantage of people who are struggling to find work and are already in an emotionally fragile state. As for the individuals being pranked, there are different people every episode, so there's no way to know who Prank Encounters might bring in for a possible third season. Yep, sounds like the perfect setup for a ghoulish prank. Finding a job can be incredibly difficult, and for someone who has been unemployed for a while, finally getting one can feel like a life raft. Prank Encounters is an American comedy web television series, which made its debut in October 2019.Hosted by Gaten Matarazzo, who plays the role of Dustin Henderson in the Netflix original show, Stranger Things, it is a prank show that follows the concept of two strangers that are unwittingly introduced to each other by show actors, under the ruse of a tryout for a new job. For all intents and purposes, Prank Encounters is real. It stars Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo as the Kutcher-esque celeb in the control room and features "real life" people in surprising and often terrifying situations. Episode 2 Release Date Information, '1923' Episode 4 Recap: "War & The Turquoise Tide", 'Yellowstone' Star Lilli Kay On Clara's Surprising LGBTQ+ Kiss: "Queer People Exist Everywhere", 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Episode 8: 5 Things You May Have Missed, From The Return of Jimmy To Beth's Horrible Discovery, Is 'Yellowstone' Season 5, Episode 9 on Tonight? Learn more about our use of cookies and information. If this show is as insensitive as it seems, those adults need to bear the brunt of the blame, not the child actor. As the premise suggests, Prank Encounters is a hidden camera show with a supernatural, horror twist. Dont zap him! If you ask fans, though, they'll often say the opposite. Two strangers who have never met are thrust into an elaborate supernatural-themed scenario while surrounded by paid actors who are in on the gag. From Deadlines description, it seems as though Prank Encounters will offer unsuspecting and likely financially vulnerable people part-time work only to yank that opportunity away. By what name was Prank Encounters (2019) officially released in India in Hindi? Since Season 1, Gaten, who plays Dustin, has been a fan favorite. Netflix and Matarazzo are going to have a PR nightmare on their hands when it premieres later this year, if so. Novak, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Drop' on Hulu, an Offbeat Relationship Comedy Led by Anna Konkle, Stream It Or Skip It: To Leslie on VOD, in Which Andrea Riseborough Gives a Riveting Portrayal of a Woman in the Grip of Alcoholism, Netflix Warns Wall Street To Expect Worst Q4 Subscriber Growth Since 2014, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 2 on Paramount+, Where Jeremy Renner Returns As A Brooding Fixer Between Cop And Criminal, Stream It Or Skip It: Mrs. Each episode pairs two members of the public, strangers to one another, who are unwittingly introduced to each other by show actors, under the ruse of a tryout for a new job. You can change your cookie preferences. takes two complete strangers who each think they're starting their first day at a new job. Would you help us with this prank?'" Did this inventor really create a device that can read people's minds? Later, it is "revealed" that the woman has been kidnapped by a man claiming to be her husband and that she is actually a missing person named Nicole. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's business as usual until their paths collide and these part-time jobs turn into full-time night Read alltakes two complete strangers who each think they're starting their first day at a new job. Stars David Storrs Gaten Matarazzo Peter Giles See production, box office & company info Watch on Netflix S1-2 with subscription What Time Will 'Strange World' Be on Disney+? Its possible that Prank Encounters isnt so much lying about people getting a new job as the description implies; but its about making just their first day hell. Prank Encounters faced a mini-backlash before it premiered as many worried for the potential job seekers at the heart of the hidden camera show. Prank Encounters is coming back just in time for April Fools' Day! ", Everyone had fun. When your consent is required, you can accept, refuse or personalise your choices. However, many viewers have taken to Reddit and Twitter to give reasons as to why they think it cant be real. Prank Encounters was released on October 25, 2019, on Netflix streaming. It's business as usual until their paths collide and these part-time jobs turn into full-time nightmares. Instead he was tricked into reading embarrassing lines, publicly humiliated, and offered a job which essentially allowed the series creators and voice actors to bully him more. Tweets aside, as a general rule, its not a good idea to bash a show until its been released. of over 150, but I'm not so impressed myself as to make strident assumptions about millions of people I've never met. A few of the actors, including Storrs, Holmberg, and Gabriel Pimentel, also appeared on Scare Tactics years ago. "[7], When the series was announced back in June 2019, there was controversy regarding the premise of the show being disrespectful towards people in search of employment. Prank Encounters is real, everyone was paid, and the people had fun! Show ends. PRANK ENCOUNTERS is a hidden-camera show that places people in their own personal tale of horror. What Time Is Miss Universe on Tonight? When an assistant decodes its hieroglyphics, an ancient curse activates -- and yikes, snakes! Maybe their selection process filtered for certain personality traits that led to that result? By my estimation, the "victims" are genuinely out of the loop and I think that case can be defended against the hasty aspersions employed against it. Executive produced and hosted by Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, Prank Encounters comes from Ben Silverman and Howard Owens' Propagate Content, the company that was responsible for. Don't zap him! According to Netflix's official synopsis, "each episode of this terrifying and hilarious prank show takes two complete strangers on the surprise ride of a lifetime. Some viewers of the show have accused the reactions to the pranks of being entirely staged. We came up with some very cool ways to make it feel more like a movie. 830, This story has been shared 773 times. The series was released on April Fool's Day, in respect of the show's theme of pranking. Learn more about our use of cookies and information. Spoiler alert: LA and New York don't feature at all. But for now, the show itself is supposed to include real reactions from people who have no idea they're being filmed for a prank show. "Usually, anytime a prank goes wrong, it never is this big, dramatic fiasco," Gaten shared with the outlet. Netflix supports the Digital Advertising Alliance Principles. Gaten stars as the host, in a similar vein to Ashton Kutcher hosting Punk'd. No car. Each episode pairs two members of the public, strangers to one another, who are unwittingly introduced to each other by show actors, under the ruse of a tryout for a new job. It doesn't help that the show looks a little too "perfectly produced", which is something viewers noticed on Twitter. One arrogant reviewer called its veracity into question and went so far as to insult the intelligence of anyone who buys the premiseall while grammatically butchering a simple phrase like "low I.Q." So if you've been holding off on checking out Prank Encounters because you thought the whole thing was staged then fret not, you can binge watch it on Netflix now and get your fill of candid pranktacular goodness. Netflix Might Have Just Spoiled 'The End of the F***ing World' Season Two. The strangers on the show arrive at a location for what they think is just a normal one-day job assignment that turns out to be anything but. Two unsuspecting women contend with creepy residents both "passed" and present while preparing a massive mansion to be sold. Oh and, by the way, Gaten, who is only 17, is also an executive producer on the show. Dustin From 'Stranger Things' Is Coming to Prank You in Netflix's 'Prank Encounters', People Are Not Happy About a New Prank Show Starring the Kid from 'Stranger Things', College Freshman Plays Prank, Ends up Getting Pulled from Class by FBI. Far beyond what a hidden camera can do. 'Bubble Boy' Meets 'The Exorcist': The Ending of 'Eli' Explained [SPOILERS]. Another user pointed out how the reactions from the pranked individuals seem so fake and are, at their core, evidence of terrible acting. Against the backdrop of the WWII battle known as Hitler's first defeat, a Norwegian soldier returns home and learns a shocking truth about his wife. 1 2021, Updated 5:20 p.m. But the good times go south when the host serves up his killer cake. Perfect shots, perfect camera angles, perfect lightning, c'mon!!! Well, we have no choice but to take Kevin Healy's word for it. A good prank is a truly wonderful thing, and the more elaborate, planned, and well-constructed, the more beautiful it is. He may be the face of this new series, but putting all of the anger surrounding it on his young shoulders is unfair. Friends and family members of the "victims" are brought into the equation to make the staged situations feel as real as possible and lure the unknowing stars into a false sense of security. On the other hand, some people truly enjoyed the show and are excited to see more (via HITC). It means so much to me and the rest of the producers of the show. The prank has to be believable to the unsuspecting subjects, and so far the show has done a good job of grounding well-known horror tropes in reality. Since Season 1, Gaten, who plays Dustin, has been a fan favorite. Fans think Gaten Matarazzo's new show is "fake", "Netflix's 'Prank Encounters' is just 'Punk'd,' 15 years too late", "Netflix Defends Prank Show Starring Stranger Things Actor Following Backlash", "Everyone who participated on Prank Encounters had fun and got paid, says exec producer", "Gaten Matarazzo on Instagram: "Thank you guys for your concern for these people. Gaten and his hired hands attend a young fans birthday party. All of the gags, however, are tied together with a very simple premise that's sure to get unwitting participants more invested than they probably would otherwise: employment. An Egyptian sarcophagus arrives at the Gaten Museum. Overall, the jury's still out on the response to season 2. https://t.co/ot4pgpjd2n, Jeremy Klumpp (@Klumpp13) June 15, 2019. All of the gags, however, are tied together with a very simple premise that's sure to get unwitting participants more invested than they probably would otherwise: employment. Big Fat Liar is a 2002 American comedy film, directed by Shawn Levy, adapted by Dan Schneider from a story by Schneider and Brian Robbins, and starring Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, Amanda Bynes, Amanda Detmer, Donald Faison, Lee Majors, and Russell Hornsby.. It's business as usual until their paths collide and their one-day assignments turn into supernatural surprises.". 35,258, This story has been shared 7,917 times. A produce sorter and a PR assistant try to stay calm and survive what they think is a deadly fog from another dimension. When an assistant decodes its hieroglyphics, an ancient curse activates -- and yikes, snakes! Watch Prank Encounters | Netflix Official Site Prank Encounters 2019 | Maturity Rating: TV-MA | 2 Seasons | TV Comedies Monstrous frights meet hilarious reveals on this hidden-camera prank show as real people become the stars of their own full-blown horror movie. When Will Love Island Season 9 Be on Hulu? Cast members who have appeared in a bunch of episodes are David Storrs, Henry Dittman, Peter Giles, Mary Gallagher, Sven Holmberg, and Kerri J. Baldwin. I guess it would be unwise to recruit alpha males that could lead to physical harm for the actors. We hope you enjoy the show, and we are very excited to show you all what we've created", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prank_Encounters&oldid=1119008857. Be the first to contribute! Scott said. He fights monsters on "Stranger Things," but here Gaten Matarazzo brings the scares as the host of his own prank show. The casting company involved in the show posted a form online for cast members to arrange a Covid test prior to filming. Prank Encounters is a part of Netflix's Halloween lineup so it'll be out just in time to scare the pants off of you for All Hallow's Eve. Even if some people aren't so happy with the demographics of the show's prankees. It's 2019, though, and TV viewers have been conditioned to question everything. But a certain evil teddy bear doesn't want to be collected. Is Prank Encounters on Netflix scripted? In this continuation of a Season 1 episode, an insane surgeon is on the loose as two weary temps watch with dread. Comedy Horror Reality-TV takes two complete strangers who each think they're starting their first day at a new job. [5][6], The Daily Dot had unfavorably compared the series to Punk'd and criticized the reactions, stating "Netflix's Prank Encounters is a riff on Punk'd, but it doesn't do anything to set itself apart. The subjects don't know that they're in on a terrifying gag and that there's a crew of some 40-60 people watching their every move, stifling laughter the whole time. 1,051, This story has been shared 961 times. In her own words, through personal video and diaries, Pamela Anderson shares the story of her rise to fame, rocky romances and infamous sex tape scandal. "PRANK ENCOUNTERS" Original Filming Date >> AUGUST 15th As of Thursday a COVID-19 test came back positive for someone on the crew (no one in the zone that has any contact with BG, totally different dept), this person felt symptoms early on- and spent the whole week at home last week, just in case this person was infected with COVID-19 *great job to this person's intuition, as they were right*. While it's unclear how you can get cast on Prank Encounters, if its anything like Scare Tactics, then it only adds fuel to the fire of assuming the show hires actors. Hosted by Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, season 2 of Netflix's hidden camera prank show streams Thursday, April 1 and. Viewers are wondering whether Gaten Matarazzo's new Netflix show, Prank Encounters, is real, fake, staged, or something in between. For others, the show seems just a tad staged and, in their eyes, downright fake thanks to the reactions of the people on it. Hey @netflix what is this "Prank Encounters" show, do you really think your audience in 2019 is that stupid? It was so hard to make but we had a blast! There are many, many capable adults who are working to make Prank Encounters a reality, not just one teenager who is sitting on an idea that sounds like it would come from a shortsighted teen. #PrankEncounters #StrangerThings https://t.co/gCWlRXTdRA, chris calhoun (@chrishope50) June 15, 2019, Gaten (jumping out of trash can): Ha! An electrical outage in a top-secret government warehouse triggers a shutdown and releases a hostile alien on the terrified staff. ", According to Kevin Healey, yes, they are. Dallas was one of the unwitting "victims" of the first season. 773, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Netflix/Gaten Matarazzo, lets talk about your new "prank" show. watching prank encounters and im having doubts to whether it is real hmmmmm, Between the perfect audio, impeccable camera angles, absurd scenarios and absolutely wild reactions, folks are wondering just how real Prank Encounters is. One worker has a babysitting gig, while another stops by to collect toys for charity. Three students from a poor neighborhood join an exclusive high school for Delhi elite where dark secrets and rumors ultimately lead to murder. The show's first season got relatively negative reviews, with some viewers stating thatPrank Encounters is too well-shot and well-produced to be improvised, or for the guests to not be in on the prank. While we wait for any official word on Prank Encounters'future, here's everything we know about a possible season 3 so far. Most of the criticism of the series revolves around how cruel it seems. : Everything We Know About 'The Resident' Season 7. Copyright 2023 Distractify. One post in particular on r/television has gained a significant amount of attention, receiving over 13,200 upvotes. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, this series was recorded with limited social distancing and was filmed during late 2020 and early 2021. It's business as usual until their paths collide and these part-time jobs turn into full-time night takes two complete strangers who each think they're starting their first day at a new job.