What do fans want for season five of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs?

Just as The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs was wrapping up its fourth season, Shudder made the announcement fans had been waiting for: Joe Bob Briggs and his pals will indeed be back for a fifth season. And, yes, more specials will be sprinkled along the way to season five.

Before we discuss some dream picks for the next season, let’s briefly rehash what we got in season four. The first episode featured perhaps the most treasured zombie film of them all, George A. Romero’s original black and white version of Night of The Living Dead. It was the 100th film to be featured on the series, and the special guests on the episode were iconic horror host Svengoolie and Honey the Mail Girl, from Joe Bob’s 1990s series MonsterVision. Seeing Honey and Darcy the Mail Girl side by side was something special.

The original 1922 Nosferatu was featured in all its black and white silent glory, giving horror fans who had never seen the notorious vampire film a chance to experience it with Joe Bob’s informative commentary.

The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs was not afraid to dive into questionable material this season.

Season four also included several films with a strong ick factor. There was The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, which starred the 12-year-old Jodie Foster as Rynn, a wise-beyond-her-years girl who was lusted after by the very adult and very creepy Frank (played by Martin Sheen). Even though it was actually Foster’s older sister who stood in for her nude scene, it was still startling to see a 13-year-old character appearing onscreen naked (or as Joe Bob would say: “nekkid”).

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker starred former teen idol Jimmy McNichol as Billy, a teenage boy being raised by his weird Aunt Cheryl after his parents died in a suspicious car accident. It was uncomfortable to watch Aunt Cheryl caress Billy’s toned body while he slept, and even more uncomfortable to see her lick milk off his face. The ugh factor was only made worse when the whole story was revealed towards the end of the film.

As if the incestuous tone of Butcher, Baker wasn’t enough for one episode, the second feature was The Baby, which doubled down on the questionable content. A woman and her two daughters keep the lone male in the family (a full grown adult, who they call Baby) in an infantile state, insisting that he is mentally impaired. When a social worker begins to work with the family, she suspects the family of ill intentions.

The scenes that hit my own personal gag reflex were a babysitter allowing Baby to nurse on her teenage breasts, and when one of Baby’s sisters disrobes and climbs in his oversized crib with him. Yikes.

Still, The Baby was perhaps my favorite film of the season, and I am grateful that Joe Bob presented it, because I probably would never have seen it otherwise. In the hands of a lesser actor, Baby would have been a laughable character, but David Mooney gave the role his all, and managed to capture viewers’ sympathy throughout the film. The other actors also gave strong performances, but the film would have been totally forgettable without Mooney.

We were also treated to favorites such as The Stepfather and Nightbreed, and it was a strong season for The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.

So, what do we hope for in season five? With a few specials on the horizon, I will renew my wish for Halloween III: Season of the Witch to be featured during the Halloween Special. Darcy, who loves the film, could take over the hosting duties for that one, and Tom Atkins could be a special guest.

For the second film, I still think The Fog would be an excellent choice. It also features the very special talents of Atkins, and though it is not currently available on Shudder, there’s a strong possibility it will be back in October. The eerie, atmospheric Offseason would be an appropriate choice for Halloween as well.

For the Christmas Special, Better Watch Out is a newer holiday-themed horror film, and it has the perfect tone for fans of The Last Drive-In. Then again, Joe Bob Briggs has been prone recently to choosing films not at all related to the holidays.

Without knowing what films will be streaming on Shudder next year when the series returns, it’s impossible to even guess what might be shown. But I will always advocate for the campy Motel Hell, and 1BR might also be a good choice. It has a similar feel to The House of the Devil to me, and the film’s producer is said to be a fan of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.

There are some newer Shudder Originals/Exclusives as well, and The Sadness, with its extreme gore, should appeal to the drive-in crowd. Anything for Jackson is both creepy and funny, so it would fit in. And if we are going for pure, dark horror, I would love to see The Dark and The Wicked receive the Joe Bob treatment.

There are really a myriad of possibilities for next season, and I guess we will just have to wait to see what happens. No release date has been announced yet for season five, but we most likely be seeing Joe Bob, Darcy and the gang back in April.

What are your personal picks for films to be featured on the fifth season of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs? Drop your faves in the comments section.