Prank Encounters

I enjoyed it quite a bit. One arrogant reviewer called its veracity into question and went so far as to insult the intelligence of anyone who buys the premise...all while grammatically butchering a simple phrase like "low I.Q." Well, I have an I.Q. of over 150, but I'm not so impressed myself as to make strident assumptions about millions of people I've never met. By my estimation, the "victims" are genuinely out of the loop and I think that case can be defended against the hasty aspersions employed against it. It's not a deeply profound show, but it is fun and interesting to see how people react under duress. I think that, much like in real crisis situations, people often remain surprisingly subdued in the face of peril and hope that all the red flags and alarms are not actually spelling their end. It's a bit strange that every male "victim" was gay. Maybe their selection process filtered for certain personality traits that led to that result? I guess it would be unwise to recruit alpha males that could lead to physical harm for the actors. Anywho, I enjoyed it and recommend others ignore the cynicism displayed by some.

Don't take it too seriously and enjoy it for what it is - people are too critical.

I love prank shows and love Gaten Matarazzo but he really screwed the pooch with this one. Why does he narrate everything that's happening? The constant "cut back to *insert name*" or "Cue the scare in 3... 2... 1" not only ruins the surprise for the viewer but also makes it feel very child-like. We can see for ourselves what is happening. Scare Tactics over this any day!

Some of the pranks have great potential but are not really well-executed. Like there is a long backstory in several episodes and then all these details are not really used to their full potential Of course we want it to be weird and stuff you wouldn't believe, but this takes it to a whole new level of unbelievable.

Also it is widely advertised on Instagram and by Gaten himself that "nothing like this has ever been done". Seriously?

But yeah, still entertaining if you have nothing to watch.

Gaten explains that there are hidden cameras everywhere, BUT alot of the shots are shaky, which means... handheld! So how does he explain the cameracrew that are holding the cameras? He doesn't. The show just pretends they aren't there.

First, there's a review earlier that states the host is from super natural. No, he's from StrangerThings. I know that and I don't even watch that show. Now, for the show itself. Where to start? Acting: sub par. Feels really staged (obviously it is) but to the point that the one's being pranked feels like they are acting too. Some of the reactions are a little lackluster, making it feel as if they are in on the plot as well. Camera angles: honestly, there are times when the cameras look like they are right there with them and they know they are being filmed. Pranks: original pranks, funny, not believable at all. Overall, this show has some funny moments and is a great concept, although not an original concept, and passes the time. But very unbelievable