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Killer Camp looks to put a horrific slasher spin on Reality TV

By Jonathan Weidler

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: A cosplayer in character as Jason Voorhees from Friday th 13th during MCM London Comic Con 2017 held at the ExCel on October 27, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: A cosplayer in character as Jason Voorhees from Friday th 13th during MCM London Comic Con 2017 held at the ExCel on October 27, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/Getty Images) /
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The British Reality TV series Killer Camp is set to premiere on the CW on July 16. What can viewers expect from this slasher-whodunit?

This fall, the CW will host the American premiere of Killer Camp, a British reality show predicated on a fantasy many a horror-loving kid had during their formative years: being an active participant within a Friday the 13th-style slasher scenario.

With the recent popularity of American Horror Story 1984, Killer Camp will take a similarly nostalgic approach to its premise.

As someone who made a point to avoid Reality TV shortly after Survivor rose to prominence, I could get on board with this idea. After all, using a horror premise as the basis for a show where the endgame is cash prizes seems like the unlikely yet perfect fusion of my childhood fascination with slasher movies and Nickelodeon game shows (Double Dare, anyone?).

Deadline outlines the premise as follows:

"“11 British strangers are shocked to discover they are…participating in an over-the-top “murder” mystery series called “Killer Camp.” As the campers play games to earn cash during the day, each night one of them will meet their untimely demise in ever more extreme, hilarious and inventive ways.“"

The series debuted on the ITV2 network last fall, and the premise might hold some promise even for jaded types like myself. After all, anybody who’s watched a Monty Python sketch knows of the surreal extremes British humor can take, so perhaps a certain sophistication will accompany the “hilarious” deaths on display.

And it seems that the non-scripted nature of the show will lead to some surprises in terms of carnage and plot twists. If Killer Camp hews to the template that made Friday the 13th a successful franchise (though perhaps in this case, Sleepaway Camp might be a more apt comparison), it could hit that sweet spot of horror familiarity while keeping viewers guessing as to the “fates” of the campers each week.

Next. FRIDAY THE 13th. dark

Killer Camp premieres on the CW on Thursday, July 16 (8 PM/ET).

Will you be tuning into Killer Camp? Let us know in the comments. 

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