Thursday , March 28 2024

The Scorned – Reality Gets Killed On Halloween

Let’s see if I get this straight: E!’s Kill Reality was a “meta-reality” series wherein “reality personalities” — i.e., participants in other reality shows like Survivor, The Real World, The Apprentice, The Bachelor, The Amazing Race — were ensconced in a house together as they auditioned, rehearsed and acted in an independent supernatural thriller called The Scorned?

A reality show about the stars of other reality shows making a movie? Wow, it would take a Ph.D. in philosophy to fully comprehend those ontological convolutions.

Nonetheless, The Scorned — “Hell hath no fury like a dead woman scorned” — has indeed been made and will debut on E! on — when else? — Halloween (see the steamy trailer here), October 31, from 9:00-11:00PM ET/PT. Leading into the film, the final episode of the Kill Reality series will air at 8:00PM ET/PT.

In the Robert Kubilos-directed flick, Bob Guiney plays Matt, a “charismatic ladies’ man” caught in a dangerous love triangle with fellow Bachelor alum Trish Schneider and her best gal pal, sexy vixen Trishelle Cannatella (The Real World: Las Vegas). Steven Hill (The Real World: Las Vegas) and Jenna Lewis (Survivor: Borneo and Survivor: All Stars) play former scorned lovers who still have plenty of chemistry. Jonny Fairplay (Survivor: Pearl Islands) is a prankster, Ethan Zohn (Survivor: All Stars and winner of Survivor: Africa) is a deranged stalker with a secret, and Toni Ferrari (Paradise Hotel) is a wise cracking detective – gotta have one of those. Reichen Lehmkuhl (The Amazing Race winner) and Tonya Cooley (The Real World: Chicago) play Seth and Jennifer, a feisty couple who spend most of their time between the sheets. An “A-list set” of reality stars round off the cast with a string of cameo appearances.

In The Scorned a betrayal of fidelity unleashes an avenging angel of death that lies waiting and dormant in an abandoned Malibu beach house. Months later, a diverse group of struggling 20-something friends move into this house and awaken the apparition. They quickly find themselves caught in a ghostly nightmare. One by one as temptation seduces the housemates into betraying their romantic relationships they are punished by this wraith from hell and stuff. The Scorned takes its viewers on a “salacious terror ridden joy ride,” while paying “subtle reality TV homages.”

Trick or treat, baby.

“The series Kill Reality caught on because fans enjoyed seeing their favorite reality stars up to their usual antics but were also surprised at the level of commitment they had to their movie roles,” said Lisa Berger, Senior Vice President, Programming Development, E! Networks. She added, “All of the actors did an amazing job transcending their day jobs as rebellious reality personalities to work hard as a group with enthusiasm and dedication. I think their fans (and new ones too) will find The Scorned to be a great horror movie with a mischievous touch of humor.”

Fishbowl Films will also release an un-rated DVD of the film after E!’s movie premiere of the thriller. The DVD will include “additional steamy scenes” and never before seen footage, producer/director commentary, and other features.

This entire endeavor has the overarching virtue of utter shamelessness.

About Eric Olsen

Career media professional and serial entrepreneur Eric Olsen flung himself into the paranormal world in 2012, creating the America's Most Haunted brand and co-authoring the award-winning America's Most Haunted book, published by Berkley/Penguin in Sept, 2014. Olsen is co-host of the nationally syndicated broadcast and Internet radio talk show After Hours AM; his entertaining and informative America's Most Haunted website and social media outlets are must-reads: Twitter@amhaunted, Facebook.com/amhaunted, Pinterest America's Most Haunted. Olsen is also guitarist/singer for popular and wildly eclectic Cleveland cover band The Props.

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