At some point, every child tries to go against their parent’s wishes to do something that their parents wouldn’t approve of. Unfortunately for Emjay Anthony, he gets caught while trying to pull off such a stunt during a time when the fear of Satanic influence was at its peak.
This fear, often referred to as the “Satanic panic,” swept through the 1980s, creating a sense of fear and suspicion about anything that seemed even remotely connected to the occult or “dark arts.” Anthony’s character is about to face some serious consequences for his actions, and this storyline plays a major part in Peacock’s new series, Hysteria!.
Collider has shared an exclusive look at one of the scenes from Hysteria!, where Anthony’s character Dylan tries—and fails—to sneak out with his friends. In this sneak peek, Dylan is stopped in his tracks by his mother, played by Julie Bowen.
She catches him in the middle of a lie, all while the town is in the middle of a moral panic over supposed supernatural activity. The scene shows her laying down the law in a strict and intense manner, making it clear that there will be no dishonesty in her household, and certainly no “devil worship.”
In the scene, we see Dylan finishing up a phone call with his friends, planning to hang out with them. But as soon as he turns around, he realizes that his mother Linda, played by Bowen, has overheard the entire conversation.
Dylan quickly tries to cover his tracks, explaining that he and his friends were only planning to go see the cult comedy UHF by “Weird” Al Yankovic at the local drive-in theater. But as his mom starts asking more questions, Dylan’s story starts to fall apart. It becomes clear that he’s not being completely honest.
Linda, catching onto his lies, points out that he has his guitar out and ready, and shows him a flyer for a concert by the metal band “Dethkrunch.” This band, which has embraced the town’s obsession with Satanic themes and the occult, is a new favorite among some of the town’s youth—and Dylan seems to be involved in it.
The band’s imagery and style have stirred up the fears of the adults in the town, who see it as a threat to their children’s morals and safety. Linda is furious, and Dylan’s lies, combined with his plans to attend the concert, land him in deep trouble. His punishment? He’s grounded for the weekend, stuck in his room, with his mom determined to make sure that no “dark arts” will come into her house or influence her family.
The show, Hysteria!, focuses on the high school metal band “Dethkrunch,” the very band that Dylan is caught planning to see. The band starts out as just a struggling group of friends trying to make it big in their small town. But as the town becomes more and more obsessed with the idea of Satanic influence, the band decides to change their image to match what the town fears.
They rebrand themselves as a Satanic metal band, taking advantage of the town’s fear to boost their popularity. This shift in their identity leads them down a strange and dangerous path. The town, known as Happy Hollow, has been thrown into chaos after the sudden disappearance of the high school’s star quarterback. This event sends the local community into a frenzy, as everyone starts searching for answers.
People begin to suspect that something more sinister is at play. Rumors about Satanic rituals and dark forces start to spread, and the town quickly becomes gripped by fear. It’s in this atmosphere that the metal band “Dethkrunch” starts to gain more attention—though not always in a positive way.
As more strange and violent events happen in Happy Hollow, including kidnappings and murders, the community starts to turn its suspicions toward the band. Their decision to embrace Satanic themes and the occult makes them easy targets for the town’s hysteria.
The town’s adults, already on edge because of the Satanic panic, are quick to point fingers at the band, blaming them for the strange happenings. A “witch hunt” begins, with the local citizens going after the band members, believing that they are responsible for the evil forces that seem to be at work in their town.
The show, Hysteria!, brings together an impressive creative team. At the helm of the series is Matthew Scott Kane, known for his work on the sci-fi series Stitchers, and David A. Goodman, the showrunner of The Orville and a producer on Family Guy. These two bring their talents to this unique series, blending elements of horror, thriller, and comedy to tell the story of the town’s descent into hysteria.
The cast of Hysteria! is also star-studded, featuring a mix of well-known names and up-and-coming actors. Julie Bowen, who is best known for her role in Happy Gilmore, takes on the role of Linda, Dylan’s strict and protective mother.
Bowen’s portrayal of Linda shows the intense pressure that parents felt during the Satanic panic, as they struggled to protect their children from what they believed were dangerous influences. Emjay Anthony, who starred in Krampus, plays Dylan, the rebellious teenager who finds himself caught up in the town’s chaos.
Alongside Bowen and Anthony, the series also features a strong supporting cast. Anna Camp, Chiara Aurelia, Kezii Curtis, and Nikki Hahn round out the group of series regulars. Each of these characters brings something unique to the story, whether they’re part of the metal band or caught up in the town’s panic in other ways.
The guest stars for Hysteria! are equally impressive. Leading the group of guest actors is Bruce Campbell, the iconic star of the Evil Dead series. Known for his role as the chainsaw-wielding Ash Williams, Campbell’s presence in Hysteria! adds a fun, horror-themed touch to the series.
Other guest stars include Garret Dillahunt, Nolan North, Elijah Richardson, Milly Shapiro, Allison Scagliotti, and Jessica Treska. With such a talented group of actors and actresses, Hysteria! promises to deliver a thrilling and entertaining viewing experience.
Behind the scenes, the show is produced by Good Fear Content’s Chris Bender and Jake Weiner, alongside Matthew Scott Kane and David A. Goodman. The team also includes John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who recently directed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. With such a strong team of producers, writers, and directors working on the show, Hysteria! has all the ingredients for success.
At its core, Hysteria! explores the way fear and panic can spread through a community, especially when people are unsure of what’s really happening. The Satanic panic of the 1980s serves as the perfect backdrop for this story, as it shows how quickly people can turn against each other when they feel threatened. The show also looks at the role that music and pop culture played in the hysteria, particularly how heavy metal music became a scapegoat for the fears of the time.
While Hysteria! is set in the past, its themes are still relevant today. Fear and misinformation continue to affect society, and the show’s portrayal of how these elements can tear a community apart is both timely and thought-provoking. By blending real historical events with fictional elements, Hysteria! creates a story that is both entertaining and reflective of larger societal issues.
With its mix of horror, humor, and drama, Hysteria! is shaping up to be an exciting new addition to Peacock’s lineup. Fans of shows like Stranger Things and American Horror Story will likely enjoy the show’s dark, yet often comedic, tone. And for those who lived through the Satanic panic of the 1980s, the show will provide a nostalgic look back at a time when fear of the unknown ruled the day.
Hysteria! not only revisits the paranoia and fear that defined the Satanic panic of the 1980s but also delivers a thought-provoking narrative about how communities react when confronted with the unknown. By focusing on a small-town metal band that adopts a Satanic image to rise to fame, the show cleverly taps into the fears and misunderstandings that surrounded heavy metal music at the time.
It presents a vivid portrayal of how easily people can be swept up in hysteria, driven by rumors and fear-mongering, often without seeking the truth. The band, once harmless and struggling, becomes a symbol of everything the town fears, even as they only play into those fears to boost their image.
At the heart of the series is a complex commentary on the dangers of mass hysteria. The show highlights how quickly a community can turn on its own members when fear and suspicion take hold. Through Dylan’s struggles with his strict mother and the rising panic in Happy Hollow, Hysteria! effectively captures the tension between rebellion and conformity, freedom of expression, and societal pressure to conform to moral expectations.
The way the series blends these elements with horror and dark comedy makes it an engaging and timely exploration of themes that resonate beyond its 1980s setting. The series also examines the power of misinformation, showing how false assumptions can lead to real consequences. In today’s world, where misinformation spreads faster than ever, the lessons of Hysteria! feel especially relevant.
By revisiting the past, the show offers a mirror to the present, reminding viewers of the importance of questioning what we’re told and being cautious about how quickly we judge others. In doing so, Hysteria! proves itself not only as a thrilling story but also as a reflection on the lasting impact of fear-driven narratives.
