If The River is a hit, could it take a page from American Horror Story?

The River might be mimicing American Horror Story or is it?By Trent Moore, Source: Blastr.com

It’s been a slow build for ABC’s new midseason horror series, The River, but the people behind it are already working up plans for future seasons. If creator Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity) is to be believed, the show could feature a different location and storyline each year – a structure popularized recently by FX’s hit American Horror Story.

But, Peli told The Hollywood Reporter that has been an option ever since the show’s genesis several years ago, stemming from a conversation with Paranormal Activity writer Michael Perry, who also has a hand in The River.

“We were hanging out on a Sunday afternoon as we were developing Paranormal Activity with Michael Perry, the writer of the movie, who happens to have a background in TV and won an Emmy for NYPD Blue,” he said. “We were talking about other ideas for movies, and someone mentioned the original idea [for The River] that we had and he just goes bonkers for it. He’s like, ‘This is a great idea, but why waste it on a movie when you can do a TV show where every season they go to a different place.’ So, two days later, he has a whole pitch ready with the river and the boat.”

The series follows a team heading deep into the jungle on a rescue mission, though things quickly take a creepy, supernatural turn for the worse. Considering the concept, Peli said he knows it may be tough to keep things running for an extended period of time. But, they’re trying to figure out a way to keep the chills intact, without wearing the concept too thin.

“We do have a road map. There are two questions,” he said. “One, are we going to be able to find enough scares? We’re lucky because there’s so much folklore and real mythology that we’re drawing from, so I don’t think there’s a concern that we’ll ever run out of material. And as far as the run for the characters, we have a shorter-term vision for the next couple of seasons and a goal for when where we want it to end.”

The self-contained, 8-episode order fits the idea well, and Peli said he was relieved to hear the show was bumped to midseason, to give them a little more time to work on it.

“I was secretly happy that we ended up being a midseason pickup because it gave us a little bit more time to plan,” he said. “The one thing that’s very crazy for me coming from the feature world is the pace of television. The schedule is insane.”

The River has been in the works for years, originally starting as a low-budget horror flick until Peli made a name for himself with Paranormal Activity. Once he had a bit of cachet, he was hanging out with Steven Spielberg, who mentioned he’d love to see a TV project that could bring the same creep factor as Paranormal Activity on a weekly basis. That’s when The River’s spec sheet came off the shelf, and the series was born.

“At several points, I stopped to remind myself, ‘Holy sh–, I’m talking to Steven Spielberg,'” Peli told The Hollywood Reporter. At one point, he says, ‘You know, we should really do a TV show together. There’s nothing like this, something very raw and visceral, on TV. Let’s figure out how to bring the horror nature of Paranormal Activity to TV.’ I barely understand the world of movies and I knew nothing about TV, but if Mr. Spielberg says, ‘Let’s do a show together,’ you say, ‘Ok. I’ll start thinking of ideas.'”

The pilot has generated some buzz, but what do you think? Can this type of concept work over the long-term?

ESO Network Sponsors

GEEK CHIC IS THE NEW … CHIC
COME TO THE GEEK SIDE. WE HAVE THE BEST SWAG

Support Us

A Dollar a month keeps us in orbit. Trust us it’s better that way.

Ways to Listen

Find Us Wherever Fine Podcasts are Found

Sign Up for the ESO Newsletter

WE HARDLY EVER SEND THEM OUT BUT WHEN WE DO THEY ARE AWESOME

ESO Network Archives

Archives

No matter where you go here you are

Follow the ESO Network

You didn't come this far to only come this far

Contact Us

    Remember any comment made today will be the tomorrow you worried about yesterday

    <-- see them in a pretty grid

    42 Cast
    The Best Saturdays of Our Lives
    Blurred Nerds
    But First, Let's Talk Nerdy
    Cigar Nerds
    The Con Guy
    Cosmic Pizza
    Dragon Con Report
    Drinking with Authors

    Most Recent Episodes

    Earth Station DCU
    Earth Station One
    Earth Station Trek
    Earth Station Who
    Epsilon Three
    Flopcast
    Metal Geeks
    Modern Musicology
    Monkeeing Around
    Monster Attack
    The Monster Scifi Show
    Soul Forge
    Thunder Talk
    The Watch-a-thon of Rassilon