Hysteria! is the best 8-episode horror series that you’ve never seen. It originally aired in 2024, and due to a lack of savvy marketing, the show never found its audience. But that didn’t mean the series was lacking in any aspect. In fact, Hysteria! was Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 92% Tomatometer rating. By comparison, Carrie only got an 84%, while Crystal Lake received a 77%. And AHS 13? That’s just too painful to mention. So if you are looking for the best bingeworthy series to watch this Halloween weekend, Hysteria! is the top choice. It’s scary fun driven by smart writing, vibrant characters, a nostalgic vibe, and a kickin’ soundtrack.
Hysteria! A Quick Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Hysteria! is a multifaceted story that stitches together several familiar tropes, such as a grizzled detective and a small town with secrets, to create an engaging supernatural story populated by familiar high school archetypes. At the core of the drama, Dylan, an awkward outcast, lets the school’s popular girl, Judith, push him and his band, Dethkrunch, into dark territory because he craves her attention so much that he’s willing to do anything she asks. At first, Dylan and his bandmates only pretend to be a Satanic cult, but as her thirst for evil intensifies, Judith becomes increasingly sadistic in her demands, pushing the band (and her friends) to carry out authentic rituals. Led by an outspoken religious zealot, the town blames the band for the recent series of horrific happenings. Beneath the growing hysteria, true evil is spreading, but everything is not as it seems.
6 Reasons Why Hysteria! Slays
A Blissful Blend of Horror & Comedy
It’s easy to overplay comedy and turn a tense mystery into a silly farce. Hysteria! avoids that pitfall by keeping the humor sparse and character-driven. It’s subtle and relatable — we laugh at the things we recognize — and it gently lightens the mood, providing a balance to the nerve-racking tension and darker subject matter.
It’s Drenched in ‘80s Nostalgia
If Stranger Things taught us anything, it’s that, when done correctly, nostalgia adds greater appeal to a series. Both young and old viewers can find something to latch onto when there is a teenage cast navigating the challenges of an earlier era. Since Hysteria! takes place in Happy Hollow, Michigan, during the late 1980s “Satanic Panic,” it checks all the right boxes to draw in that Gen X demographic.
It Champions the Underdog
Audiences love rooting for the underdog. Having a likable character who is unfairly persecuted or just can’t seem to catch a break is a surefire way to build to either a supremely satisfying or an utterly devastating conclusion — depending on if the character manages to triumph over adversity. Hysteria! understands this and delivers.
Supernatural & Psychological Overtones
Hysteria! is layered. Many characters stroll through the story, hiding their true intentions. Have demons taken over the town? Is it just mass hysteria? Can you pray away the bad things, or are they more difficult to expunge? The vibe is perpetually uneasy, like walking through a Spirit Halloween, and you’re not sure which display is going to give you a jump scare. The unsettling overtones are ever-present.
A Fierce Soundtrack Featuring Original Songs
You can’t have a film set in the ‘80s without paying homage to heavy metal. Hysteria! does exactly that. The soundtrack features Black Sabbath, Lita Ford, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, and more. Even better, there are three blistering original tracks by Dethkrunch, Dylan’s band, that fuel the story and help drive the plot forward: “The Rapture,” “Watchers of Death,” and “Light Up the Night.”
It’s Got Bruce Campbell!
You read that correctly. Bruce Campbell is a major player in this series. Groovy, right? We’re not talking about a cameo. He’s the law. It’s up to him to save the day. But he also happens to be Judith’s grandfather, which complicates the whole “bring the bad guys to justice” element.
Who Is in the Peacock Series?: Hysteria! Cast and Characters
- Emjay Anthony plays Dylan Campbell
- Jessica Treska plays Judith Sanders
- Bruce Campbell plays Chief Ben Dandridge
- Chiara Aurelia plays Jordy Stanwyck
- Kezii Curtis plays Spud
- Nikki Hahn plays Faith Whitehead
- Anna Camp plays Tracy Whitehead
- Julie Bowen plays Linda Campbell
- Elijah Richardson plays Cliff Nelson
- Aline O’Neill plays Tonya Perkins
- Nolan North plays Gene Campbell
- Eric Tiede plays Bob Hartman
- Jessica Luza plays Cassie Dandridge
- Jennie Page plays Abigail Perkins
- Seydou Maiga plays Fred
- Milly Shapiro plays Ingrid
- Garret Dillahunt plays The Reverend
Falling for the Bad Girl: Interview with Jessica Treska
Playing Judith Sanders
Hysteria! focuses on the Satanic Panic of the ‘80s. Did you know much about this period before doing the series?
I had heard about the Satanic Panic of the ‘80s, but I didn’t know too much before I researched and listened to people talk about it. I know it was a real thing, and people were scared that their neighbors were Satanists because of the type of music they listened to or something they did. It was a very real time in America, something that I obviously didn’t live through and hadn’t heard much about, but it was really interesting to go back and research.
Your character, Judith Sanders, is the catalyst for so much that happens in this series. Did you know that she was going to play such a pivotal role in the plot?
I signed onto the show and signed my contract when only episode one was officially written, so I think a lot changed and evolved. We had the writers’ strike and the actors’ strike in the middle of the show, so a lot of the storylines changed, and my character did end up playing a pretty pivotal role, but I don’t think we necessarily knew that at the beginning.
Was the first episode a pilot, or did you know you were getting a whole season from the start?
We were picked up for a whole season. We knew we were going to do it, but at least as the actors, we didn’t have those scripts yet. I think they had an idea of where they wanted the show to go, but nothing was officially written for any of the episodes beyond maybe the first one or two when we started filming. We started the strike right after episode four, so beyond that, it was kind of a totally different idea of where the show was going to go. Then, during the strike, they had a ton of time to do testing and get feedback. But I think the ending, the last four episodes ended up being almost entirely different from what was originally planned.
You played your role with such conviction. What did you use as a reference for Judith? Do you know anybody who has that confidence and that power to manipulate others?
There wasn’t a specific person or character that I pulled references from, but I did a lot of work to create this character. It was something that was totally different from anything I’d ever done before. I think I had the perfect amount of influence and inspiration from Matt [Matthew Scott Kane] our writer, but also he allowed me to kind of figure it out on my own as well. I kind of created this character as I did it, as the show went on. The episodes were written as we were going — when I finished an episode, that was when I got the script for the next episode — so I didn’t even know what was coming next. I was trying to put together this character that makes sense in a storyline that I didn’t even have, so that was a challenge, for sure. But it also made it more interesting and more realistic because in real life, you don’t know how things are gonna play out.
When you were pressuring Dylan, played by Emjay Anthony, you were so persistent and convincing. Watching those scenes, I remember thinking, “Just do it and get her off your back!” But you were still able to come across as likable, despite your intentions. How did you make that happen?
That’s funny because when I was first exploring this character, and I read the scripts, I was like, “How is anyone going to like this character? She’s awful. She does awful things. She inspires the worst things in people.” But then I realize that maybe the audience will maybe kind of fall in love with her and be in awe of her the same way that Dylan is. And that’s what I hoped translated because she just has a strange pull on people. She’s the girl that everyone wants to be, but she’s into all of these sadistic things. But for some reason, it just draws you into her. She’s so intriguing, and you don’t understand her, and that’s kind of the same thing that Dylan felt towards her. I just hoped that audiences would feel that same way and didn’t just immediately hate her for being so awful.
Your eyes are open wider than any other characters in the show — literally, not metaphorically. You look perpetually engaged in the moment. It’s quite a powerful trait. Was that you or the character?
I never heard anyone say that before, but I do think that’s very true. And I think it’s kind of a mix. It’s maybe part of me, but also something that came out a lot in the show because a lot of the time, I’m saying things, but I actually have this other kind of motive lurking underneath. The way to bring that out is through her eyes. That was really the portal into what she really felt and what she really wanted. Even if she comes across as super preppy and popular and girly, underneath, there’s all of this darkness. I feel like that was really the only way to bring that out: how I looked at someone or through my eyes.
Judith had such a presence. Even if she was just quietly standing there, we still felt her presence.
That’s good to hear because that was definitely the intent. She’s got a presence, for sure!
Did you ever lose yourself in the character?
It’s funny, I do feel like I totally took on her character when I was portraying her. I would listen to Mötley Crüe and her favorite bands when getting ready. I was really trying to put myself in her shoes and her mindset. And when you’re acting in those scenes, it’s almost like the scene could end, and I would continue being Judith. There’s no further dialogue, but I felt like I could’ve just continued the scene and just been her, which is a really crazy feeling. It’s almost a form of meditation for me as an actor to step out of my life and be this other person and have no thoughts of my own. That’s just a really cool aspect of acting that I have always loved.
Speaking of that ability, there are a lot of successful actors who just play a slightly different version of themselves over and over. And it works for them. I honestly thought that was what you were doing until we saw how Judith behaved when her mother was in the room. Suddenly, she is timid, uncertain, afraid, and vulnerable. Her whole personality changes. It was a remarkable and abrupt transition that showed your range.
That’s awesome to hear. I hope I’m nothing like Judith. That’s definitely a good thing. I don’t want to be like Judith in a lot of ways, and I don’t think I am. But at the end of the day, she’s just a girl in high school who wants to be bigger than this town, who wants to get out of this town and be something different from the norm. I love that you got to see that side of her.
Working with Bruce Campbell & Other Cast Members
You got to work with Bruce Campbell! It was really nice to see him in a more grounded role. Since you were his on-screen granddaughter, did you have any interaction with him behind the scenes?
We spent a lot of time together. He is an incredible guy who is clearly insanely talented — he nailed every take on the first try — but he’s also just the funniest guy I’ve ever met. It was just so much fun. We had a lot of downtime together because we had a few scenes together. He was cracking jokes left and right all the time, but also obviously such a super-talented, very well-respected actor. I was so lucky to work with him. He was incredible.
How would you describe him?
He’s a man of so much wisdom. He’s just got a lot to say, always. I learned a lot from him.
Was there anyone you bonded with on set?
Totally! All of the young cast members. We became so close. We were all living in the same little apartment community for three months out in a small town in Covington, Georgia, so we spent a lot of time together. It really did feel like summer camp. I would love to go back to those days. It was so much fun.
Did any lasting friendships come from this show?
I would say Aline [O’Neill], who plays Tonya. She was my bestfriend-turned-enemy in the show. She and I probably spent the most time together on set. And we still talk almost every day. She’s one of my really close friends now, and I love her.
Getting to Know Jessica Treska
What is it about acting that makes it appealing to you?
In general, telling stories is super fun and really intriguing, and like I said, it’s kind of a form of meditation, where you can exit your own life for a little bit and experience something else. I’ve always found that to be really fun, but also kind of healthy for me to do. I love watching movies and TV and feeling something from it, and I want the audience to feel something. That’s a really cool part of it. Plus, you get to have this understanding of people and different lives. That, in and of itself, will give you some wisdom and make you think about philosophy and how we become the people that we are. I think a lot of that is intertwined for me.
What’s the one thing people get wrong about you?
Oh, that’s a tough question. I think I feel like I could come off a certain way from doing the roles that I’ve done before, like the typical popular preppy girl who looks a certain way. But there’s a lot to me. I have ambitions outside of acting. One thing I want to do is write a book. I’m really passionate about my views on philosophy and astronomy and theology, so I want to write a book one day.
Did having an interest in theology make doing a series like this hard for you?
Yes, totally. I believe in that, so it was hard for me to stand in a pentagram and do what I do in a pentagram. Definitely, I needed to have some holy water on set. It was funny because there was a higher concentration of Christians on this set than I’ve ever seen on a set before. It was really ironic to me that we were filming this kind of show. It was really kind of funny.
It’s so interesting talking to you after only knowing your character. You’re really nothing like Judith.
Exactly. That’s what I think people get wrong about actors. A lot of what you see is their character on screen, and you think that’s who they are.
Closing Comments
Why should people watch Hysteria!?
It’s a really fun, unexpected show with really intelligent writing and really lovable characters, but it’s wrapped up in this deeper message, which I think is so interesting. That is, if you believe something so fervently, it becomes true to you. Whether or not it is true, just the idea of hysteria, that you believe what people are saying. If there’s a large group behind it, you’re gonna believe it. That’s just a really interesting plot and idea to think about, especially as the basis for a show with great writing, great characters, great acting, and a lot of unexpected turns. There’s lots of love for every audience. It’s for the kids who are, themselves, going through high school and feeling like misfits, but it’s also for the parents who lived through the ‘80s and maybe lived through the Satanic Panic and connect with these bands and this music. There’s something for everyone.
Where to Stream Hysteria! Online
Is Hysteria! on Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video?
Hysteria! is not available on subscription-based video-on-demand platforms, such as Hulu or Netflix. The only SVOD platform where you can stream all episodes of Hysteria! Is Peacock. However, you can purchase individual episodes or the entire series on an a-la-carte digital storefront, including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. Note: prices vary slightly depending on platform and resolution.
Peacock Subscription Plans & Free Trials
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