By MICHELLE WILLSON, Features Editor
“Prank Encounters” is a new Netflix series that is hosted by “Stranger Things” actor Gaten Matarazzo. The series gets two people who think they’re doing everyday jobs.
The first episode was collecting for charity and babysitting. The series then scares the two everyday people by putting them in extreme scenarios with a bunch of actors whom they don’t know are acting.
I was skeptical when I saw the series. Because I couldn’t tell if it was going to be like “Impractical “Jokers” or if it was going to be more like the “Carbonaro Effect.”
I love the “Carbonaro Effect” because it’s close-up magic, it doesn’t hurt anyone and it doesn’t put anyone in awkward positions like “Impractical Jokers” does.
Boy was I wrong. This series is like a worse version of “Impractical Jokers.” They get unsuspecting people who think they’re doing normal jobs and scare them.
In context, it’s funny, but within the first episode, the two unsuspecting people think they witnessed two murders. I still feel like that was a little far for a prank.
I would honestly give this show a 2 out of 5. Because I don’t like the deep scenarios they put these people in. If you are in a situation where you think you’ve witnessed a murder …
Especially one that you wouldn’t be able to explain that could really mess you up. I know the people probably get compensated, but that’s a lot of emotional distress that I’m not here for.
The way I see it, it’s one thing if you pay or if you’re aware that you’re going into a haunted house to get scared. But when you’re pulled into an everyday scenario and you watch all of this play through without knowing that it’s fake, it just doesn’t sit right with me.