When it comes to making comedies that perfectly fit with an environment of worldwide anarchy and panic, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have some form. After all, the creators of Amazon's new show Truth Seekers are the guys who felt the best course of action to survive the zombie apocalypse was to "go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over.”
Well, that tactic proved to be right because 16 years after the release of Shaun of the Dead, the duo are back with a new slice of TV fried gold.
Just like the beloved Spaced which first showcased their unique brand of pop-culture comedy, Pegg and Frost are returning to the small screen and fans of their work won’t be disappointed because the eight-episode supernatural series is brimming with homages and references to some classic horror and sci-fi titles.
Co-written by and starring Pegg and Frost, Truth Seekers revolves around a team of part-time paranormal investigators who team up to uncover and film ghost sightings across the UK, sharing their adventures on an online channel for all to see.
However, as they stake out haunted churches, underground bunkers and abandoned hospitals with their array of homemade ghost-detecting gizmos, their supernatural experiences grow more frequent, deadlier, and more terrifying as they begin to uncover a conspiracy that could bring about Armageddon for the entire human race.
For horror fans, there’s a giddy thrill to be found by spotting all of the little Easter Eggs and homages throughout - some are very obvious, other less so - but in terms of the actual horror and scares, the special effects work is excellent because there’s an emphasis on using practical effects that are impressively-gory.
Speaking with Balls, Nick Frost said that while the show's creators did want the scares to stand out, they also wanted to capture some of the campy charm of shows like Doctor Who.
"I think some of it is made specifically to look homemade and a bit rubbish. But I think everyone did a great job and the director wanted to keep everything as practical as possible. I love to do things in-camera. Practically, it looks great and speaking as a producer, there’s a cost implication that’s better. It looks more real too,” he said.
In terms of tone and plot, each instalment feels fresh and unique because every one of the episodes sees the gang pursue a different supernatural entity.
For example, one episode revolves around a spooky ordeal at a haunted hotel that has strong vibes of The Shining. Later on in the series, the gang have to deal with possessed dolls and a demonic book of evil spirits and curses, just like The Evil Dead.
As for particular scenes and storylines, film fans will have a field day spotting the nods and references to the likes of Witchfinder General, The Blair Witch Project, Se7en, The Descent, Event Horizon, Poltergeist, Ghostbusters, The Omen, and countless others.
However, just like all of their previous work, the realm of TV also has a strong influence too with The X-Files, Scooby-Doo, and Arthur C. Clarke’s World Of Strange all featuring prominently.
While The Cornetto Trilogy made Pegg and Frost global superstars, Truth Seekers feels more like their sci-fi road trip Paul but unlike their previous collaborations, what makes Truth Seekers different is that Pegg’s onscreen presence is minimal, with Frost as the clear lead.
He plays Gus Roberts, the number one broadband installation engineer at a mysterious internet service provider named Smyle, with Pegg as his boss. However, in his spare time, Gus runs the YouTube channel Truth Seeker, where he investigates paranormal phenomena around England and while he hasn’t found much, things change when he’s assigned a new trainee at work, Elton (Samson Kayo), whom he ropes into his investigations.
Obviously, you can’t have a supernatural horror-comedy without a villain and fans of The Mighty Boosh will be very happy to see that Julian Barratt perfectly fits the bill here.
Playing a renowned paranormal researcher/conspiracy theorist/dandy cult-leader named Dr. Peter Toynbee, Barratt has a blast with a character that really has no qualms about being an absolute bastard.
In fact, his evil plan harkens back to one of the most famous scenes in A Clockwork Orange which is fitting because the supporting cast includes Malcolm McDowell as Gus’ cranky, lonely dad Richard.
Elsewhere, Susan Wokoma performance as Elton's neurotic and agoraphobic sister Helen is very strong, while Pegg’s fleeting role as the chipper and awkward Smyle supervisor Dave is memorable, if only for that wig.
Ahead of the show’s release, Barratt told Balls that Truth Seekers is very much in the Pegg-Frost mould but with one key difference.
“I suppose it’s unusual in that they’re not the usual double act that you’d see, they’re playing different characters within it. That's always interesting because I’ve worked a lot in double acts and I know that feeling. I’ve often loved to play characters who don’t know each other, what would that be like? Within it, you’ve got their characters who are mates but I think they like doing different things. This sort of episodic horror-comedy is perfect for them,” he said.
When it comes to having horror chops, Malcolm McDowell knows a thing or two about gruesome scenes and speaking with Balls, the star of A Clockwork Orange thinks audiences will get a kick out of the horror references that are sprinkled throughout.
"I think it was mainly Nick and Jim (the director) and all the writers that worked them in. You know, it’s all worked out, it’s not just improvised on the set. Of course, they’re great fans and they’re going to put things in there. I’m sort of oblivious to it because I can never remember anything anyway! I wasn't sure if it’s an homage to something or not," said McDowell.
After successfully forging a career by adding their own unique brand of comedy to the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, Frost says that Truth Seekers shares similar DNA with his previous work because it adheres to his golden rule of screenwriting, always write about what you know.
"I think it’s because that’s our palette, it’s what we’ve been brought up on and what we know. Some of these tropes are fun to use and it’s fun for us to watch too. I think that's where it comes from rather than trying to crowbar shit into it.
"Personally, for me, it’s always write what you know. A lot of these things come from a British show in the '80s called Arthur C. Clarke’s World of Strange. That was about things like ghosts in castles, or how it rained worms one time or blood tides. These were just mysteries from England but that’s what I know and my mam’s from a part of Wales that’s full of myth and legend. Every country in the world has their own niches.”
Once again, with Truth Seekers, Pegg and Frost have shown that when it comes to weird dealings in the English countryside, nobody does it better.
And that’s the truth.
Truth Seekers is available to watch on Amazon Prime from Friday, 30 October.
Take a look at what's in store.
Clip via Amazon Prime Video
