REVIEW: Prank Encounters, Season One

 REVIEW: Prank Encounters, Season One

Recently I checked out the first season of Netflix's hidden camera prank show, 'Prank Encounters'. Overall I found the season a lot of fun, and will certainly be given its second run a go later in the week. For now, though, here are my thoughts for each episode of Season One:

Teddy Scare

I've always been a sucker for watching innocent people being pranked on television, so it was great to see there was a whole series of this very premise on Netflix. This show is basically like a mixture of Prank Patrol and the Get Out Of Me Ear segments from Saturday Night Takeaway. The premise revolves around two random civilians whose paths cross in one singular location, and encounter a supernatural event which they are led to believe is real. Only it's actually a hidden camera prank, and everybody else is an actor.

It takes a while to get going, but once it does its an entertaining 22 minutes to pass the time. That poor babysitter looked absolutely terrified when the teddy started moving, and if looks could kill when the delivery man told her the police said they were too busy, he would have been long dead before this episode was over. But that would have been a whole other story...

End Of The Road

I honestly thought this was better than the first episode. This second instalment sees new recruits for the Highway Safety Board and Freemont Insurance join forces when they are sent to investigate a road that has seen a string of car accidents occur within a short space of time.

The practical effects here are impressive, from the safety vests with claw marks imbued into the fabrics to the eerily lifelike bear costume. And the scared reactions are very funny, especially the Highway Safety Board woman confidently telling the woman from Freemont Insurance that it absolutely is 'real life'.

Face Fears

This one has a really interesting story about a woman called Nicole who is kidnapped by a plastic surgeon hell-bent on making her in the image of his late wife. That could have made for a great horror film alone, never mind an episode of a prank show.

I had to laugh when the unsuspecting member of the public who was supposed to be acting as a caregiver to 'Teresa' - a woman called Dallas - said she had 'no medical experience'. That inspires a lot of confidence in her being able to provide the care! The male member of the public being pranked - Nick - seemed unusually calm and collected given the situation too. He didn't seem bothered at all!

Urgent Scare

Wow, this was a very clever hidden prank. This one concerns an astronaut who has returned from space and experienced severe weight loss due to a creature moving inside his body, and the two unsuspecting members of the public - hospital receptionist Jada and hospitality shuttle assistant Abbey - are brought together to assist with the situation. Their individual reactions are what really sells it; Abbey seems to be enjoying it somewhat, whereas Jada appears to be really buying what's going on.

I have no idea how they did that closing moment with the little man bursting out of the astronaut's body, courtesy of production designer Joe Warson and his team. That was truly an astonishing piece of practical effects work, and if I had been one of those unsuspecting civilians in the room, I'd have totally believed that it actually happened.

Camp Scarecrow

This one gave me some real Blair Witch Project vibes. It concerns a bordered up kids' camp being terrorised by a scarecrow whilst innocent citizens Regan and Cameron are working as trainee boys' and girls' camp leaders, and it's a really gripping story irrespective of the fact that it is an elaborate hidden camera prank.

The actor playing Lucious - Sven Holmberg - is utterly fantastic; he seems to be approaching the role as though he is in a big budget Hollywood movie rather than a prank show, and he honestly has to be one of the best actors I have ever seen in a piece of television.

Is it my imagination or did Regan and Cameron seem to be flirting over the walkie talkies? It looked like they got on like a house on fire!

Storage War Of The Worlds

I'm always a sucker for science fiction stories, and this one was no different. This prank revolved around a warehouse full of secret government documents, where an air force pilot and a trio of aliens are being kept alive in a 'LFCU' (Life Form Containment Unit), and it kind of reminded me of an escape room type of story to an extent.

Like with those most popular of attractions, we have a group of people tasked to complete a set of objectives to hit a particular goal (in this case, preserving both alien and human life) within a set time limit (in this case, the whole warehouse being destroyed). I don't know if this was intentional, but I thought it was an interesting observation nonetheless.

The two unsuspecting members of the public this week are warehouse assistant Dashawnda and electrical assistant Justin, and they're two very likeable individuals. Poor Justin seemed frantic with worry when he thought the place was going to explode!

Actor David Storrs - playing Assistant Deputy of Military Records Dave - is absolutely hysterical, playing this surprisingly dim individual who doesn't quite seem to know what he's doing. You can tell Dashonda is in total disbelief of just how dumb this guy appears to be, and it provides for some great comedy throughout the episode.

Fright At The Museum

This is a fun one, clearly drawing heavy inspiration from the family film series Night At The Museum. The unsuspecting members of the public this time are warehouse delivery worker Khadijah and curator assistant Matty. They are brought into a supernatural occurrence involving some ancient Egyptian artefacts which hold an age-old curse.

David Storrs is once again fantastic in his role here as Daniel, and Ronny Mathew as Ahmed totally knocks it out the park. But a show like this would be nothing without the members of the public who are being pranked, and Khadijah's reaction in particular is priceless here. She seems genuinely disturbed, and you kind of feel for her during her constant pleas to get out.

Split Party

This one is probably my favourite of the first season. Gaten Matarazzo plays a much bigger role than normal in proceedings, as the story concerns his invite to 'young girl Stacey's' birthday party. Father Jerry is a bit of a control freak however, and it's up to this week's unsuspecting members of the public, personal assistant Kelsey and party planner Ashanti, to help make sure things go smoothly. It's a simple set-up, but it's so effective because it feels grounded in a scenario we all have some familiarity with. We have all in some stage in our life been to a birthday party, even if some of us were the less popular kid at school, and so we can all immediately recognise the surroundings of a children's party. Sven Holmberg also pulls in an excellent turn as Jerry, who is essentially what would happen if Norman Bates became a Dad. He has this really creepy nervous energy that fully transforms into this wicked portrayal of his dead daughter, and the way he makes that sudden transition to the 'Stacey' persona so seamlessly is a remarkable piece of acting.

What are your thoughts on Prank Encounters' first season? Let me know in the comments.