'80s nostalgia continues in Peacock's new coming-of-age horror series “Hysteria.” Created by Matthew Scott Kane and David A. Goodman, the program looks at an unfortunate period of the decade that has existed largely in the shadows: the era of the Satanic Panic.

“While we're in a time where there's an oversupply of '80s nostalgia pieces,” Kane told CNET, “I felt like there was a corner here that wasn't really being explored. Here's an area we can talk about today by talking about this.”

Comparisons to “Stranger Things” are probably to be expected. After all, both are genre shows set in the 1980s and follow the teenage struggles of a group of high school students. Supernatural threats permeate both series, but while Season 4 of the hit Netflix series skimmed the surface of late '80s heavy metal (RIP Eddie Munson), Hysteria plunges headfirst into that era.

The result is a show that uses the fear of the decade's Satanic Panic as a tool to show how misinformation and disinformation can drive a community away from logic and into madness.

During the official press day, CNET spoke with Kane and the cast via Zoom to learn more about the series' devilish details. Satanic panic, but is it supposed to be fun? Here's everything you need to know about Hysteria, Peacock's new heavy metal horror show.

Read more: Peacock review: Few originals but cheap access to network TV and movies might keep you hooked

Hysteria release date and time on Peacock

All eight episodes of Hysteria dropped today on Peacock. Friday, October 18th. Additionally, the first episode of the series will air simultaneously on USA Network and Syfy, with new episodes airing weekly.

In keeping with the program's heavy metal attitude, each episode title is a reference to a rock song from the period:

1. hysteria
2. die young
3. Can I play with madness?
4. Dance macabre
5. Mother
6. Speaking in tongues
7. It's late
8. The sky is burning

What is the hysteria about?

Hysteria is set in the tight-knit community of Happy Hollow – a fictional small town inspired by Kane's hometown of Ypsilanti, Michigan. After the high school football star goes missing, rumors of the occult spread like wildfire. Panic (or hysteria, if you will) quickly sets in. The blame for the crime falls on a trio of high school outcasts Dylan, Jordy and Spud, who use the growing fear to hype up their heavy metal band by posing as Satanists.

These high school kids want to be seen and accepted, so popularity is obviously the goal. But her stunt takes her down a dangerous path and puts her in the sights of Tracy Whitehead, the town's religious extremist, who portrays Dylan and his friends as the source of the town's evil.

As Police Chief Dandridge struggles to solve the case and keep a level head, mania spreads, Dylan's mother's sanity collapses, and the citizens of Happy Hollow turn into an angry mob.

“This is a town where everyone gets the same information,” Julie Bowen, who plays Dylan's mother Linda, told CNET. “You have to wait until the morning paper or the six o’clock news the next day for updates. So what happens when all these people drink Kool-Aid basically at the same time?”

Who plays the main role in “Hysteria”?

Joining Bowen in the series are Emjay Anthony (who plays Dylan), Kezii Curtis (as Spud), Chiara Aurelia (Jordy), Anna Camp (Tracy Whitehead), Jessica Treska (Judith), Garrett Dillahunt (the Reverend) and Bruce Campbell as Chief Dandridge.

Of her character, Bowen told CNET that Linda aspires to be a normal mother, but that beneath her smiling surface lies a certain “internalized hysteria.” “She might actually be crazy,” she added.

Camp expressed sympathy for Tracy, who is an overprotective mother with deep-seated trauma. Her deeply religious beliefs have given her a bad reputation in the city. As with most characters in the series, there's more to her than meets the eye.
“She uses religion as a tool for survival,” the “Pitch Perfect” actress revealed. “She uses everything: her hair, her makeup. It is buttoned tightly. Everything is like armor for them.”

A major genre draw for the series is the casting of horror icon Bruce Campbell as Happy Hollow's police chief. However, if you're expecting Chief Dandridge to embody goofy caricatures reminiscent of many of Campbell's previous characters, you're in for a surprise.

“He’s the normal one,” said the “Evil Dead” actor. “He's the one trying to make sense of this utter madness. And so hopefully the audience can use him as a bit of support. But he's not immune to things getting weird. He’s not superhuman.”

The themes of hysteria are still relevant today

“The truth is malleable right now,” Kane told CNET. “That’s why reality is malleable.”

Misinformation, whether in the form of small town rumors or hate on social media, can manipulate a community into doing terrible things. At its core, “Hysteria” is about the widespread panic that results from fearful rhetoric.

“I wanted to write a story about two sides,” he continued. “One side benefits from this fear. In the case of our story, it is these children who become popular because people are afraid of Satanism, and also these parents who may get away with something because of their fear of Satanism.”

The series' small-town setting is crucial considering how quickly word of mouth can spread in a place where everyone knows everyone. As a Michigan resident from a sleepy community like Happy Hollow, Campbell pointed out the dangers of adding such terrible fuel to a place full of boredom.

“Nothing is happening,” he said. “This is the kind of town you want to mess with because it’s a good drama.”