Can I Play With Madness – As the episode opens, the TV network goes out while Happy Hollow Chief of Police Ben Dandridge (Bruce Campbell) is asleep in a recliner. The phone rings and startles him away. The call is about “Bambi.” At the crime scene, Dandridge questions Spud (Kezil Curtiz) about what he saw. Spud denies seeing anyone but assures him that he would know how it ends if he did. Dandridge inspects the mutilated animal as it is hoisted into the air. He warns of what people will think about one of his band members finding themselves in another compromising position. Spud claims to have followed his advice and sought closure. Dandridge accepts his excuse. They both agree that it doesn’t seem real but fear it could be. Susan Branch (Jennifer Yun) reports on the mutilated deer carcass. A local man (James A Janisse) says it is scary because his children used to play in the woods. Dandridge describes it as a heinous prank. A local woman (Janel Gardner) insists it is evil. Branch claims the locals suspect an occult is responsible. The police are overwhelmed with calls from locals.

Linda Campbell (Julie Bowen) confronts Dylan Campbell (Emjay Anthony) about wearing leather to school. Holding up his leather-gloved hand, he claims it is his only glove. She insists he wears a mitten. Gene Campbell (Nolan North) says it is cool. Dylan heads to the closet for a mitten. At Wallace High School, a student announces Principal Cleary’s guidelines and urges the students to utilize the buddy system. Spud regrets not taking a buddy with him last night. Dylan teases him about revisiting the crime scene. Spud asks if he and his mitten find his near-death experience funny. Jordy (Chiara Aurelia) chimes in by saying it is amusing. Jesse Patton (John Henry Ward) calls them freakazoids. Jordy threatens to make him their next victim. Dylan assures him that she didn’t mean it. They complain about not having money to record their songs. She says it would be worse to be Goat Girl, Ingrid (Milly Shapiro) who is getting pelted with carrots. Spuds assures them that she isn’t that weird but changes his tune when she sniffs a carrot. While doodling, Dylan listens to Mozart. Cliff (Elijah Richardson) knocks his headphone off his head. They have different views of Mozart. Cliff compliments him for not retaliating when he got hit at Ryan’s funeral and asks to join his satanic cult-like club. Dylan recalls how he has bullied him for four years and refuses to let him join. Cliff claims to have started playing football because he wanted recognition for how hard he hits. Dylan stresses to Judith Sanders (Jessica Treska) the importance of being discrete with their club. She pleads with him to utilize her basement for club meetings.

Abigail (Jennie Page) reports blood in her water to Dandridge and claims to have seen what happened in the woods. Lying on the lawn, Max hears a snapping noise coming from the woods. After suggesting it is corroded pipes, he jots down Lonnie’s number and hands it to her when he sees a rash on her hand. Upon leaving, he finds Max missing. Later, Dr. Sawyer (Christina Bach)  attributes Linda’s rash to stress but orders a blood test just in case. Linda claims Aubrey Hudson has the same rash. Sawyer says Aubrey looked fine at the supermarket. Linda has a flashback of seeing Aubrey’s rash at the funeral. Sawyer hands her a business card for Psychiatrist Donald L. Gottlieb. Elsewhere, Dylan tries to convince Jordy and Spud that the club isn’t a cult like any other fan base. He tells them that 15 people are willing to pay $15 each to watch them play make-believe. Scanning the list, Spud and Jordy express their dislike of Cliff and Judith. Dylan says Cliff can go but Judith is letting them borrow their basement. She isn’t completely sold on the idea. In the hallway, she offers Faith Whitehead (Nikki Hahn) an ear if she wants to talk. Tracy Whitehead (Anna Camp) orders Jordy to stay away from Faith. Jordy calls her a “hose beast.” Tracy drags Faith away. Jordy tells Spud and Dylan that she is going to give them what they want, a Satanist.

Over dinner, Faith recalls her abduction. Tracy says Jordy was a teenage horror show. Faith explains what happened when she was abducted and demands to know why she lied about her being sick. Smirking, Tracy says strep throat was a better excuse than she ran away. Faith asks what she did with Ryan’s inhaler. Tracy admits to looking through her things. Faith says Ryan was with her when the men came and they killed him. Tracy promises to give the inhaler to Officer Hartman. At the police station, Officer McCabe (David Lengel) teases Dandridge about the satanic cult. Dandridge suggests he respond to the next mutilated animal call when he spots a “Satanic Cult Awareness” training manual. McCabe tells him that the Feds are calling it an epidemic but Dandridge disagrees. Sergeant Fields (Fernando Chien) informs them that the coroner ruled Ryan died after an asthma attack. The coroner’s report reveals Ryan’s body was opened, his organs removed, and stitched up. Elsewhere, Dylan, Jordy, and Spud prepare a supply list – two pails of fake blood – for their club. Later, they invite Mallory (Arden Dalia), Isaiah, Ingrid, and Phil (Richard David) to put on a show and distribute invitations. Judith tells Dylan that their basement sprung a leak. He promises to call her when he finds another location. She kisses his cheek.

While treating her rash, Linda tells Gene that she can’t go to work. He urges her to see a psychiatrist. She says there is something evil in their house and it threw her into the coffee table. She gets upset when she realizes he doesn’t believe her. At the beauty salon, Linda is working when Tracy stops by to apologize about what happened to Dylan at Ryan’s funeral. Linda thanks her. Tracy gives her an “Evil At Home” flyer and invites her to attend. Dylan isn’t having any luck finding a new location for their show when Linda calls to say she has to work late. At Cassie’s Place, Cassie Dandridge (Jessica Luza) assures Dandridge that Max will show back up. Reading from the Satanic Cult manual, he says black means sorrow and red means evil. Upset, Red Hudson (Drew Waters) asks Dandridge if he found Ryan’s heart and treats him to drink for all his hard work. Elsewhere, Faith visits Jordy to apologize. Jordy claims her parents believed Tracy when she told them that she was a bad influence. They confiscated her tapes and makeup. Jordy wants nothing to do with Tracy if she can’t stand up to Tracy. Upon returning home, Faith finds a note from Tracy claiming Officer Hartman has Ryan’s inhaler. She calls the police station only to learn he doesn’t exist. She discovers a Dudley’s Auto Repair invoice for $10k. While Linda attends Tracy’s “Evil At Home” meeting, Spud, Dylan, and Jordy host their show. Spud is collecting $20 from students with an invitation and when Cliff tries to pay, he excludes him. Cliff offers to pay double or tip off the cops. Dylan says let him pass.

The students make their way to the basement where demonic names are being chanted and a goat is baaing. Phil welcomes them to the Bowels of Hell and to be reborn of darkness. Jordy holds a brass bowl of new blood. Dylan dips his finger into the blood, calls Cliff forward, and asks for his oath. Jordy says, “Silentium es aureum, Satanas” and draws a cross in blood on his forehead. Tonya (Aline O’Neill) warns Judith but she doesn’t listen. Refusing to take an oath, Tonya calls Jordy a freak. Jordy orders her to do it or leave before spitting blood on her face. Frantic, Tonya leaves. Jordy dares them to challenge her but no one steps forward. At the church, Linda imagines the other attendees describing their attacks and revealing their rashes. She pulls up her sleeve and holds out her arm covered in a rash. She comes to herself. Tracy blames her for the evil taking over their town. Linda denies the accusation. Tracy asks if anyone has heard about Dylan. All hands go up. Linda defends Dylan. Everyone believes Linda is guilty. Linda sees an entity in a mirror and races out of the church. Tracy is relieved.

Faith asks Joseph (Kresh Novakovic) why her mom paid him $10k to work on her car. A cut on Bob’s (Eric Tiede) triggers a memory about her abduction. Realizing Bob was pretending to be Officer Hartman, Faith flees. Dylan’s party is in full blast. Judith kisses him. The students chant Dylan’s name. Jordy fears they no longer have a band. Tonya tells Abigail about the cult party. Max returns with Ryan’s heart. The TV screen turns red, screams emit from the TV, and repeatedly switches on and off. Dandridge stares at the TV as the episode ends.

 

Hysteria Review

The story becomes cluttered with pointless side characters and red herrings. Characters that carry any weight can be counted on one hand. It’s becoming more difficult to empathize with anyone in the show.

The story drags on for what seems like forever but progresses very little. It seems the length of each episode is more important than telling a story that flows coherently and logically. At times it’s unorganized to the point of confusion.

The AI-generated entities and mutilated animals are laughable at best. Nothing about the series is humorous or terrifying. The story lacks intrigue and depth. The interest wans as there is nothing to get excited about. It’s juvenile and corny most of the time. It deserves a 5.2 out of 10.

Get more Hysteria recaps here. Join our newly established forum to see what others are saying. Support our site by donating. Learn about our advertising packages here.