User blog comment:NedWolfkin/My Thoughts on Channel Zero's Cancelation/@comment-25052433-20190312233200

It was cool to see the attempt made to really showcase internet horror authors, and I certainly wished the program success, since it could have extended into so many other online stories and given talented writers a real shot at reaching a higher level of viewer/reader appreciation.

What a lot of folks seem to miss is that it is uncommon to see literature adapted into film and maintain its original voice. This is nothing new and certainly didn't start with Channel Zero.

Stephen King is well known for disliking Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining, so much so that a television adaptation was made in the 90's. (It was pretty damned good to as I recall) I remember back in the early 2000's when Queen of the Damned came out. Anne Rice fans lost their shit because various changes from the book.

Another thing people often overlook is that a director on a set is essentially an artist as well. It's their job to mold source material in written form into something that can work on camera. As with any artist, they will put their own spin on things. This is just a hallmark of any talented director. They want their unique signature on the product they end up with. Directors who don't strive to apply their creative flavor may as well just go and direct commercials or corporate instructional videos.

So of course the film series for Candle Cove, as well as the other adaptations over the course of the series weren't going to be carbon copies of the stories that inspired them. The fact that independent authors, folks like myself who have to serve as our own agents, publicists, promotors etc were given a chance to be represented on a major cable network is a sign that internet authoring is an actionable course for something beyond just posting stories for comments and shares.

Now, how could Channel Zero have been improved? Personally I think if another program like this ever gets green-lit, it should function like the old Tales from the Dark Side, Monsters, Tales from the Crypt, etc. Instead of trying to convert a creepypasta into a multi-episode season, convert them into short films ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. This would help keep adaptations a little closer to the source material, and also open up opportunities for indie authors to get more showcasing.

Channel Zero's cancellation isn't really a condemnation on the idea or execution behind it. After all, Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital didn't last, and that was a horror series by (in my opinion) the greatest horror author to ever live. Other great concepts that introduced horror and suspense, like The Following, 666 Park Avenue, hell, even the Nightmare on Elm Street series didn't have great runs. Sometimes it's the production, sometimes it's the competition, and sometimes, despite the talent and dedication of those behind the scenes, the viewing audience just doesn't get into it. And since television programs, sponsors and ratings are all interconnected to form a show's success, even acclaimed series like Arrested Development (not the Netflix season lol) can fail to flourish.

Bottom line though, I'm happy for Kris Straub and all the others who had a chance to see their work converted and adapted into something so much larger. As long as they were pleased with the final cut, there is no fault here. Viewers are fickle and shows get canceled all the time. But opportunities are golden, and to offer them to such artists as those of us who create so often for free, is a true leap faith based on belief in the talent.