ABC’s freaky and funny hidden camera show returns with new scares and a fresh crop of unsuspecting marks. Freak Out first aired as part of ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween. Now, the series is back with even bigger scares.
In each episode, unsuspecting mark witness their greatest fears coming to life before their eyes. What they don’t know is they’ve been set up by the people who know them best and are supposed to love them most — their friends and family members. Executive Producer SallyAnn Salsano reveals the motivation behind the pranks. “People say, ‘Hey, my friend did X, Y and Z to me, and now I’m just going to freak them out for payback.’” To make the spectacles spectacular (and believable), Salsano and her 495 Productions (The Real, Jersey Shore, Tattoo Nightmares) employ elaborate special effects, intricate makeup, twisted actors, and multiple cameras capturing the scenario from every angle.
First up, a woman thinks she fries a customer in a tanning booth when the knob accidentally comes off the machine.
Then, a man decides to woo a woman by hiring a personal chef to cook a romantic dinner for two. Everything is going smoothly – until his wife shows up.
Finally, a man is hired to help clean a house to get ready to put on the market. He discovers the home was the scene of a horrific crime. Then word comes that the criminals involved have escaped prison –and are on their way back to the home.
At the end of each prank, the victim is let in on the ruse ad the sense of relief is palpable, says Salsano. “It’s visceral in a positive sense. At the end, every single person has been hysterically laughing and having a good time.” Salsano adds, “I think the best point is the reveal, because afterwards, you always sit there and you’re taking to the mark and they’re playing it back in their heads and they’re wondering, ‘how did I fall for this?’”
Freak Out makes me very grateful that I don’t mess with my friends; if they tried to prank me with something having to do with teeth falling out, I might never recover!! But I will happily watch other people lose their @#$%; and I laughed out loud when this show premiered in October.
Freak Out > ABC Family > Wednesdays at 8:30ET, beginning March 25
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