The Haunting Hour: The Series

R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series is an original anthology horror-fantasy television series which is based on the 2007 movie R.L Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It and the anthologies The Haunting Hour and Nightmare Hour by R.L. Stine,[1] that originally aired on The Hub Network (now Discovery Family) from October 29, 2010 to October 11, 2014. The only story taken from The Haunting Hour anthology was My Imaginary Friend, and the only story unused from The Nightmare Hour was Make Me a Witch. The fourth season's seven remaining episodes ran on Discovery Family from October 18, 2014 to November 29, 2014. The series was produced by Front Street Pictures, The Hatchery, Incendo Films, and Endemol.

For the film on which the series is based, see The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It.
The Haunting Hour: The Series
GenreHorror
Science fiction
Supernatural
Dark fantasy
Drama
Theme music composerJohn Sereda
Paul Michael Thomas
Country of originCanada
United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes76 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersDan Angel
Kim Arnott
Billy Brown
Harvey Kahn
Production locationsVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CinematographyMicheael Balfry
Production companiesThe Hatchery
Incendo Films
Front Street Pictures
Release
Original networkHub Network (2010–2014)
Discovery Family (2014)
Original releaseOctober 29, 2010 (2010-10-29) –
November 29, 2014 (2014-11-29)

On July 9, 2012, it was announced that R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour was one of four original series from The Hub that won the CINE Golden Eagle Award for high quality production and storytelling.[2]

The series received critical acclaim throughout its run and is considered to be the best children's horror anthology show as well as one of the best horror anthologies in general with praise given to the acting (from both the child and adult actors), production value, dark tone, direction, storytelling, gothic atmosphere and style, scares and effects.

On December 8, 2014, it was confirmed by Stine via Twitter that Discovery Family cancelled the show after its run of four seasons.[3]

Production

Prior to the broadcast of the series, series creator R. L. Stine reported via Twitter saying The Haunting Hour: The Series was similar to his previous series Goosebumps. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Premise

Like Goosebumps, every episode features a different cast in a scary situation that would involve ghosts, aliens, witches, zombies, and monsters. However, the storylines are much darker than its aforementioned predecessor and some episodes serve as very dark morality tales. Unlike the Goosebumps series, the threat of death is not implied, being both clear and permanent. In addition, death in the show is not limited to antagonists and minor characters with some stories even ending with the main protagonist(s) being killed. There are some episodes that have twist endings for some of the episodes. However, there are some episodes that have happy endings similar to most of the episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? which had this formula.

Episodes
Main article: List of The Haunting Hour: The Series episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
122October 29, 2010 (2010-10-29)May 14, 2011 (2011-05-14)
218October 1, 2011 (2011-10-01)February 4, 2012 (2012-02-04)
326October 13, 2012 (2012-10-13)December 21, 2013 (2013-12-21)
410October 4, 2014 (October 4, 2014)November 29, 2014 (November 29, 2014)

Home media
NameRelease DateEpisodesRegionAdditional Information
Volume OneSeptember 4, 201251
  • Episodes include: Really You, Part 1, Really You, Part 2, A Creature Was Stirring, The Dead Body, and Nightmare Inn.
  • Bonus features include: Original Promos and Behind The Screams of select episodes.
Volume TwoSeptember 4, 201251
  • Episodes include: The Red Dress, Ghostly Stare, The Walls, Game Over, and Alien Candy.
  • Bonus features include: Original Promos and Behind The Screams of select episodes.
Volume ThreeFebruary 5, 201351
  • Episodes include: Fear Never Knocks, Best Friend Forever, Black Mask, My Sister the Witch, and Catching Cold.
  • Bonus features include: Original Promos and Behind The Screams of select episodes.
Volume FourFebruary 5, 201351
  • Episodes include: Wrong Number, Afraid of Clowns, Pool Shark, Lights Out, and The Perfect Brother.
  • Bonus features include: Original Promos and Behind The Screams of select episodes.
Volume FiveSeptember 3, 201351
  • Episodes include: Scary Mary, Part 1, Scary Mary, Part 2, Pumpkinhead, Flight, and Swarmin' Norman.
Volume SixSeptember 3, 201351
  • Episodes include: Creature Feature, Part 1, Creature Feature, Part 2, Brush With Madness, Sick, and Mascot.

Accolades
YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2012 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actor 14-17 Ricardo Hoyos Nominated [4]
Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actor 11-13 Baljodh Nagra Won
Dakota Goyo Nominated
Jason Spevack Nominated
Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actress 11-13 Ava Rebecca Hughes Nominated
Jessica Mcleod Nominated
2013 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actor 14-21 Donnie MacNeil Nominated [5]
Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actress Ten and Under Alissa Skobye Nominated
2013 Emmy Awards Outstanding Costume Design/Styling Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh and Natalie Simon Won [6][7]
Outstanding Hairstyling Trudy Parisien and Cara Doell Won
Outstanding Children's Series Dan Angel, Billy Brown, Harvey Kahn, Kim Arnott, Jane Stine, Joan Waricha, Charles Lyall and Dawn Knight Won
2014 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actress 17-21 Laine MacNeil Nominated [8]
Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actress 11-13 Rowan Rycroft Nominated
Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actress 10 and Under Jena Skodje Won
2014 Emmy Awards Outstanding Children's Series Dan Angel, Kim Arnott, Billy Brown, Harvey Kahn, Dawn Knight, Jane Stine, Joan Waricha, Charles Lyall and Oliver De Caigny Won [9][10]
2015 Emmy Awards Outstanding Children's Series Dan Angel, Kim Arnott, Billy Brown, Harvey Kahn, Dawn Knight, Mandy Spencer-Phillips, Ted Biaselli, Allen Lewis, Margaret Loesch, Juliet Smith, Jane Stine, Joan Waricha, and Marnie Young Won [11][12]
Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design Teresa Weston, Michael Corrado and Josh Plaw Won
Outstanding Performer in a Children's or Pre-School Children's Series Margot Kidder as Mrs. Worthington Won

Music

American actress Debby Ryan recorded the song "Made Of Matches" to the episode "Wrong Number", that Ryan appears as a singer.[13][14] The song was written and produced Ryan.[15][16] A music video was premiered on The Hub on February 4, 2011, directed by Neill Fearnley with scenes from the episode.[17]

Books

In 2001 Stine released The Haunting Hour: Chills in the Dead of Night, a collection of 10 short stories featuring illustrations by various artists.[18] A reviewer for the Tampa Bay Times wrote favorably of the collection and stated that it would be best for children over the age of eight. Booklist was also favorable.

This, along with the 2007 film and the 1999 horror collection Nightmare Hour, helped form the basis of the television series. Of The Haunting Hour, only "My Imaginary Friend" was adapted into an episode.

References
  1. Clark, Noelene (December 19, 2010). "‘The Haunting Hour’: R. L. Stine promises ‘shivers but not nightmares’ with new show". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on December 19, 2010.
  2. "HubWorld.com press release". Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  3. Stine, R.L. [@RL_Stine] (2014-12-06). "Apologies for those of you looking for The Haunting Hour today. The show has been dropped by the Discovery Family Channel..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2014-12-07 – via Twitter.
  4. "33rd Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  5. "34th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  6. "The Nation Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces The 40th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award Nominations". The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. May 1, 2013. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  7. "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Winners for the 40th Annual Daytime Entertainment Creative Arts Emmy® Awards" (PDF). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. June 14, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  8. "35th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  9. "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces The 41st Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. May 1, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 8, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  10. "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Winners for the 41st Annual Daytime Entertainment Creative Arts Emmy® Awards" (PDF). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. June 21, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  11. "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces The 42nd Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 26, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  12. "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Winners for the 42nd Annual Daytime Entertainment Creative Arts Emmy® Awards" (PDF). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. April 24, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  13. "Debby Ryan is 'Made of Matches'". iGossip. 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  14. Debby Ryan [@DebbyRyan] (2011-04-06). "writing has always been a release for me, & lately I've fallen in love with the music production. knitting together my stories & feelings." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. "Debby Ryan – Made of Matches". Cartoon Doll. 2012-10-23. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  16. "As Featured in R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Wrong Number by Debby Ryan". iTunes. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  17. "Debby Ryan Rocking New Video 'Made of Matches'". Fanlala. 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  18. Stine, R. L. (2001). The haunting hour. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-623604-5. OCLC 47216241.
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