Inspired by Viral Fan Fiction, ‘Two Sentence Horror Stories’ Debuts on THE CW

THE CW Network recently debuted 'Two Sentence Horror Stories', an episodic, 30-minute horror anthology from original content studio Stage 13.

Inspired by the viral, bite-sized fan fiction that gets published on sites like Reddit and Creepypasta, 'Two Sentence Horror Stories' tells tales that tap into universal primal fears, filtered through the specific anxieties of a digitally connected and racially diverse generation.

The series is executive produced by Vera Miao ('Best Friends Forever') and Greencard’s Emily Wiedemann ('Creative Control') and Chazz Carfora ('Stories From The Felt'), and many of its directors come from independent film backgrounds.

'Two Sentence Horror Stories' is also notable for its casting of people of colour as protagonists in a genre where the early deaths of non-white characters is a familiar trope. Diversity was critical to every aspect of the production, including behind the camera.

“The series strives to be an homage to what we love about horror while also doing something fresh with the issues we’re covering and the characters we’re centralising,” said Vera Miao, the series creator who also wrote and directed multiple episodes.

“In the selection of directors, there was an effort to find people who could identify with some of the themes from an inside-out perspective,” said Emily Wiedemann of Greencard, which represents young creators in addition to producing commercials and films. “Our goal was to make each story feel authentic.”

Domestic abuse, the #MeToo movement, immigration and parenting are among the issues explored through the lens of psychological horror in the series. For example, the first episode ('Gentleman') features a serial killer obsessed with single mums who stalks a young mother who rejected him. The second episode ('Squirm') portrays an office assistant who wakes up naked in her bed after the work holiday party with no idea of how she got there, who is responsible, and what they’ve put inside her body.

The half-hour episodes feature Nicole Kang ('Batwoman'), Jim Parrack ('Suicide Squad') and Aleyse Shannon ('Charmed'), among others. The series will run through September 19th and is also available for streaming.