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[Review] MTV’s ‘Death Valley’ Episode 1

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With a pedigree that includes My Super Psycho Sweet 16 and the lukewarm Teen Wolf reboot, MTV’s previous forays into horror-comedy have proven dubious, at best. Which is why I approached my press screener of MTV’s Death Valley with a skeptic’s eye. I know I’m going out on a limb by writing this, but Death Valley actually isn’t all that bad. In fact…it’s sorta good. Having finally bailed on True Blood this season, I’ve freed up some room to dedicate to a new series. So in a bold new experiment, I’m going to start covering Death Valley on a weekly basis…


Coming across like an amiable mash-up of Reno 911 and The Walking Dead, Death Valley applies the COPS shaky-cam aesthetic to members of the UTF (Undead Task Force), a group of officers investigating zombies, vampires, and werewolves in the San Bernardino Valley.

The loose, improv-y tone is established in the opening moments, as officers Stubek and Pierce open fire on a zombie behind a convenience store, spattering its brains on the wall. As the camera crew vomits in the background, Officer Stubek asks if anybody is interested in a Choco Taco, and when the camera crew hesitates, he helpfully offers a brief description of the ice cream treat.

Back at headquarters, Captain Dashell (Bryan Callen) welcomes new rookie Kirsten Landry (Caity Lotz) to the force, and immediately struggles with the ages-old “Kristen-vs.-Kirsten” dilemma (“Okay, I’m gonna be honest, I’m gonna have a little trouble with that.”) finally settling on “Girsten”. Admonishing his troops to “Get out there and kill somethin`”, Dashell is obviously a captain who cares…while safely sequestered in his own precinct.

Out on the street, Stubek and Pierce stake out a seedy motel for vampire prostitutes, and the resulting bust provokes a bunch of rough talk from Pierce (“Freeze, Vampire Tits!”) as well as the wrath of her vampire pimp, who’s gracefully dispatched with the sharp end of the soundman’s busted boom mike. After returning to the station, Pierce goes missing, leaving his shades, cell phone, and a blood spatter in a conspicuous little pile that hints at his abduction. After brokering a trade with an undead mobster, Stubek hides a pistol in the body cavity of the vampire pimp, and once the trade for Pierce is complete, he pulls his piece and shoots them both out of the mess.

Meanwhile, vain smooth-talker Officer “John-John” Johnson (Texas Battle; Final Destination 3, Wrong Turn 2) patrols the streets of North Hollywood with the tomboyish Officer Rinaldi (Tania Raymonde, Ben’s dead daughter from Lost). Along with an unfortunate soundman, they stumble onto a trio of aggressive zombies in a convenience store.

So far the show seems to be all about a laid-back vibe and random gore, and in that regard, Death Valley completely sticks the landing. Yes, some of the staged humor doesn`t work so well (that scene where Capt. Dashell and Stubek have an aimless conversation while rookie Girsten fights a zombie in the background was pretty damn obvious), but at the same time, many of the throwaway lines are priceless.

Surprisingly, MTV manages to bring some heavy-duty gore to the table (and even a half-exposed female nipple, at least in the pilot screener I received), but the commercial breaks (in accordance with MTV tradition) come at a frequency that borders on the diabolical. Please note, even if you DVR this shit, you’ll spend a good 10 minutes over-correcting your fast-forward like a meth-addled motherfucker.

Check back for coverage of Episode Two next week, and be sure to leave your observations and criticisms (of the series, not necessarily of me or my life choices) in the comments below.

3.5.5 Skulls

Death Valley MTV

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SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

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As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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