Bruce Campbell’s Horrified competition show seeks a network

Last Updated on July 22, 2021

Over the last few years, I have greatly enjoyed watching KING OF THE NERDS, a reality / competition show on TBS that was hosted by Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong from the REVENGE OF THE NERDS movies. Every season, a group of various nerd types were assembled to live in a mansion called Nerdvana, where they were split into two teams and competed in various "Nerd Wars" and "Nerd-Offs", one player being eliminated each episode until the last person standing was dubbed the King of the Nerds and awarded $100,000.

KING OF THE NERDS was a very fun show, and unfortunately it was announced last week that it won't be returning for a fourth season… But there is hope that the concept may live on in a revamped format. A horror version of the idea, hosted by Bruce Campbell and tentatively titled BRUCE CAMPBELL'S HORRIFIED.

Genre icon Campbell and KING OF THE NERDS executive producers are working on developing the project while shopping it around to networks, and are describing it as "a celebration of horror fans through a comedic and irreverent lens".

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva hears that

the contestants would live together, possibly in a haunted house-type of residence, and will compete in a series of team and individual challenges, with each episode themed around a horror sub-genre, like monster, sci-fi, psychological, zombie, etc., completed with decors, costumes and visual effects associated with that genre.

Like in King Of The Nerds, "we hope to bring celebrities associated with that genre as judges" in the respective episodes, (executive producer Craig) Armstrong said. As for the contestant casting process, it also will be similar to King Of The Nerds, with the show looking for "die-hard, obsessive, funny, bigger than life characters in the horror space."

Bruce Campbell had this to say about the idea: 

"From where I’m sitting, this is the first time a reality series has melded competition and comedy with the fun and fear of the horror genre. It’s a sweet spot I love and to pull it off takes a team of creative, industrious and slightly insane people – which is, of course, why I wanted to do it!"

It sounds like fun to me, and while I'm sad to see KING OF THE NERDS go, I'm looking forward to watching BRUCE CAMPBELL'S HORRIFIED (or whatever it ends up being called).

The show is being produced by 5X5 Media and Warner Horizon TV.