The creators of Once Upon a Time are going much darker with their new offering, Dead of Summer , and promising to deliver “unforgettable scares and evil at every turn,” but can they be taken at their word, when their latest trailer for the series leaves one feeling like they have just watched a cheap Friday the 13th ripoff and one which must adhere to the standards and practices of network TV? While it is difficult to judge a new series by brief teasers and photographs, Dead of Summer doesn’t seem to offer anything new, just more of the same fare. Even the 80s time frame in which Dead of Summer takes place suggests there will be little in the way of surprising new twists.
Freeform Offers A First Look At A Darker, Deadlier Summer Camp In A New Dead Of Summer Teaser
In shedding the ABC Family moniker and adding the new Freeform name, ABC is hoping to appeal to a larger demographic and they’re hoping that adding a horror series is the way to go, but they may still be playing it safe with Dead of Summer . The new series, created by Once Upon a Time showrunners Ian B. Goldberg, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis, is set in the late 80s at Camp Stillwater and focuses on a group of camp counselors facing a deadly evil. The villain in this story apparently rises from, or dwells within, the lake around which the camp has been built.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
https://youtu.be/I5tMJZNeT3g
What may set Dead of Summer apart from those 80s slasher films is the promise that the villain comes from a source of ancient mythology, implying that, perhaps, Dead of Summer may deliver some supernatural chills and unexpected twists.
Dead of Summer Offers A Deeper Look Into This Tale Of Murder And Mayhem With A Pilot Episode Synopsis
Dead of Summer hints that there’s more mystery than might appear at first, as the summary for the first episode reveals that Camp Stillwater has been closed for years, but not so long that the main characters have forgotten about their experiences at summer camp. What isn’t mentioned in the Dead of Summer blurb is what had caused the closure of Camp Stillwater. Could there have been an incident related to the evil raised as Dead of Summer begins?
“Camp Stillwater is about to reopen after being closed down for years. Deb (Elizabeth Mitchell), the new owner, has thrown her heart, soul, and life savings into renovating the camp she loved as a child. She isn’t the only one excited to return as six former campers—Alex (Ronen Rubinstein), Jessie (Paulina Singer), Cricket (Amber Coney), Joel (Eli Goree), Blair (Mark Indelicato), and Blotter (Zachary Gordon)—join her as counselors, hoping to experience the freedom that camp brings now that they are older.”
Adding intrigue to the main story arc of Dead of Summer is the introduction of two new characters and, as is implied by the second half of this Dead of Summer synopsis, Amy and Drew are new to Camp Stillwater as well. While one seems to be too curious for her own good and may end up unraveling the mysteries introduced in Dead of Summer , the other seems suspiciously content to go off on her own. One has to wonder why Drew was eager to sign up as a camp counselor if she’s as antisocial as she seems.
“Not part of the old crew, Amy (Elizabeth Lail) is not just new to Camp Stillwater, but to camp in general. While Amy tries her best to fit in with the already tight group, Drew (Zelda Williams) is content to be left alone. As everyone settles in and prepares for the campers’ arrival, Amy is the first to get a feeling that something is not right with this idyllic summer camp.”
Dead of Summer is set to premiere on Tuesday, June 28 on Freeform.
[Image by Freeform]